24th March, 2026
PROGRAM OVERVIEW - Helping Children Heal
The Helping Children Heal (HCH) program is a pilot project that provides
trauma-informed recovery services to children (aged 6-12 years) and their
families who have been exposed to domestic or family violence.
The program focuses on improving social, emotional, and educational outcomes
for children, strengthening relationships with safe caregiver/s, and increasing
the capacity of the safe caregiver to foster their children’s safety and wellbeing.
The program facilitates access to therapeutic supports, such as health
care, psychology, and occupational therapy, to make sure kids are physically
healthy while they recover from trauma. And provides services that assist
families to navigate the education systems, when children need extra support with learning and recovery.
THE ROLE
The Program Manager provides leadership and oversight of the HCH program to ensure the delivery of trauma-informed recovery services for children, young people and their families.
With 7 direct reports, strong people management skills and experience is required to enable delivery of high-quality services.
The role has a strong focus on child safety, program integrity, and workforce
leadership, and plays a key role in embedding and maintaining Child Safe
Standards across the organisation, including monitoring compliance with
WAGEC’s Child Protection Policy.
This is a full-time, or part-time (0.8FTE), fixed-term contract until 30 June 2027, based at our Burwood Community Hub, with some travel to other WAGEC sites.
The core responsibilities of the role are:
- Lead, support and develop a high-performing team through coaching, supervision, work plans, and modelling culturally responsive practice
- Manage team operations, program planning, implementation and evaluations, including risk and compliance management
- Oversee and develop systems and processes to improve ways of working, increase efficiencies and meet funding requirements
- Build and maintain strong sector engagement and networks, respond to trends in client data and ensure meaningful partnerships with government and community stakeholders
- Proactively and positively contribute to WAGEC's culture and impact.
ABOUT YOU You will have:
- Demonstrated expertise in delivering therapeutic, clinical and/or case management services within trauma-informed and child/family-centred frameworks
- Minimum of 3-5 years managing multidisciplinary teams, supporting workforce capability development and wellbeing
- Excellent written and interpersonal communication skills, balanced with strong project management experience
- Demonstrated culturally responsive practice, able to adapt services to community needs
- Sound understanding of the risk, compliance and financial responsibilities of program delivery, including Child Safe Standards and WHS legislation
- Understanding of the impacts of trauma, domestic violence, and homelessness on children and young people
- Qualifications and/or equivalent professional experience in the areas of Social Work, Psychology, Community Services, or other relevant fields.
TO APPLY
Please read the position description at the bottom of this page and check out our range of services at wagec.org.au.
Please upload your resume and cover letter by clicking "Apply For Job". We appreciate brief cover letters that outline the key strengths you would bring to the core responsibilities. We will review applications as they come in.
If you have any questions, or if you would like assistance in applying, please contact the People and Culture team via recruitment@wagec.org.au, using the subject line: Program Manager - HCH, or call 0437 615 061.
WAGEC is a child-safe organisation, committed to the safety, well-being, and empowerment of all children who we engage with in our services and community. We have a whole organisation approach to upholding children's rights and striving to prevent all forms of harm, abuse and neglect for children and young people.
Why work with us?
At WAGEC we are committed to caring for our people to help them excel in the work they do. Our additional staff benefits include:
- Diversity Council of Australia - Inclusive Employer Award
- Wellbeing Policy including 2 days of paid well-being leave each year
- Cultural Supervision, Wellbeing and Ceremonial Leave for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workers
- 12 weeks Paid Parental/Adoption Leave Policy
- $500 self-care allowance each year
- Salary Packaging options
- EAP: Free access to Sonder - a revolutionary employee care platform for health, medical, safety and wellbeing support
- Flexible Workplace Arrangements
- External monthly clinical supervision (frontline workers)
- Professional development and training opportunities
- 5 days additional Professional Development leave per year
- Discounts to various local shops, gyms and businesses, including 30% off all WAGEC merchandise.
Position description: (copy paste to browser) https://wagec.cdn.prismic.io/wagec/acHnKpGXnQHGY4Sv_ProgramManager-HelpingChildrenHeal-PositionDescription_0326.pdf
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