Child Safety Area Manager – EP Youth (Mackay) Location:
Mackay, Queensland
Full-Time
As our Child Safety Area Manager in Mackay, you’ll provide the leadership, supervision, and operational oversight that keeps our services safe, compliant, and genuinely life-changing for the Children and Young People in our care.
This is a hands-on leadership role. You’ll guide and develop a team of Case Managers and Child Safety staff, make sure care is delivered to a high standard and in line with legislation, and work closely with the Department of Child Safety and our Executive Manager of EP Youth to support intake, referrals, and placement decisions. You’ll also hold financial delegation for your area and play a key part in building our Mackay presence into a strong, stable, and respected service.
If you’re a values-driven leader who can balance compliance and care, coach a team through complex work, and stay calm when things get hard, we’d love to hear from you.
Enabling Pathways is a Townsville-based not-for-profit delivering trauma-informed residential care and outreach services to young people across the region. Through our EP Youth division, we support children and young people who have experienced trauma, abuse, or neglect, integrating developmental psychology with cultural understanding to create a safe space for recovery and growth. As we grow into Mackay, you’ll be helping to extend that mission to a new community.
- Provide leadership, supervision, coaching, and performance management to Case Managers and Child Safety staff, including coordinating staff development and training.
- Ensure the safety, wellbeing, and stability of Children and Young People through effective placement matching, ongoing monitoring, and therapeutic practice.
- Work collaboratively with the Executive Manager of EP Youth and the Department of Child Safety to support intake, referrals, and placement decisions.
- Oversee recruitment, onboarding, performance management and, where required, disciplinary and offboarding processes in line with HR practices.
- Monitor service delivery, conduct audits, and ensure compliance with child protection legislation, privacy requirements, and the Child Protection Practice Framework.
- Ensure timely and accurate completion of case records, reports, rosters, and performance documentation in line with legislative and award requirements.
- Manage budgets and financial documentation, including oversight of expenditure, invoices, and approvals within your delegated authority.
- Promote effective use of payroll, HR, and administrative systems across the team.
- Fulfil on-call responsibilities and respond to emergencies and critical incidents as required.
- Step into operational roles when needed to maintain service continuity.
- Identify workplace risks and ensure WHS reporting, mitigation, and follow-up.
- Build strong relationships with internal teams, stakeholders, and community partners.
- Promote an inclusive, respectful, and culturally responsive workplace environment.
Experience
Skills
- Strong leadership skills with the ability to motivate, coach, and develop staff.
- Strong financial literacy and a sound understanding of budgets and financial processes.
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
- High level of PC literacy and proficiency with the Microsoft suite.
- Exceptional organisational skills and the ability to prioritise a busy workload.
- Highly developed interpersonal skills and the ability to build rapport and trust.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to exercise initiative and sound professional judgement.
- Excellent problem-solving capability, remaining calm and adaptable to meet deadlines while maintaining quality, attention to detail, and accuracy.
- Core values that align with ours.
- Proof of citizenship (passport, birth certificate or citizenship certificate) or VISA if applicable.
- Current QLD Open Driver’s License
- Must hold an active Working with Children Blue Card and not be a Restricted Person.
- Hold a current First Aid (HLTAID011) and CPR (HLTAID009) Certificate.
- A clean National Police check less than 6 months old.
- Ability to communicate effectively Excellent communication (written and verbal) and interpersonal skills, including working and communicating effectively with clients, their families, community agencies and other professionals.
- Ability to work in a busy environment, both independently and as a part of a team.
- Comply with & understand all privacy and confidentiality policies.
- Cultural awareness of all backgrounds.
Essence of Care Immerse yourself in the heart of care at Enabling Pathways, where compassion extends beyond the workplace to directly impact the lives of our clients. Just as our team passionately fosters meaningful connections, we reciprocate that care for our employees and their families.
Competitive Salary & Financial Flexibility Enjoy a competitive salary that reflects your experience and leadership, plus access to not-for-profit Salary Sacrifice options to help you optimise your take-home pay.
Employee Wellbeing Through our partnership with Employment Hero, you’ll have access to a Discount Store for reduced-price products, Hero Points for recognition and rewards, and wellness content covering financial, physical, and mental wellbeing.
Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Access confidential support and resources that help you navigate challenges, so you’re not just surviving but thriving in both your personal and professional life.
Cross-Functional Learning & Collaboration Join a collaborative team that values shared learning. You’ll work alongside experienced colleagues, expand your skill set, and help shape a brand-new service in Mackay.
