Position: Team Leader, Guidance Counsellors
Salary Range: $139,096 – $156,553 per annum pending experience
Tenure: Full Time, Permanent
Commencing Date: As soon as practicable
Closing Date: Monday, 10 October 2022 unless filled prior

About the role

Townsville Catholic Education (TCE) is seeking an experienced and dedicated Team Leader, Guidance Counsellors.  This is a Full Time, Permanent role commencing as soon as practicable.

The purpose of the Team Leader, Guidance Counsellors is to manage, advise and support a team of Guidance Counsellors to enable the effective and efficient provision of guidance counselling services to schools and students, and to facilitate professional supervision of Guidance Counsellors (in alternative teams) to support their professional growth and development. The role works collaboratively with peers to develop consistent approaches and standards to service provision, workforce management and professional development.

The role will provide support to their direct reports to carry out their roles in alignment with relevant Code of Ethics and Professional Practice and TCE requirements. This role acts as the point of contact for Guidance Counsellors to support the development, implementation and evaluation of plans and programs to assist students in achieving positive educational, developmental and lifelong learning outcomes.
This role will be expected to spend an element of their time working across the schools of their direct reports, supporting the Guidance Counsellors in their team and providing additional services during critical incidents and staff shortages. Therefore, the Team Leader, Guidance Counsellors will be required to collaboratively negotiate, develop, and implement programs for students that have a focus on preventative and early intervention strategies; are responsive to identified personal, social, emotional and educational needs; and aim to foster resilience and personal skills development.

Townsville Catholic Education supports a diverse region extending from Townsville to the Burdekin and Whitsunday regions in the South, North to Ingham and Halifax, South-West to Winton, and West to the border with the Northern Territory, encompassing Mount Isa and several small, isolated western towns and east to Palm Island.

Townsville Catholic Education provides a supportive, flexible working environment where care for the individual is an important part of our ethos.  We employ motivated people who want to work together to produce excellent outcomes for our students. Our staff are recognised as being central to achieving our mission. 

Key Accountabilities

Team Management and Development

• Supervise and coordinate the work and priorities of a designated team of Guidance Counsellors to ensure the highest quality delivery of services, working alongside TCE school Principals, school leaders and staff to achieve sustainable improvements in student health and wellbeing and ability to learn.
• Collaborate with peer Team Leader, Guidance Counsellors to ensure consistent and effective coordination and management of the Guidance Counselling function as a whole.
• Provide professional development and coaching support to team members to continuously improve team operations, services, performance, and capability.
• As a first point of escalation for Guidance Counsellors, respond and support team members as needed.
• Assist the Manager, Pastoral and Student Wellbeing with the development of procedures and processes required for support, supervision and professional development of Guidance Counsellor staff.
• Collaborate with the Manager, Pastoral and Student Wellbeing to identify professional development, learning and best practice needs and assist in the acquisition of resources and provision of training to support the Guidance Counselling team.

Professional Supervision and Review

• Professionally supervise and/or facilitate the professional supervision of individual Guidance Counsellors on a regular basis and on request to support their self-reflection and learning on matters such as strategies to support student mental health, management of students in crisis, students at risk, issues related to a diagnosis and formulation of a therapeutic plan and appropriateness of interventions.
• Facilitate group supervision sessions for Guidance Counsellors utilising the Peer Support, Supervision and Debriefing model (PSSD) on a regular basis.
• Review or facilitate a review of a provisionally registered psychologist’s assessment and reports and Guidance Counsellor reports where a registered psychologist is required to review assessment materials, reports and co-sign the reports.
• In consultation with the Manager, Pastoral and Student Wellbeing, progress the development of procedures and processes in relation to PBA supervision requirements and a transitional process from existing supervision arrangements where required.
• Provide feedback on reports to build the competency and confidence of Guidance Counsellors in undertaking their assessment responsibilities, also ensuring compliance with ethical and standardised practice in the use of restricted assessments.

Operations

• Assist the Manager, Pastoral and Student Wellbeing in the development and implementation of the Pastoral and Student Wellbeing Strategy.
• Collaborate with peer Team Leader, Guidance Counsellors to develop tactics and ways of working to ensure consistency, efficiency and equity of service delivery and workload across the whole Guidance Counsellor function, with particular focus on school allocation processes, service delivery quality, communication, and professional development.
• Providing assistance to Pastoral and Student Wellbeing team members and School Leaders where required e.g., induction of new staff, the introduction of new processes, addressing performance issues and professional relationship issues.
• Collaborate in the development of procedures and guidelines to facilitate effective student support service delivery to students and school communities.
• Provide additional support and undertake Guidance Counsellor duties across schools during critical incidents and staff shortages.

Mandatory Criteria

• Current Working with Children Suitability Card – The successful candidate will require a paid Blue Card before commencement as per the No Card, No Start policy developed by Queensland Government – exemption for AHPRA or QCT Registration.
• Current full registration as a teacher in Queensland, and one year (minimum) full-time (or part-time equivalent) coursework Masters, majoring in guidance and counselling OR Full registration as a psychologist through the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) Psychology Board of Australia.
• Current Driver’s Licence.
• Ability to travel from time to time within the Catholic Diocese of Townsville.
• Ability to perform the physical requirements of the role in a safe manner.
• Psychology Board of Australia (PBA) Approved Supervisor status or demonstrated experience in supervision.

Desirable Criteria

• Professional membership with the Queensland Guidance and Counselling Association (QGCA) or the Australian Psychological Society (APS).

Some employees may be subject to pre-employment medical assessments during the selection process. Depending on the nature of the position, it may be necessary for successful applicants to be immunised against certain preventable diseases in order to minimise the risk of transmission.

Please refer to the Position Description for more information.

What we offer

• Competitive Annual Salary $139,096 – $156,553 per annum pending experience
• 5 Weeks Annual Leave
• Salary packaging options 
• Modern facilities, equipment and resources
• Superannuation up to 12.75% employer contribution (in a co-contribution arrangement)
• Access to long service leave after 7 years of continuous service
• 14 Weeks’ paid parental leave if eligible
• Deferred Salary Scheme
• Corporate health insurance 
• Induction, professional development and learning opportunities
• Wellbeing programs and initiatives

How to apply

• Upload a current resume 
• Upload a cover letter addressing the skills, attributes and experience to support the key accountabilities of the role identified in the position description
• Please complete the application form including your two nominated professions referees (name, position title and email address)

For further information regarding the remuneration package please contact TCEO Human Resources [email protected].

Applications close 3pm Monday, 10 October 2022 unless filled prior.

Applications during the shortlisting phase will be kept confidential.