Job posted: 15/10/2024 The department provides a wide range of learning and development support and services.
It provides policy leadership, plans for the future of education in Victoria and leads key cross-sector collaboration.
The department plays an important system steward role by providing support, guidance, oversight and assurance across early childhood and school education systems, as well as directly providing school education and 50 new early learning centres.
About the Division The Employee Safety, Wellbeing and Inclusion Division (ESWID) is committed to the Department's vision to create healthy and safe working and learning environments for Department employees to thrive and succeed.
ESWID performs its functions through five Branches that span prevention, response and recovery, as well as strategy, advice and support.
These teams adopt a holistic approach for supporting the health, safety and wellbeing of our workforce across schools, central and regional offices.
This includes Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) and Workers' Compensation policy advice and support, for both physical and psychosocial wellbeing.
The objectives of the Division are to: promote positive wellbeing in learning and working environments prevent against known and expected risks to health, safety and wellbeing respond swiftly and effectively to manage potential issues as they emerge and prevent injuries support employees to recover from injury and illness, and return to work About the Role The Manager – Employee Wellbeing Response Team (EWRT) will lead a team of advisors in the provision and coordination of early response mental health and wellbeing supports for department staff in significant distress and at risk of injury – primarily through the Employee Wellbeing Support Services (EWSS).
This includes referral, coordination and/or delivery of four key programs under the EWSS: Crisis counselling (emergency counselling) is available 24 hours a day, 7 days per week by phone.
Rapid Contact Calls which are also a rapid form of support and can be actioned within an hour of being requested in most cases.
Planned Workplace support for provision of on-site counselling to school staff at school sites.
Employee Wellbeing Support Services where staff members can also access and make appointments for counselling with less urgency.
The EWRT also provides specialist support in response to serious employee injury and complex safety incidents.
The Response Team support is sometimes required out of hours, including on public holidays and weekends.
To ensure continuity of service, the Response Team has established a standby roster.
A VPS5 or VPS6 team member will be rostered on standby on weekends and public holidays to respond to emergencies or critical incidents involving DE staff, students or property.
A member of the Employee Wellbeing Response Team (Response Team) attends Incident Management Team (IMT) stand-up meetings in response to critical incidents that impact on schools and corporate workplaces.
The IMT is usually coordinated by the Executive Director or Director, Security and Emergency Management (SEMD) or their delegate.
The Manager will empower and enable the team to provide high quality, empathic and responsive advice about the mental health supports available under the department's EWSS and other programs, and provide coordination and support to schools to deploy those services to staff in need.
The Manager will guide the team in providing best-fit wellbeing support and services to schools with complex cases and critical incidents, and guidance to schools and department workplaces facing ongoing wellbeing challenges on how best to manage early-onset health and wellbeing risk indicators to prevent them from escalating.
The Manager will also be responsible for overseeing the EWRT edu Safe Plus triage function and management of the on-call roster in accordance with relevant policy and legislation.
This role will also be required to be on-call from time to time.
An allowance will be paid for on-call periods in accordance with the VPS Agreement.
In addition, the Manager will: be responsible for contract management of the Department's Early Intervention program, and will support the team to track budget and utilization for that program, which aims to support staff with escalated mental health support needs ensure their team works closely with other parts of the Response and Recovery Branch, the Division and regions, including the Employee Mental Health Reform Branch, providing streamlined service to schools, and supporting the implementation of any emerging OHS psychosocial safety requirements.
The Manager will have strong communication and people management skills supported by expertise in mental health, education or other related areas.
Due to the responsive nature of this role, some state-wide travel will be required, advance notice will be provided.
Attributes The required capabilities for the role are set out in the position description (see attachment).
Qualifications and Experience Essential: Relevant qualification in mental health, allied health, OHS, education or related field.
Essential: Experience working in mental health, education and/or OHS.
Further Information For more details regarding this position please see attached position description for the capabilities to address in application.
Applicants are asked to provide a statement of no more than two pages against the Key Selection Criteria including addressing the essential qualifications and experience listed.
The department values diversity and inclusion in all forms - gender, religion, ethnicity, LGBTIQ+, disability and neurodiversity.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
For more information about our work, working for the Department, diversity and inclusion, and our employment conditions visit the Department website and our Diversity and Inclusion page.
Applicants requiring adjustments can contact the nominated contact person.
Information about the Department of Education's operations and employment conditions can be located at www.education.vic.gov.au.
For further information pertaining to the role, please contact Melanie Weightman - A/Director Response and Recovery Branch via email ******.
Preferred applicants may be required to complete a police check and may be subject to other pre-employment checks.
Information provided to the Department of Education will be treated in the strictest confidence.
Please let us know via phone or email if you require any adjustments to ensure your full participation in the recruitment process or if you need the ad or any attachments in an accessible format (e.g.
large print) due to any viewing difficulties or other accessibility requirements.
Applications close: 11:59pm on Tuesday 29 October, 2024.
Job type: Full time Job classification: VPSG6 Contact: #J-18808-Ljbffr