Team Leader Client Services – Northern Rivers

• ACON Health provides services to people living with (PLHIV), affected by or at risk of HIV, and to sexuality and gender diverse people in NSW that are aged 18 or over.
• ACON’s regional services are responsible for the delivery of ACON’s programs and services in regional NSW, with a focus on Health Promotion, Mental Health Services, and Needle Syringe Program operations and Harm Reduction.

What’s Services does the Client Services Team provide?

The ACON Northern Rivers Client Services Team is a small team of 3-4 staff who cover the region from Tweed Heads to Port Macquarie and provide:

• Up to 12 free one-hour counselling sessions over a period of up to 6 months, with no MBS mental health treatment plans required. Counselling is provided with a short-term solution focused framework where clients are encouraged to identify 1-3 goals.
• Care coordination of up to 6 months, depending on needs, to help people; access relevant healthcare and support services, increase their ability to manage their care and reduce social isolation.

Both of these services are offered via telehealth or from the ACON Northern Rivers office.

Ok, so what’s the role?

The main responsibilities are:

• The line supervision and support of ACON’s funded counselling services, and care coordination team to ensure the highest quality counselling support to PLHIV, and to sexuality and gender diverse people.
• Supporting ACON’s Pride Counselling service, a fee-for-service counselling program that provides service through Medicare and as a specialist Employee Assistance Program where applicable. 
• Managing a counselling/care coordination caseload using a short-term, solution-focused counselling approach to clients presenting with a range of mental health needs relating to HIV, gender and sexuality, mental health and substance support as well as ageing and domestic and family violence.

Who are we looking?

Someone with:

• Tertiary qualifications and registration with the relevant professional body in psychology, social work or occupational therapy.
• Minimum of five years’ experience in mental health service delivery, preferably within the context of LGBTQ+ mental health, suicide prevention, trans mental health, domestic and family violence and/or substance support.
• Demonstrated experience in leadership, including building strong team cultures, managing clinical risks, and line supervising teams in a multi-disciplinary environment.
• Demonstrated skills in a number of the following short-term solution-focused interventions; Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Solutions Focused Brief Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Motivational Interviewing and Positive Behavioural approaches. 
• Understanding of and commitment to ACON’s communities, particularly people living with or affected by HIV.

What else can we tell you?

ACON provides a colourful, nurturing, and fun workplace. Our employees and volunteers are the foundation for our ongoing effectiveness and for our capacity to deliver innovative community engagement and health promotion programs and initiatives for our communities.

To support the successful candidate in their new role at ACON we offer:

• Flexible working arrangements.
• Generous learning and development opportunities.
• Potential for tailored mentoring opportunities.
• Supportive working environment with a knowledgeable and friendly team.

What’s the remuneration and working details?

Salary: $106,723 (Gross per-annum, PLUS Superannuation and Leave Loading).

Location: ACON’s Northern Rivers Office situated in Bundjalung / Lismore.

Hours: Permanent Full-Time (70 hours per fortnight), ongoing contract.

We offer flexible working arrangements and a generous array of entitlements often above the National Employment Standards (NES) including:

• Salary Packaging up to $35,000 gross up value (i.e., currently up to $15,900 Expenses + $2,650 Meals, tax free).
• Generous pro-rata leave entitlements – including up to an extra week of paid leave for full time employees to be taken during our Christmas and New Year’s shutdown period.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) – access to a comprehensive counselling service free to employees.