Highlights

• Reports to: Director of Engagement and Advocacy
• Department: Advocacy
• Contract: 2-year contract; Six-month probation; Full time - 1 FTE with the possibility of extension subject to funding (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 Senior Advocate plays a critical role within VMIAC, supporting the delivery of high-quality, rights-based individual and systemic advocacy for people with lived experience of mental health challenges. This position is responsible for providing expert advocacy support to consumers, 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 Senior Advocate will actively contribute to building a positive, accountable and inclusive workplace culture while contributing to strategy and organisation-wide projects.

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. 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 have the ability to lead complex advocacy cases and work under limited direction.

You thrive in collaborative environments and are confident working alongside advocates and Directors to support strategy and influence systemic change. You bring both insight and a hands-on, relational approach to advocacy efforts that reflect the priorities and voices of people with lived experience.

You are skilled at mentoring teams and projects, and you create space for others to thrive through inclusivity, 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.

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 consumers across all levels of the mental health system.

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 Advocacy Team is staffed and led by people with lived experience as consumers of mental health services. Our program delivers short-term, goal-focused information and support to consumers, utilising a self-advocacy, strengths-based and capability building approach.

Advocates inform consumers about their rights within the mental health system or, more broadly, within other systems and institutions by supporting/assisting consumers to make their own choices/decisions and have their rights respected and voice heard.

This is achieved by:

• Identifying if consumers’ rights have been breached
• Working with consumers to develop a plan to address advocacy concern/s
• Working with consumers to enhance self-advocacy skills
• Advocate alongside consumers when requested

Key Responsibilities

Advocacy

• Lead Complex advocacy cases and mentor the Advocacy Team in the execution of:
  • Providing high quality advocacy services to consumers who believe their rights experienced an infringement of their rights, including but not limited to discrimination, unsatisfactory service provision, not being heard or respected in decision making about their assessment, treatment, care and recover, lack of choice in treatments or services that is directly related to their mental health diagnosis or psychosocial disability.
• Enable them to participate in all decisions about their treatment, care, and recovery 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 to others through individual advocacy.
• Providing up to date and accurate information to consumers by maintaining current knowledge about relevant legislation, policy and practice to ensure high-quality advocacy support to individuals and their networks.

• 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 effectively.

Programs and quality

• Maintain continuity in approach between consumer-facing programs in General Advocacy.
• 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.
• 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 Advocacy program including the development and review of policies, procedures and guidelines and participate in the NDAP audit process.

People and culture

• Support recruitment for roles Advocacy team.
• Ensure appropriate support and supervision is always available to all staff in the Advocacy 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 scheduled meetings.

Key Selection criteria

ESSENTIAL:

• Demonstrated lived or living experience of mental health challenges, trauma, or emotional distress and 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 complex advocacy cases, mentor a team and support strategic plans within the mental health sector, ensuring that consumer rights and perspectives are central to advocacy efforts.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with demonstrated experience in relationship management and stakeholder engagement across diverse groups, including consumers, service providers, and policymakers.
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to prioritise tasks effectively, work independently under limited supervision, and meet deadlines in a dynamic environment.
• The ability to effectively plan work to meet objectives and manage the needs of consumers.
• 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 National Disability Advocacy Program (NDAP) requirements.
• Experience in individual and systemic advocacy, with the ability to identify systemic issues and advance consumer rights.
• Qualifications: Relevant tertiary qualifications in community services, community development or a related field, i.e. Bachelor degree or extensive experience at a senior level min 5 years.

DESIRABLE:

Experience in coordinating, developing, or delivering training and skills development programs, particularly within the mental health sector.

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 Belinda Grant - Interim Advocacy Lead at [email protected] using the subject line: Senior Advocate enquiry via EthicalJobs.

A position description is attached.