Practice Leader - Mental Health and Wellbeing

Rebuilding Shattered Lives - Supporting people of refugee background to recover from torture and other traumatic events

03rd September, 2026

• A part-time (0.8 EFT), 12-month fixed-term position
• Based in our Sunshine office, nearby parking and close to public transport
• Salary of $141,817 (pro rata to 0.8 EFT) + Super + NFP Salary Packaging

Rebuilding Shattered Lives - Supporting people of refugee background to recover from 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. Our Practice Excellence team is core to ensuring that the services provided by Foundation House to individuals and communities are delivered to the highest standard and are in line with organisational purpose, priorities, and obligations.

The Practice Excellence team are 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 role of Practice Leader - Mental Health and Wellbeing (MHW) is to actively support the Manager Practice Development to drive the design and delivery of professional practice support to Foundation House staff and external and internal sector training.

Practice Leaders focus on strengthening and elevating practitioners' skills and knowledge across the organization to work with individuals and families from refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds. 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 delivery of individual and group reflective practice development supervision, professional learning (internal and external), communities of practice, secondary case consultations, case reviews and other supports and initiatives based on need.

Key responsibilities include:

• Lead the provision of practice advice and support to the regional Mental Health and Wellbeing teams.
• Deliver regional and central practice support in line with Foundation House Professional Practice Development Framework.
• Contribute to the design, development and implementation of practice development and learning initiatives across the organisation and externally to support sector development.
• Inform organisational quality governance through the identification of practice issues, development of quality improvement initiatives and proactively contributing to the Practice Excellence leadership's ability to drive continuous improvement in practice.

The role is available as a 12-month fixed-term, part-time (0.8 EFT) position and is based in our Sunshine office.

What you'll need to successfully apply

• Post-graduate qualification in psychology or social work and/or other related discipline/s
• Demonstrated experience in the delivery of and delivering professional learning and training in working with complex trauma
• Prior experience in the delivery of continuous quality improvement initiatives
• Expertise in providing clinical governance and practice development support for complex clinical and psychosocial assessments, case planning and counselling and advocacy responses for individuals and families with complex trauma experiences
• Experience in delivering and overseeing specialist trauma recovery models and psychosocial and sector capacity-building initiatives.
• Accreditation or eligibility for accreditation as a Psychology Board Approved Supervisor with AHPRA is desirable but not essential.

In return

• an attractive remuneration package of $141,817 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

• 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.

Applications are due to close 24th of September 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 or by phone on .

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.

Foundation House seeks a Practice Leader - Mental Health and Wellbeing to advance trauma-informed practice, deliver staff development and oversee sector training. The role supports regional teams and coordinates learning initiatives while aligning with governance standards.

Based in Sunshine, this 0.8 EFT, 12-month fixed-term position offers a meaningful purpose, competitive package, and access to a supportive, diverse team; close to transport with parking options.

Rebuilding Shattered Lives - supporting refugees to recover from torture and other traumatic events

15th September, 2026

• A part-time (0.8 EFT) fixed term, parental leave backfill position
• Based in our Sunshine office, with free onsite parking
• Salary of $105-120k + super + leave loading + salary packaging (based on experience, pro-rata for part-time)

Your impact

Foundation House adopts a holistic and integrated approach to meeting the complex needs of our refugee background clients and their communities to ensure the application of trauma-informed principles and trauma focused interventions.

As a Counsellor Advocate, you will work with the Foundation House Trauma Recovery Framework to provide expert assessment and counselling, using a diverse range of developmentally appropriate psychosocial therapeutic interventions. These services address both the complex psychological impact of torture and trauma, along with addressing the many challenges our clients face in terms of the broader social and economic determinants of mental health.

Your role will also involve a range of advocacy including liaison and facilitated referrals with relevant health, community, education, and legal services.

The CA role

We look for Counsellor Advocates who are committed to advancing human rights and are passionate about supporting trauma recovery for refugee background individuals and families. Regular supervision, guidance and professional development support is provided to assist you in undertaking your work as a Counsellor Advocate and to support high quality services to our clients.

We currently have a part-time (0.8 EFT) fixed term, parental leave backfill position within our Adult & Family team in our Sunshine office.

Some key responsibilities include:

• Conduct comprehensive biopsychosocial assessments with individuals and families to develop clear formulations and client-centred therapeutic goals.
• Conduct risk assessments and establish and implement risk management and safety plans where indicated.
• Provide developmentally appropriate trauma-informed and trauma-focused counselling and therapeutic interventions using a range of evidence-based modalities.
• Provide psychoeducation in individual, family and group settings.
• Identify critical issues clients experience that are affecting their sense of wellbeing, mental health and safety, and develop strategies for responding to those issues. This will include making referrals and undertaking advocacy with relevant health, community, education, legal services and government agencies.

What you will need to successfully apply

• Relevant tertiary qualifications in psychology, social work, counselling, or other related discipline.
• Demonstrated experience and expertise in counselling, preferably in a similar trauma recovery context or another area of trauma-focused service provision.
• Demonstrated experience conducting psychosocial assessments and risk assessments of adults and families.
• Ability to write high quality professional psychosocial reports for a variety of key stakeholders, including legal and government bodies.
• Good understanding of how to negotiate and advocate with multiple service systems in Victoria to support the needs of clients and their families.
• Ability to work in a cross-cultural context including working with interpreters.

In return

• an attractive remuneration package of 105-120k plus superannuation and annual leave loading (based on experience, pro-rata if part-time)
• 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

• 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.

Applications are due to close Tuesday 6 October 2026. Please note, applications may be considered as they are received, and job ads may close early.

Position Description:

Link to download PDF: Copy & paste link to download PDF

For enquiries, please contact Justin Curreen-Harris from our HR Team via or by phone on .

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.