• Classification: ​​VPS Grade 3
• Salary Range: ​​$73,842 - $89,661
• Reports to: ​​Project Manager / Branch Secretary
• Fixed Term:​​To December 2023
• Time fraction:​​Full time (negotiable)

CPSU has secured funding through WorkSafe Victoria for a period of twelve months to continue working with the Department of Justice and Community Safety and the Department of Families Fairness and Housing around the issue of Vicarious Trauma and will also play an educative role in this field across the Victorian Public Service

The team will use resources it developed specifically to address vicarious trauma at a workplace organisational level.  This will help build capacity in departments to proactively addresses trauma impact through policies, procedures, practices, and programs and prioritise organisational change and identify needs to mitigate risk and prevent trauma related mental health injury and illness and support a proactive approach to workers who are exposed to vicarious trauma.

Organisational Environment

CPSU is a product of the amalgamation of the State Public Services Federation the largest union covering State Government employees in Australia, and the Public Sector Union, the former union covering Commonwealth Government employees. The Unions’ goal is to create, protect and improve conditions of public servants across Australia. 

This job is based in Melbourne with the Victorian Branch of the CPSU who represent State Public Servants and a range of other Public Sector employees within Victoria.

The Role

The position will join a small Project Team within the Union which reports through a Project Manager to the Branch Secretary.

The Assistant Project Officer will be responsible for supporting the team in delivering and tailoring vicarious trauma training, contributing to the development of presentations and reports, and assisting with knowledge translation.

The ideal applicant will have knowledge of mental health, trauma, and/or vicarious trauma via professional or lived experience.

The Benefits

• Make a difference to the lives of working Victorians by educating employers and employees on psychological occupational health and safety.
• Access to flexible working arrangements, including hybrid working between home and the office (located close to Parliament station in the Melbourne CBD).
• The CPSU pays the employer superannuation contribution at a rate of 14%. 

Key Responsibilities

• Assist with the provision of training to Victorian Government departments. Duties may involve evaluation and subsequent tailoring and modification of training content. 
• Contribute to project reports and correspondence where required, including assisting with preparation of quarterly reports to the funding body.
• Assist with administrative and organisational tasks for the project team.
• Prepare for, take minutes, and contribute to the project team reports at Advisory Committee meetings where required.
• Assist with creation and modification of project resources. This may include gathering and synthesising existing research, drafting and editing resources, and identifying opportunities for resource development.
• Work collaboratively with project partners in the delivery of the project outcomes.
• Other duties as directed including, but not limited to providing assistance to other project team members, internal administrative tasks such as minute taking, and providing advice to CPSU staff in areas of expertise.

Selection Criteria

The selection criteria for the position are:

• Excellent verbal communication skills, with experience in public speaking or presentations desirable.
• High level organisational skills and demonstrated ability to deliver project objectives and outcomes.
• Ability to work in a multi-disciplinary team environment, including liaising regularly with internal and external stakeholders.
• Desirable: Tertiary qualifications and/or professional or lived experience in mental health, trauma, or vicarious trauma. 
• Highly desirable: Experience in delivering or assisting with the delivery of training and/or presentations.

Other Relevant Information

CPSU strongly values diversity and encourages applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, people with a lived experience of mental ill health and recovery, and applicants from all cultures, genders, sexualities, bodies, abilities, spiritualities, ages and backgrounds. 

Applicants may request reasonable adjustments at any stage during the recruitment process by contacting Peter Lillywhite at [email protected] using the subject line: Assistant Project Officer - Vicarious Trauma Project enquiry via EthicalJobs.

The successful applicant will be employed pursuant to the CPSU Victorian Branch Staff Agreement.

Applicants must have a current Victorian Drivers Licence.