Highlights

• Reports to: Director of Engagement and Advocacy
• Department: NDIS Appeals
• Permanent contract; Six-month probation Full time - 1 FTE (possibility of 0.8 FTE)
• Renumeration: SCHADS Level 6 – Pay Point depending on experience + superannuation
• Requirements: The preferred candidate for the role is required to complete and/or provide Police and Victorian Working with Children checks prior to final confirmation and commencement of employment.
• Office located in Southbank - Newly fitted out office space with access to onsite gym facilities and green space
• Salary Packaging options available
• Flexible Work Arrangements

About VMIAC

VMIAC is the peak Victorian non-government organisation for people with lived experience as consumers of mental health services. We work from a rights-based perspective.

Our Vision

A world where all mental health consumers stand proud and live a life with choices honoured and rights upheld, these principles are embedded in all aspects of society.

VMIAC aims to achieve our vision by:

• Honouring mental health consumer diversity
• Providing advocacy for mental health consumers
• Advancing mental health consumer workforce and leadership
• Delivering information and training to the community
• Enabling mental health consumer-driven education and research
• Developing strategic partnerships

Our guiding principles are premised on the following beliefs:

• People’s experiences are respected and valued
• People are experts in their own lives
• People have a right to self-determination
• People have capacity to make genuine choices
• People should be safe, respected, valued and informed, free from coercion
• People’s diversity is embraced

VMIAC is owned, governed, managed and staffed by people with a mental health consumer lived experience. We aim to be an organisation in which the diversity of people with a mental health consumer lived experience can meaningfully and powerfully contribute to our thriving organisation.

We aim to be the employer of choice for the mental health lived experience workforce. We know that by working well together we become a true force for systems change and reshaping consumer experience.

Equal Opportunity Statement

VMIAC values diverse consumer perspectives, and we aim to reflect this diversity in our staffing cohort.

We are an equal opportunity workplace, and we strongly encourage applications by First Nations people, people from a culturally and linguistically diverse background, d/Deaf and Disabled people and people from the LGBTIQA+ community.

We understand the needs of people with family obligations, and we provide a hybrid workplace, and part-time positions. Crucially we also understand the complexity of consumer experience and by negotiation offer reasonable adjustments and workplace supports to promote staff wellbeing

ABOUT THE ROLE

The NDIS Appeals Senior Advocate plays a critical leadership role within VMIAC, supporting the delivery of high-quality, rights-based individual and systemic advocacy for people with psychosocial disability. This position is responsible for providing expert advocacy support to consumers/participants, mentoring a team of advocates, and contributing to systemic reform through stakeholder engagement, community consultation, and policy input.  

Reporting to the Director of Engagement and Advocacy, it is expected that the NDIS Appeals Senior Advocate will actively contribute to building a positive, accountable and inclusive workplace culture.

ABOUT YOU

You are a passionate and principled senior advocate who brings a strong commitment to human rights, social justice, and the voice of lived experience in mental health and disability. As someone who identifies as a consumer of mental health services or who has lived experience of mental health challenges, you deeply understand the importance of advocacy that is peer-led, respectful, and grounded in empowerment. 

You thrive in collaborative environments, and you bring both strategic insight and a hands-on, relational approach to leading advocacy efforts that reflect the priorities and voices of people with psychosocial disability. 

You are skilled at leading teams and projects, and you create space for others to thrive through inclusive leadership, thoughtful mentoring, and clear guidance. You value transparency and accountability and are comfortable providing honest feedback when needed—always in service of growth and integrity.  

You have demonstrated experience and skills in working with diverse communities, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, LGBTIQA+ individuals, and culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) populations. 

As a connector and representative of VMIAC’s community, you are a compelling communicator who builds trust with stakeholders, government, and community organisations alike. You speak truth to power and are committed to advancing the rights, dignity, and leadership of people with psychosocial disability.

THIS IS A LIVED EXPERIENCE, CONSUMER POSITION

Applicants must be people who identify as having experience of mental health challenges, trauma or emotional distress and who have accessed mental health services specifically to support their wellbeing. 

Applicants must be willing to reflect on how their own lived experience interacts with that of others; and be able to contribute to the development and implementation of collaborative ways of working. 

Position overview

VMIAC’s NDIS Appeals Team is staffed and led by people with lived experience as consumers of mental health services. Our program delivers individual advocacy support utilising a self-advocacy, strengths-based and capability building approach.

NDIS Appeals Advocates provide information and advocacy support to people with a disability who are seeking to appeal decisions made by the National Disability Insurance Agency, enabling them to make their own choices and have their rights and interests respected.

This is achieved by:

• Understanding the basis of a NDIS participant’s external appeal (including prospective or former NDIS participants)
• Working with participants to develop a plan to address advocacy concern/s
• Working with participants to enhance self-advocacy skills
• Advocating alongside participants when requested to do so

KEY REPONSIBILITIES

Advocacy 

• Lead High-Quality Advocacy Services and assist the NDIS Appeals Team in the execution of:  

  • Providing ongoing advocacy assistance to consumer/participants to navigate external review processes at the Administrative Reviews Tribunal (ART), including liaising with lawyers representing the NDIA and ART registry staff, and attending conferences and hearings before the ART.
  • Enabling consumer/participants to participate in all decisions about their appeal by:  
  • Listening, clarifying, and understanding what the person wants. 
  • Assisting the person to understand their rights and what processes are available to exercise these rights. 
  • Supporting the person to self-advocate, or as directed, represent their views or preferences through the external appeal process. 
  • Providing up to date and accurate information to consumer/participants by maintaining current knowledge about relevant legislation, policy and practice to ensure high-quality advocacy support to individuals and their networks
  • Ensure intake, waitlist, allocation and exit procedures are followed appropriately
  • Support the Director of Engagement and Advocacy to deliver on the shared advocacy goals for VMIAC.

Representation 

• Maintain and develop active networks in established priority areas and foster and maintain relationships  

• Ensure anyone representing VMIAC understands the shared advocacy agenda and is supported to present impactfully and effectively. 

Programs and quality 

• Maintain continuity in approach between consumer-facing programs in NDIS Appeals 

• Manage program risk areas, with relevant staff members and feed up systemic issues to Director of Engagement and Advocacy.  

• Work with senior team members to deliver program outcomes in line with VMIAC’s annual plans 

• Maintain a set of relationships which allows VMIAC to achieve better outcomes for consumers and people navigating NDIS Appeals

• Support the provision of comprehensive, timely and accurate program reports that meet the information and accountability expectations of the CEO, Directors and the requirements of the Committee and funders 

• Identify opportunities for program growth aligned with strategy including new program streams or areas of development for VMIAC 

• Contribute to the implementation and continuous improvement of the VMIAC NDIS Appeals program including the development and review of policies, procedures and guidelines.   

People and culture 

• Support recruitment for NDIS Appeals team roles

• Ensure appropriate support and supervision is always available to all staff in the NDIS Appeals Team 

• Support an organisation culture that is caring and inclusive, inspires best practice and promotes mutual accountability while supporting staff to thrive in professional roles 

• Promote and inspire teamwork and collaboration within and between teams 

• Lead by example and uphold a values driven team culture. 

• Work collaboratively as required with other members of the VMIAC team including attending and contributing to

Key selection criteria

Essential:

• Demonstrated lived or living experience of mental health challenges, trauma, or emotional distress and as a consumer of mental health services, with the capacity to reflect on how personal experiences interact with those of others, contributing to collaborative and empathetic ways of working.  

• Proven ability to lead a team, ensuring that consumer/participant rights and perspectives are central to advocacy efforts. 

• Individual and systemic advocacy experience (legal or non-legal), with demonstrated ability to reason and argue assertively on important issues on behalf of people with disability and the ability to identify systemic issues and advance consumer/participant rights.

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with demonstrated experience in relationship management and stakeholder engagement across diverse groups, including consumer/participants, service providers, and policymakers. 

• Strong organisational skills with the ability to prioritize tasks effectively, work independently under limited supervision, and meet deadlines in a dynamic environment whilst managing the needs of consumer/participants

• A deep commitment to social justice principles, including the full promotion and protection of the human rights and fundamental freedoms held by people with a disability, and the promotion and respect of their inherent dignity.

• A collaborative team player committed to achieving shared outcomes, contributing to a positive team culture, and supporting colleagues through mentorship and knowledge sharing. 

• Intermediate to advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office 365, Zoom, Adobe, and other relevant software applications, with the ability to adapt to new technologies as required. 

• Demonstrated ability to handle sensitive information with the highest levels of confidentiality and integrity, exercising sound judgment in complex situations. 

• Experience in maintaining accurate records, preparing reports and correspondence, and ensuring compliance with organisational policies and national standards, such as the NDIS Appeals Program requirements. 

Desired:

• Knowledge of, or ability to quickly gain knowledge of the legislation governing the National Disability Insurance Scheme and the Administrative Review Tribunal, and related subordinate legislation.

Support and development

VMIAC will provide regular supervision and mentoring to the person in this role. All VMIAC roles include training and development opportunities, which can include the development of leadership and other required skills and attendance at conferences.

For enquiries relating to this position, please contact Narelle Fousketakis at [email protected] using the subject line: NDIS Appeals Senior Advocate enquiry via EthicalJobs.