• A permanent full-time position.
• Use your extensive investigative skills to make a difference in the Newcastle and Hunter Region community.
• Join one of Newcastle’s Top 5 Employers.

The Opportunity

The Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle is seeking an experienced and skilled Investigator for their Prevention and Response Service (PaRS).  The position sits within the Diocese’s Office of Safeguarding which provides services to ensure that the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults.  The responsibilities of the Investigator includes:

• Providing intake services to diocesan personnel (recording, analysing and assessing child protection concerns, ensuring statutory and other regulatory reporting obligations are fulfilled and providing guidance and advice);
• Investigating alleged abuse committed by Diocesan personnel;
• Providing safeguarding training to Diocesan personnel.

A PaRS investigator’s actions are underpinned by the highest standards of ethical conduct, accountability and evidence based practice. 

This is a permanent full-time position based in our Mayfield Office.

Join Us and Make a Difference to the Community

The Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle (‘Diocese’) serves the Hunter and Manning regions which have a population of some 160,000 Catholics.  Through its parishes, pastoral groups, and its agencies of Catholic Schools, CatholicCare, St Nicholas Early Education and other agencies the diocese provides pastoral, educational, social welfare, and community development.  The Diocese employees approximately 3,500 staff across these agencies.

About You

• You are tertiary qualified in Psychology, Social Work, Social Science or related discipline or equivalent industry related experience in the field of Child Protection or criminal or statutory investigations.
• You have and maintain a high level of knowledge in the fields of child protection, safeguarding of vulnerable adults, civil or administrative investigations, professional standards in the Catholic Church, knowledge of contemporary practices in safeguarding audits and risk assessment and management.
• You have the ability to conduct and investigate complex matters while ensuring the process meets the accepted standards of procedural fairness, integrity and the rules of evidence are properly applied.
• You have a high level of personal responsibility, commitment to professional, ethical and evidence based practice.
• You possess a positive ‘can do’, resilient attitude.

Benefits of Working With Us

• Ongoing training and development opportunities.
• Work in a supportive and friendly environment of dedicated and passionate co-workers.
• Receive 3 additional days Bishop’s Leave between the Christmas and New Year period.
• Access to an employee assistance program.
• The availability of discounted gym membership.

Essential criteria:

• Tertiary qualifications in Psychology, Social Work, Social Science or related discipline or equivalent industry related experience in the field of Child Protection or criminal or statutory investigations.
• Certificate IV in Government Investigations or relevant industry experience.
• Demonstrated ability to analyse, classify and appropriately respond to information in a timely manner.
• Demonstrated ability to conduct investigations of complex matters.
• Demonstrated capacity to provide education and training.
• Demonstrated capacity to undertake risk assessments, develop and implement appropriate risk management plans.
• A high level of personal responsibility, commitment to professional, ethical and evidence based practice.
• Superior communication, liaison and conflict resolution skills, notably record keeping and report writing.
• Demonstrated capacity to understand and apply state and federal legislation and industry standards, guidelines and protocols.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently with minimal supervision. Sound time management skills and an ability to work effectively in a high pressure work environment.
• A current Working with Children Clearance for paid work.
• A current NSW Driver Licence.

Desirable criteria:

• Postgraduate qualification in psychology, social work, legal studies, criminology or related area.
• Certificate IV in training and assessment or relevant industry experience.
• A sound understanding and application of child protection legislation, notably the children and young person’s (care and protection) act 1998, the child protection (working with children) act 2012, the crimes act 1900, the ombudsman’s act 1974 and all related acts, regulations and statutory guidelines.
• A sound understanding of the operations of the NDIS quality and safeguards commission and ability to assess staff conduct against the NDIS practice standards and all related acts, regulations and statutory guidelines related to the provision of people receiving an NDIS funded service.
• Ability to work as part of a multi-disciplinary team answerable to multiple stakeholders.
• Experience in conducting investigations of reportable conduct within the framework determined by the NSW ombudsman’s office.
• Experience interviewing children and young people.
• Experience in providing child protection training to a variety of stakeholders.
• High-level skills in promoting an understanding of professional boundaries and professional conduct.
• High level computer skills.