Program Manager / Managing Lawyer

The Organisation

Westjustice is a community organisation that provides free legal help to people in the Western suburbs of Melbourne.

Westjustice can help with a broad range of everyday legal problems including consumer disputes, credit and debt, family law and family violence, fines, motor vehicle accidents, tenancy, youth criminal law and more.

Westjustice’s purpose is to deliver targeted services and drive meaningful change to achieve fairness, safety and justice for Melbourne’s West. 

Benefits and Culture

• Be a part of an organisation that 98% of our team are proud to work for
• We pay 3% above the SCHADs award
• Not for profit salary packaging up to $15,900 per annum
• Flexible working conditions
• 5% annual leave loading
• Passionate, professional and dedicated team
• Gifted additional paid leave over the Christmas holiday period
• Strong focus on collaboration, wellbeing, inclusion and diversity

The Role

Westjustice is looking to employ a part-time Legal Program Manager / Managing Lawyer with family violence and family law experience to work in a job-share arrangement (3 days per week) on a 12-month maximum term contract with opportunity of extension and ongoing employment subject to operational needs and funding.

The role is responsible for:

• Leading a team of high performing, kind, passionate and dedicated lawyers representing Women and Gender Diverse people experiencing family violence with ancillary legal issues, predominately in family violence and family law. Some knowledge in child protection would be desirable but is not mandatory.

• Representing our clients in court proceedings in the Sunshine and Wyndham Magistrates Court,and Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia.

• Contributing to important social justice community legal work, varied client base and engagement with key community agencies including contribution to building pathways to access to justice

• Contributing to legal practice to secure better life outcomes for families recovering from the impacts of family violence

• Assist with addressing system barriers and initiating improvements through law reform, community and research projects, legal education and contribute to maintaining key community stakeholder relationships

Role requirement:

• Minimum 5 years post admission experience
• Supervision and management experience (desirable)
• Demonstrated ability to directly contribute to more complex case work and Court representation including leading strategic litigation and supervising lawyers
• An aptitude for achieving high quality, innovative and sustainable outcomes for families
• Demonstrated ability to oversee legal projects and programs that have a strategic impact for our clients
• Demonstrated ability to successfully manage competing priorities effectively across legal supervision, team management, project work, law reform initiatives, grant applications, funding proposals and budget oversight under the guidance of the Legal Director
• Stakeholder engagement and relationship management skills (or the ability to obtain these skills)
• Dedicated interest and commitment to social justice legal practice and improving outcomes for clients who face life barriers in accessing justice.

This role is primarily based at our head office in Sunshine and may also be required to undertake outreach at other key partner locations in the West. From time to time, you may also be required to work at our other offices in Werribee and/or partner organisation sites, depending on Program needs.

For a copy of the position description, please click here.

The successful applicant will require a current Working with Children’s Check and a National Police Check or be prepared to apply for both. Applicants must possess the right to work in Australia.

Remuneration

Level 7 of Schads Award in the range of $122,662 - $127,788 commensurate with experience, with additional financial benefits of 17.5% leave loading, salary packaging of up to $15,900 for general living expenses, accommodation and meal packaging plus statutory employer funded superannuation paid on top of the base salary. 

Please send your resume together with a concise cover letter demonstrating your skills and experience via this portal or by emailing it to recruitment@westjustice.org.au by no later than midnight on Sunday 12 October 2025. 

Please apply for the position here: Program Manager Job at Westjustice

For enquires, contact Cleona Feuerring, Legal Director, on 03 9749 7720 for a confidential discussion.

Westjustice is committed to building a diverse workforce. We strongly encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people living with a disability, people from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds, mature age workers and LGBTIQA+-identifying people.   People with lived experience of the justice system are encouraged to apply. A police check result does not automatically disqualify an application but will be individually assessed for the relevant role.

Please ensure that you let us know, in advance, of any reasonable adjustment you may require during any part of the recruitment process including application and interview by contacting

Senior Project Officer

The Organisation

Westjustice is a community organisation that provides free legal help to people in the Western suburbs of Melbourne.

Westjustice can help with a broad range of everyday legal problems including consumer disputes, credit and debt, family law and family violence, fines, motor vehicle accidents, tenancy, youth criminal law and more.

Westjustice’s purpose is to deliver targeted services and drive meaningful change to achieve fairness, safety and justice for Melbourne’s West.

Benefits and Culture

• Be a part of an organisation that 98% of our team are proud to work for

• We pay 3% above the SCHADs award

• Not for profit salary packaging up to $15,900 per annum

• Flexible working conditions

• 17.5% annual leave loading

• Passionate, professional and dedicated team

• Gifted additional paid leave over the Christmas holiday period

• Strong focus on collaboration, wellbeing, inclusion and diversity

The Role

Westjustice is seeking to employ a Senior Project Officer on a part-time basis (0.60FTE) in our Children and Young People’s Rights Program that will support the work of TARGET ZER0 and our role as part of the Backbone.

TARGET ZER0 is a 10 year collective impact initiative aiming to eliminate the overrepresentation of First Nations young people, multicultural young people and young people in the home of residential care in Victoria’s justice system. Together with the Centre for Multicultural Youth (CMY) (the other Backbone organisation) this newly created role is responsible for supporting TARGET ZER0’s leadership table and sub-committees, action groups and working groups.

The Senior Project Officer is responsible for:

• Primarily supporting TARGET ZER0’s s Program Manager to manage the coalition members and other key partnerships
• Lead and participate in networking activities, including sector and professional development activities
• Develop and implement a range of content, tools and activities to promote Target Zer0
• Support the planning and coordination of Target Zer0 events (minimum of 2 annually)
• Prepare reports, briefs and papers on behalf of he backbone leads for various audiences including but not limited to Westjustice/CMY, the leadership table and funding and other partners

Skills Required

• Tertiary qualifications in related field (i.e. youth or social work, community development, education, youth justice) and/or at least 3 years of relevant experience in equivalent roles.
• Demonstrated knowledge of Victoria’s youth justice system;
• Strategic thinker with proven highly developed relationship management and influencing skills that enables effective collaboration with both internal and external stakeholders;
• Proven project management skills and the ability to adapt to changing circumstances while achieving quality outcomes;
• Strong consulting skills, able to advise and communicate effectively at both the strategic and operational levels;
• Proven ability and commitment to working collaboratively in a team environment as well as working autonomously;
• Contribute to creating and maintaining a culturally safe service for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and other marginalised groups

This position will be primarily based at our Sunshine Visy Hub office but may be required to work from our other Westjustice offices and our partnered sites.

For a copy of the position description, please click here.

If you want to use your experience to improve life outcomes of people experiencing family violence, economic abuse and intersecting disadvantage, please send your resume together with a cover letter responding to the key selection criteria to anoushka@westjustice.org.au by COB Thursday 9 October 2025.

To apply for the position, please click here: Senior Project Officer Job at Westjustice

Alternatively, please call our office on 03 9749 7720 if you have any questions in relation to the role.

The successful applicant will require a current Working with Children’s Check and a Police Check or be prepared to apply for both. People with lived experience of the justice system are encouraged to apply. A police check result does not automatically disqualify an application which in each case will be individually assessed for the relevant role. Applicants must possess the right to work in Australia.

Westjustice is committed to building a diverse workforce. We strongly encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people living with a disability, people from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds, mature age workers and LGBTIQA+-identifying people. People with lived experience of the justice system are encouraged to apply. A police check result does not automatically disqualify an application which in each case will be individually assessed for the relevant role.

If you require any adjustments throughout the application or recruitment process please contact recruitment@westjustice.org.au

Please ensure that you let us know, in advance, of any reasonable adjustment you may require during any part of the recruitment process including application and interview by contacting recruitment@westjustice.org.au. Information disclosed will be held in the strictest of confidence. 

Program Manager - TARGET ZER0

The Organisation 

Westjustice is a community organisation that provides free legal help to people in the Western suburbs of Melbourne. 

Westjustice can help with a broad range of everyday legal problems including consumer disputes, credit and debt, family law and family violence, fines, motor vehicle accidents, tenancy, youth criminal law and more. 

Westjustice’s purpose is to deliver targeted services and drive meaningful change to achieve fairness, safety and justice for Melbourne’s West.  

Benefits and Culture 

• Be a part of an organisation that 98% of our team are proud to work for 

• We pay 3% above the SCHADs award  

• Not for profit salary packaging up to $15,900 per annum 

• Flexible working conditions 

• 17.5% annual leave loading 

• Passionate, professional and dedicated team 

• Gifted additional paid leave over the Christmas holiday period  

• Strong focus on collaboration, wellbeing, inclusion and diversity 

The Role  

Westjustice is seeking to employ an experienced Program Manager to cover a 12-month parental leave position in our Children and Young People’s Rights Program.  

In partnership with the Centre for Multicultural Youth (CMY) the Program Manager is responsible for taking the lead in working to consolidate and grow TARGET ZER0, a 10 year collective impact project that aims to eliminate the criminalisation of 10-25 year olds in Brimbank, Melton and Wyndham; and the overrepresentation of First Nations young people, multicultural young people and young people in the home of residential care in Victoria’s criminal justice system. 

The Program Manager is responsible for:  

• Providing strategic and expert advice to Westjustice and the TARGET ZER0 governance groups, including the leadership, sub-commitees and action groups 
• Working collaboratively with internal stakeholders to achieve TARGET ZER0’s goals 
• Managing existing partnerships and support participating organisations to deepen and grow TARGET ZER0 
• Develop and implement TARGET ZER0’s work and action plans  
• Supervise and oversea staff related to TARGET ZER0 and/or the Children and Young People’s Rights Program 

Skills Required  

• Tertiary qualifications in related field (i.e. youth or social work, community development, education, youth justice) and/or at least 3 years of relevant experience in equivalent roles. 

• Demonstrated knowledge of Victoria’s youth justice system; 
• Strategic thinker with proven highly developed relationship management and influencing skills that enables effective collaboration with both internal and external stakeholders; 
• Proven project management skills and the ability to adapt to changing circumstances while achieving quality outcomes; 
• Excellent communication, interpersonal skills including written communication (work plans, reports, funding submissions/tenders and business cases); 

This position will be primarily based at our Sunshine Visy Hub office but may be required to work from our other Westjustice offices and our partnered sites. 

For a copy of the position description, please click here

If you want to use your experience to improve life outcomes of people experiencing family violence, economic abuse and intersecting disadvantage, please send your resume together with a cover letter responding to the key selection criteria to anoushka@westjustice.org.au by COB Thursday 9 October 2025. 

To apply for the position, please click here: Program Manager Job at Westjustice

Alternatively, please call our office on 03 9749 7720 if you have any questions in relation to the role. 

The successful applicant will require a current Working with Children’s Check and a Police Check or be prepared to apply for both. People with lived experience of the justice system are encouraged to apply. A police check result does not automatically disqualify an application which in each case will be individually assessed for the relevant role.  Applicants must possess the right to work in Australia. 

Westjustice is committed to building a diverse workforce. We strongly encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people living with a disability, people from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds, mature age workers and LGBTIQA+-identifying people.   People with lived experience of the justice system are encouraged to apply. A police check result does not automatically disqualify an application which in each case will be individually assessed for the relevant role. 

If you require any adjustments throughout the application or recruitment process please contact recruitment@westjustice.org.au  

Please ensure that you let us know, in advance, of any reasonable adjustment you may require during any part of the recruitment process including application and interview by contacting recruitment@westjustice.org.au. Information disclosed will be held in the strictest of confidence.  

Please contact us on (03) 9749 7720 if you wish to make a donation to WEstjustice.

Donations over $2.00 are tax deductable.

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Please check 'careers' for any current volunteer positions. 

WEstjustice relies heavily on the work of legal and non-legal volunteers. Volunteer roles include:

• Policy volunteers 
• Administrative volunteers 
• Paralegal volunteers 
• Solicitor volunteers 

Skills we require of all of our volunteers include:

• Excellent communication skills
• High attention to detail
• Ability to work as part of a team and independently
• Reliability and punctuality

We ask that volunteers give us a minimum commitment of twelve months.

Demand for volunteer positions may vary.

If there is a position available and you are a suitable candidate, we will contact you. 

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Westjustice has several current PLT opportunity, please see here for more details.