- Great opportunity to join Youth Justice on an ongoing based at the Malmsbury Youth Justice Precinct.
- Manage a team that provides a comprehensive program and activities tailored to the young people's interests and cultural backgrounds.
- Build the capacity and skills of unit staff to deliver a broad range of programs and to plan, lead and co-ordinate the delivery of programs within custody.
The Department of Justice and Community Safety, Youth Justice Group is responsible for statutory supervision of young people in the criminal justice system in Victoria focussing on prevention, diversion, and early intervention as the most effective and fiscally responsible ways of reducing youth crime. As an area within the department, Youth Justice is committed to the demonstration of the Victorian Public Sector values. The values are: responsiveness, integrity, impartiality, accountability, respect, leadership and human rights.
Children and young people involved in Youth Justice are either supervised in the community, by community youth justice workers located at Justice Service Centres across seven regions in Victoria or within custodial precincts. Custodial precincts focus on providing a genuine therapeutic environment, driven by relationships based on an integrated model of care and evidence-based approach to programs and services.
The three Youth Justice custodial precincts in Victoria are managed by the Department of Justice and Community Safety:
- Parkville Youth Justice Precinct is in the inner northern Melbourne suburb of Parkville, approximately five kilometres from the central business district.
- Cherry Creek Youth Justice Precinct located to the west of Werribee.
- Malmsbury Youth Justice Precinct located approximately 100 kilometres north of Melbourne.
Youth Justice Custodial Services aim to engage young people in change by addressing their offending behaviour and equipping them with the skills required for positive community participation, within a safe and secure environment.
The Team Leader, Youth Engagement leads the Programs Team, including Youth Engagement Officers, and oversees the planning, delivery and continuous improvement of out-of-school programs and activities for young people at Malmsbury Youth Justice Precinct.
The Opportunity
- Ongoing, full-time position based at the Malmsbury Youth Justice Precinct but working flexibly across other Youth Justice Custodial Precincts (Parkville & Cherry Creek), where needed to respond to operational requirements.
- YJW4 Grade role: $107,681 - $122,190 per year plus superannuation.
- Plan programs for the Malmsbury in advance to ensure cultural, religious and significant days and events are acknowledged or celebrated.
- Co-ordinate the delivery internal and external programs delivery across the Malmsbury Precinct.
- Support unit staff capacity to deliver programs within their respective units and ensure they have a planned program curriculum and resources to enable them to deliver those programs.
- Contribute to the organisation of the Malmsbury Youth Justice Precinct Vocational Pathways program.
- Maintain an understanding of issues impacting on youth justice and investigate and lead critical projects that develop and review policies, professional standards and operating practices that enhance service delivery, budget effectiveness, efficiency and improved client outcomes.
- Forge strong connections across the department with internal and external stakeholders to facilitate a partnership approach.
- Work with senior management to capture performance indicators and standards.
- Effectively manage and provide leadership to a team of employees by:
- leading and supporting individuals to achieve their potential and contribution to organisational goals and outcomes.
- Pro-actively build and maintain positive relationships with peers and stakeholders across the organisation.
- Keep accurate and complete records of your work activities in accordance with legislative requirements and the department's records, information security and privacy policies and requirements.
To be successful in this role you will:
- Possess knowledge, experience and understanding of current issues, trends and techniques relating to the development, implementation and operation of programs and strategies within the youth justice and adult custodial settings.
- Have the ability to undertake positive consultation and liaison with clients, staff and associated professionals and service providers to ensure the provision of appropriate programs for clients.
- Have a current driver's licence is required in order to travel to other Youth Justice Custodial sites.
You will be required to obtain a Working with Children Check, which you will need to maintain for the period of employment.
To learn more about the type of skills you will need to thrive in this role, please read the position description.
What's in it for you?
You will be working for the Department of Justice and Community Safety, which is one arm of the Victorian State Government, a recognised top employer of choice nationally. All our staff work to the vision of a safe, just, innovative and thriving Victoria.
There are many advantages in working for the department, including:
- Job stability - position as a member of the Victorian Public Service (VPS).
- A fair salary- enjoy great work conditions and salary sacrificing options.
- Transparent performance framework- approach your work with confidence in how you're tracking, working to professional development plans agreed on by you and your manager.
- Generous leave entitlements- provisions for many forms of leave; including personal, parental, carers, study, cultural, compassionate, and sick leave.
- Employee Assistance Program support - you are encouraged to use this short-term, confidential counselling service if you're experiencing emotional stress, relationship problems, conflict with others or personal issues. It is also available for financial counselling and retirement planning.
- Up to $10K in relocation allowance for eligible candidates who move to within an hour's drive of the facility.
If you have any queries, please contact Teresa Bonadio on 0422 006 318 or [email protected]
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people are strongly encouraged to apply.
Applicants are welcome to utilise support from the Aboriginal Recruitment Team throughout the recruitment process. Aboriginal candidates are encouraged to contact [email protected] if they would like cultural support and guidance through the application process.
For Aboriginal Designated and Prioritised positions, a Certificate of Aboriginality (CoA) will be required prior to an offer of employment being made
We want to make sure all Victorians feel represented by the department's work. One of the ways we do this is by recruiting a diverse workforce - we welcome people of any gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, disability and cultural background. We are also committed to the Victorian Government's promise to increase the number of veterans working in the public sector.
We're proud of our individual differences. We're proud of the many languages we speak and the stories we can share with each other. We hope you will share your story too.
If this sounds like a compelling job that you believe your skills would be a great match for, please APPLY NOW. Applications close 11.59pm, Thursday 25th June 2026.
How to apply
Please click the Apply button on this advertisement. Applications should include a resume and covering letter. Attachments can be uploaded in .doc, .docx, .pdf, .txt or .rtf formats.
The successful candidate will be required to undergo pre-employment checks which may include national police checks and misconduct screening.
If you require adjustments to the recruitment and selection process, or require an alternative format to any of the application material, please don't hesitate to get in touch with the contact person listed on this ad.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
CHILD SAFE STATEMENT OF COMMITMENT:
The Department of Justice and Community Safety is committed to the safety and wellbeing of children and young people. We seek to prevent harm of any kind impacting children and young people and have zero tolerance for racism, child abuse and inequality
