02nd April, 2026
- A full-time, ongoing position within a values-based organisation
- Based primarily in our Dandenong and Ringwood offices
- Salary of $135,395 + Super + NFP Salary Packaging + Leave Loading
Rebuilding Shattered Lives – Supporting people of refugee background to recover from torture and other traumatic events Your Impact The Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture, also known as Foundation House, is a leader in delivering specialist trauma-focused services that work with the strengths and resilience of refugees, their families, and communities to rebuild lives shattered by torture and other traumatic events.
Foundation House recognises the critical link between the standard and quality of our services and the delivery of safe, person-centred, effective, and connected care, which yields the strongest client outcomes. The Practice Excellence Area of VFST is core to ensuring that the services provided by Foundation House to clients and communities are delivered to the highest standard and are in line with organisational purpose, priorities, and obligations.
The Practice Excellence Area is responsible for:
- Leading the design, delivery and implementation of practice development support and programs for all Foundation House staff in collaboration and partnership with the broader leadership team.
- Lead the design and delivery of external training aimed at supporting the work of the sector and broader mental health and wellbeing services to deliver trauma-informed care to communities from refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds.
- Leading the coordination of quality improvement initiatives for the organisation's service delivery arms.
- Leading the coordination and reporting of performance and quality measures to inform quality improvement initiatives and maintain a focus on practice excellence.
The Role The Practice Leader – Community & Sector Capacity Building (CSCB) reports centrally to the Manager Practice Development and is responsible for driving the design and delivery of professional practice support to Foundation House CSCB staff, as well as for community-based training and external sector training.
Practice Leaders will work to strengthen and elevate the skills and knowledge of Community and Sector Capacity Building staff across the organisation working with individuals and communities from refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds and with service providers engaged with these individuals and communities.
The objective of the role is to build and maintain a practice culture that upholds and integrates an understanding of contemporary best practices in line with research and evaluation. This occurs through the facilitation of group critical reflection on practice with CSCB staff professional learning (internal and external), communities of practice, and other supports and initiatives based on need.
Key responsibilities include:
- Lead the delivery of day-to-day practice support for VFST CSCB Staff in line with the Foundation House Professional Practice Development Framework, including but not limited to, Critical Reflection on Practice, Communities of Practice, Training, and secondary consultation. Delivery will occur in the regions with CCB teams and with SCB Teams either in the regions or in Brunswick.
- Identify and design responses to community capacity building practice needs across the CCB Area.
- Identify and design responses to sector capacity building practice needs across the SCB Area.
- Design, develop and implement community and sector capacity building focussed development and learning initiatives across the organisation. This may include audits, working groups, participating in accreditation, surveys, focus groups, etc.
- Lead the identification, development and delivery of professional development for CSCB staff, in collaboration with other Practice Leaders and Professional Learning and Workforce Development Coordinator.
The role is available as an ongoing, full-time position and will be primarily based in our Dandenong and Ringwood offices.
What you’ll need to successfully apply To be successful, you will need to positively respond to the below selection criteria:
- Post-graduate qualification in Community Development or related discipline or Psychology or social work with leadership experience in Community Development or related discipline.
- Senior expertise in working with culturally diverse communities and or communities experiencing displacement and complex trauma and recovery models.
- Senior experience overseeing complex community and sector development programs, including responses for communities experiencing complex trauma.
- Demonstrated experience in delivering and overseeing specialist psychosocial and community capacity-building initiatives among high-risk, vulnerable communities.
- Leadership expertise in the interface between social and government policy and community engagement and development programs across various sectors, including education and/or health.
- Demonstrated senior experience in leading sector development and community change programs.
- People with lived experience are encouraged to apply and bring their perspectives to this role
In return You’ll be rewarded with:
- an attractive remuneration package of $135,395 plus superannuation and annual leave loading
- salary packaging benefits of up to $18,550 and novated car leasing options
- a role with true purpose to make a difference in people’s lives
- a welcoming, highly diverse and supportive team environment
- access to our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for staff and family members.
About Foundation House We are:
- a state-wide agency offering services throughout Victoria. We currently have approximately 250 staff across our six offices in Brunswick, Dallas, Dandenong, Ringwood, Sunshine and Werribee, and we also provide services in partnership with other agencies in regional and rural Victoria
- values driven and committed to improving the life outcomes refugee background survivors
- an inclusive and equal opportunity employer
- a Child Safe organisation committed to promoting and protecting the interests and safety of children. We also actively play a part in combating family violence, as reflected in our organisational policies, protocols and staff development.
How to apply Please upload your CV and a cover letter (maximum one to two pages) outlining why you are suitable for this role and how you meet the selection criteria as described above.
Refer to the position description below for detailed information about the role and more information about our hiring process.
Position Description: https://tinyurl.com/8hazpyh3
Copy & paste link to download PDF
Applications are due to close 23rd of April 2026. Please note, applications may be considered as they are received, and job ads may close early. For enquiries, please contact Justin Curreen-Harris – HR & Recruitment Specialist via jobs@foundationhouse.org.au or by phone on 03 9389 8985.
Appointment to the position is subject to a satisfactory National Police Check, Working with Children Check and Reference Check process. If you have lived for a continuous period of 12 months or more in another country within the last 10 years, an International Police Check from that country will also be required. The successful applicant must be able to demonstrate proof of the Right to Work in Australia.
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