About Us 

Royal Far West a rapidly expanding charity that has been connecting children in rural and remote communities to the care they need since 1924. Our School Services Team at Royal Far West partners with rural and remote preschools and primary schools across Australia to provide multidisciplinary services. We work closely with teaching staff and families to support and empower them to help children with communication needs. Royal Far West has been recognised as one of Australia and New Zealand’s Best Places to Work in the prestigious annual list, published by The Australian Financial Review and Boss Magazine.

We deliver these services via telehealth enabling Clinicians to work within the comfort of their home and to apply from anywhere in Australia. To build deeper connections with communities there are opportunities to do in person community visits. Check out this outreach video of a RFW Clinician! 

Purpose of the Position

Our School Services Team at Royal Far West partners with rural and remote preschools and primary schools across Australia to provide multidisciplinary services based on school community needs. We are looking for a level 1 OR 2  clinician on either a Part Time or Full Time basis. As an Occupational Therapist, you will work alongside speech pathologists and psychologists delivering services to preschools and schools in set regions. Services are delivered to rural and remote families via telehealth, and face to face outreach trips which strengthen our connection to communities.  

The clinical caseload includes providing assessment and therapy to children, working closely with their parents and educators, Other clinical activities include facilitating group programs with children and parents, running information workshops with parents and delivering professional development to educators,

We are passionate about continually improving the quality of our services and provide all clinicians with access to individual and group supervision and professional development opportunities. We are keen to support flexible working and can accommodate working from home (include fully remote staff), and part-time staff (a minimum of three days a week is required). Given we deliver services to schools, clinicians can easily request to take additional leave during school holiday periods.   

Essential Criteria 

• B. App Sc (OT), B. Occupational Therapy or equivalent and registered as an Occupational Therapist with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA). 
• Demonstrated understanding of the main components of performance in paediatric practice i.e. regulation, engagement, fine and gross motor skills and self-care skills.  
• Strong written and verbal communication abilities.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability work well on a team. 
• Proficient computer skills and experience with using Microsoft applications and video platforms such as Zoom.  
• The successful applicant will be required to provide a current Working with Children Check. 
• This role has been identified as a ‘Category A employee’ and requires protection against vaccine specified preventable diseases. 

 Desirable Criteria  

• Experience administering assessments and providing therapy to children with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties 
• Experience working in a multidisciplinary team. 
• An understanding of trauma informed practice and /or experience delivering trauma informed services. 
• Demonstrated understanding of the issues faced by CALD and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities within the context of health and family wellbeing. 
• Experience working within a school setting or in collaboration with schools. 
• Capacity, skill and willingness to deliver services via outreach (ideally 2-4 one-week outreach trips per year).

Our culture

Royal Far West is a rewarding, inspiring, diverse and purpose driven workplace which aims to elevate and harness our people power to support the health and wellbeing of country children for generations to come.  Our core values of Care, Connection, Passion, and Impact are integral to the organisation. Respecting and upholding these values enables us to maintain a positive, innovative and highly collaborative workplace culture. 

BENEFITS OFFERED

• Structured Induction program 
• Meaningful work where you are making a positive difference.  You will be supporting children’s mental health, their wellbeing and helping them to build resilience.
• You will be able to focus on the practical work and clinical care, while our support team take care of the administration and service planning.
• Career and professional development opportunities:  All team members are supported to become accredited facilitators of the Tuning in to Kids, parent group program and the Seasons for Growth children’s group program.  There are great opportunities to learn best practice, we offer Impactful Leadership Programs to emerging leaders, interactive workshops offered to develop your work skills as well as online mandatory training. 
• Multi-disciplinary work with our collaborative and supportive resident paediatricians, psychiatrists, psychologists, speech pathologists, occupational therapists and social workers to name a few.
• Attractive remuneration: base salary + 11% superannuation
• Salary Packaging – up to $15,900 of your annual salary will be tax free + meals and entertainment card $2,650 pa. See details at https://www.salary.com.au *Please note that the commercial equivalent value is a guide only and should not be treated as a substitute for specific professional advice relating to personal circumstances
• Work/Life Balance – work from our beautiful location at Manly Beach.  A laptop provided to work remotely and we offer a purchase leave scheme.
• Recognition & Reward – Length of service awards and recognition awards aligned to our values.
• Positive Culture – We are an inclusive organisation welcoming people from all walks of life! Beautiful location at Manly beach: easy access by bus, ferry and parking options.  We are based in an architecturally designed building, purposely built to deliver our services.  We have showers and towels available for your use so going for a swim before or after work is possible.
• CARE Days- up to 5 days off to look after individuals health and wellbeing, on top of Annual and Personal Leave, with the intention to provide employees with an opportunity to take regular breaks throughout the year.
• Benefits Program with discounts available on many high street purchases across Australia.
• Pandemic Leave- 7 days paid leave, per calendar year to employees that have been impacted by either a disaster or pandemic which effects their ability to attend work.
• Gifted Leave- gifting leave of up to 3 working days over the Christmas and New year holiday period. 
• Paid Parental Leave – 14 weeks full leave pay for the primary care giver and 4 weeks full leave for the non-primary care giver.  Access to paid lactation breaks and lactation facilities.
• Royal Far West has been recognised as one of Australia and New Zealand’s Best Places to Work in the prestigious annual list, published by The Australian Financial Review and Boss Magazine.

HOW TO APPLY

If you like to take the first step in developing your career in a purpose led organisation, please submit your CV and cover letter by clicking on the “Apply” button.

For further information please contact Holly Mortimer on [email protected]. Alternatively a position description is available on the Royal Far West website https://www.royalfarwest.org.au/current-vacancies/

Candidates will be reviewed as they are submitted so, please don’t delay in submitting your application.

Royal Far West does not discriminate on the basis of race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, marital status, or based on an individual’s status in any group or class protected by applicable law. 

Royal Far West encourages applications from minorities and all other qualified applicants.  

Royal far West is privileged to work with First Nations communities and families. We are committed to the process of reconciliation and we value and respect the diversity of our employees.

Only those applicants who have the right to work and are currently residing in Australia can be considered.

All employees at Royal Far West are required to provide a NSW Working with Children Check, a VIC Working with Children Check and vaccination record against Covid-19.