• Salary: $88,000.00 - $94,000.00
• Job Type: Permanent - Part Time
• Location: Primarily from our Pakenham location (main site) with some work at our Narre Warren location as part of the step-down model.   

Please note - This is an active recruitment campaign and applications are being reviewed and shortlisted for interview as they are received. This means that the advertisement may be withdrawn prior to the end date.

Who are we looking for?

Are you passionate about providing direct housing support to vulnerable young mothers and their children and thrive working in a community service crisis setting?  Do you have strength of character and enjoy rolling up your sleeves in an ever-changing environment.

Perhaps you have past experience in youth homelessness and support? Maybe you are a maternal health professional WITH experience in a residential or homelessness setting?  If so, this may be the job for you…  

 Job Description

Our Family Violence, Homelessness and Therapeutic Services program is excited to have a rare opportunity to join our high performing and dedicated team. Read about the lives we have changed here: https://link.windermere.org.au/Mums-and-Bubs

As the Mums and Bubs Residential Support Worker, you will support young single mothers facing homelessness by offering medium term accommodation and provide practical hands-on support to build necessary life skills to live an independent life, including; daily living skills, budgeting and financial management, parenting and relationships skills, job seeking support and finding long term accommodation.

Reporting to the Senior Practitioner - Homelessness Support, you will be fundamental in coordinating and managing Windermere’s residential Mums & Bubs program.

This is a permanent part-time position, working 26.6 hours per week and is an onsite position at the Mums and Bubs houses - primarily from our Pakenham location (main site) with some work at our Narre Warren location as part of the step-down model.  

As well as your sound experience as a Support Worker within housing support, you will be tertiary qualified with demonstrated knowledge and understanding within Housing, Family Violence and child development. Your resilient yet compassionate approach to engage with consumers who have experienced trauma or homelessness will be key to your success.

This position is perfect for someone who has the drive to join a progressive not-for-profit organisation who contributes to the social change of our city’s most vulnerable people.   

Why work for Windermere?

We are an organisation with a big heart; we care about our people and strive for continuous improvement; we are committed to a culture of individualised flexibility and support.

In our November 2025 employee survey - 85.4% of our employees would recommend Windermere as a place to work and 85.1% felt we are committed to diversity, equity and inclusion, view the results here - https://link.windermere.org.au/Pulse-Survey-November-20-2025

Staff Benefits and Entitlements

This is where we stand out from the crowd and Windermere offers a wide range of unique benefits such as:

• Flexible Ways of Working – this is primarily an onsite position providing direct support to consumers at our residential program combined with office and outreach support, with occasional ability to work from home
• Above Award Personal Leave and 17.5% annual leave loading
• Gifted days off (between Christmas and New Year)
• Annual Wellbeing Leave Day - no reason needed, it's just for you!
• Confidential health and wellbeing support through our Employee Assistance Program
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural and Ceremonial Leave Aboriginal and Torres Strait
• Islander Cultural and Ceremonial Leave
• Cultural and Ceremonial Leave (for non-Indigenous employees)
• Public Holiday Substitution - e.g. work Australia Day or Good Friday and take leave on another day.
• Employee Referral Program - $500 per referral
• Flexible Leave Scheme (50/52, 51/52) - Purchase 1-2 weeks additional leave
• Salary packaging (up to $15,900 per year + additional $2,650 meals and entertainment)*
• Structured performance and 1-on-1 development check-ins
• Secondment and career growth opportunities
• Staff discount program for everyday items e.g. groceries, movie tickets, health insurance and more
• Reward & Recognition Program - become a Windermere All Star!
• End of Year Awards Celebration - different theme each year
• Opportunities for professional development
• Study Leave provisions 
• 6 Weeks Paid Parental Leave, in addition to Government Funded Parental Leave Pay (PLP)     
• High quality IT and access to fleet cars

*The part time salary will range from $61,694 to $66,381, however as Windermere is a not-for-profit organisation, employees are able to claim everyday living expenses up to $15,900 against their annual Pre-Tax Salary.  If you maximise salary packaging you can increase the fortnightly take home salary by $2,158 to $2,280 per fortnight.

Use the salary packaging calculator available here - Salary Packaging Calculator | Accesspay - https://link.windermere.org.au/AccessPay

Desired Skills and Experience

 Key Selection Criteria

• Tertiary qualifications in community services or related/relevant discipline.
• Minimum 2 years experience working within the community services sector.  Experience of providing services using a coaching framework (desirable)
• Demonstrated skills in assessment, engagement and working collaboratively with families and young people with complex needs and children 0-5 years.
• Knowledge of a range of theoretical approaches and frameworks including child development, attachment theory, trauma and trauma informed practice, with the ability to apply these in practice
• This role requires a high level of autonomy therefore the ability to work independently is critical.
• Demonstrated ability to respond effectively to challenging behaviours and manage incidents in a safe manner.
• Highly developed communication, interpersonal and conflict resolution skills, including the capacity to set and maintain consistent boundaries to provide safety, stability and consistency.
• Willingness to work in a flexible manner with regards to working arrangements to ensure provision of key supports to consumers (where required and agreed with program leadership).
• Current Victorian Drivers’ Licence
• Willingness to promote and support practices that are inclusive, culturally responsive, safe and accessible
• Right to Work in Australia e.g. Australian Citizen, Permanent Resident or Visa holder with full working rights
• Willingness to undertake relevant pre-employment screening and checks - including, Police Check, Pre-Employment Medical and Working with Children's check

next steps

Please view the detailed Position Description (also attached below) for more information about the role. 

If this job excites you, then click the 'Apply Now' button to submit your application.

Please also ensure you address the Key Selection Criteria in your application letter.

If you require any specific access adjustments or support within the Windermere recruitment, interview or onboarding process please contact our Talent Acquisition Specialist via phone +613 8794 1349 or email [email protected] using the subject line: Residential Support Worker - Mums and Bubs - Pakenham / Narre Warren enquiry via EthicalJobs.

Windermere is committed to creating equitable environments for consumers and employees. We do this by building diverse and inclusive services and workspaces, where all peoples from Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander, CALD, LGBTIQ+ Communities and those living with disability will know and feel accepted, affirmed, safe and celebrated. Windermere is delivering this through the continued development and implementation of our Welcoming and Inclusion Strategy as we seek to provide a diverse workforce at all levels. We are proud of our Rainbow Tick accreditation and our Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan which has been endorsed by Reconciliation Australia.