• Passionate about social justice and human rights? We want to hear from you!
• Provide vital non-legal support to make a real difference in the lives of vulnerable women
• Competitive salary (depending on experience) + benefits including 17.5% leave loading, additional leave entitlements, the ability to salary sacrifice and professional development opportunities so you can broaden your horizons during your time with us

Our Story:

North Queensland Women’s Legal Service is a community-based legal service developed and operated by women for women. Since our inception in 1996, we have sought to enhance women’s access to justice and promote change within the justice system informed by women’s experiences.

Our clients are women. They are usually mums (and primary carers) and have limited access to financial resources. All too often, they are victims of domestic violence. We see an increased demand for our help each year, especially from women in rural and regional areas.

As the demand for our help increases, so does our team of support staff wanting to use their expertise to make a real difference in the lives of women and their children.

We have an exciting opportunity for a Client Advocate to join our team either in Cairns or Townsville. Make a difference in the lives of vulnerable women today - apply now!

How You’ll Make a Difference:

Client Advocate

As our Client Advocate, you will work under the direction of the Client Advocate Team Leader, alongside the wider legal team to provide support to clients who are experiencing domestic and family violence.

The role of the Client Advocate is to provide high-quality support to clients of NQWLS which includes providing effective non-legal support, making effective referrals, undertaking community education and networking to advance clients’ needs and organisational requirements, and carrying out other administrative duties as required; and to ensure the effective and efficient day-to-day operation of the service.

Responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

• Providing support to clients to support their engagement with their legal matter which may include discrete and/or ongoing case management
• Participate in client interviews to identify and assess clients' non-legal needs (including physical, psychological, housing, financial support etc.) and build rapport with clients
• Provide high quality risk assessment and safety planning
• Ensuring file systems and other records are up-to-date and maintained in accordance with internal procedures
• Responding to enquiries in a timely manner
• Providing services at court, outreach clinics, and other locations as required

What You’ll Bring to the Team:

To be considered for the role, you should have demonstrated capacity to provide quality, trauma-informed support, particularly in the areas of family law and domestic violence.

The nature of our work means that the majority of our clientele are women experiencing disadvantage, so your ability to apply an intersectional lens to your work will be critical to your ongoing success with North Queensland Women’s Legal Service.

Your highly developed communication and interpersonal skills will see you in good stead to engage with a wide range of clients and stakeholders, and your ability to build rapport in a warm and empathetic manner will ensure our diverse range of clients feel supported through every stage of their journey with our organisation.

Other requirements for the role include:

• Current Class C Queensland Driver’s License
• Willingness to undergo a criminal history check

Although not essential, proven experience in a similar role or community legal centre, and experience working with women affected by domestic violence would be highly desirable.

North Queensland Women’s Legal Service is committed to employing a workforce that reflects the diversity of our clients and the communities we serve. Candidates who identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, as members of the LGBTQIA+ community, or who come from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

The Benefits:

In addition to a competitive base salary, the successful candidate will enjoy the opportunity to join a dedicated and tight-knit team of like-minded professionals who are passionate about social justice and advancing human rights.

Additional benefits include:

• Access to a company vehicle for work-related travel
• 17.5% leave loading
• An ability to increase your take-home pay by accessing up to $15,000 in salary packaging benefits
• 3 days ex-gratia leave during Christmas and New Year period
• Access to our Employee Assistance Program
• Ongoing opportunities for professional development: We're all about promoting internally and supporting our staff to broaden their horizons.

Ready to Apply?

If you’re passionate about social justice and want to put your client advocacy skills to use in an organisation that aligns with your values, we want to hear from you - Click Apply Now.

A position description is attached.