Financial Counsellor

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

We 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. 

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 Industry Award
• Salary packaging
• Up to 5 hours study leave per week
• Flexible working conditions
• 5% annual leave loading
• Passionate, professional and dedicated team
• Gifted additional paid leave over the summer holiday period
• Strong focus on wellbeing
• Ongoing commitment to being a diverse and inclusive organisation
• With 90% of our team recommending Westjustice as a great place to work we can provide a culture of a values driven, inclusive, feedback oriented workplace

The Role

Westjustice is seeking to employ a full-time Financial Counsellor on a 12-month maximum term contract (with potential for a longer-term contract depending on availability of funding) to join our Economic and Housing Rights team.

The Financial Counsellor will work in the  Economic and Housing Rights team on two important projects; the Restoring Financial Safety project and Tenancy Stress Victoria program. These projects offer place-based solutions to assistingassisting family violence victim-survivors experiencing economic abuse, and/or people living in rental stress and at risk of homelessness. The role offers an exciting opportunity to work within a multidisciplinary team of lawyers, financial counsellors and social workers.

This position will be based  between our Sunshine and Werribee office but may be required to work from our partner sites.

Skills Required

You will also have:

• Experience in credit and debt issues
• Experience accessing financial grants and aid
• Ability to work autonomously and with a small team
• Ability to engage and communicate complex information to vulnerable clients
• Ability to engage a diverse range of stakeholders and industry
• A commitment to Westjustice values and working with their clients and communities

Those with experience in family violence financial counselling are preferred, however we welcome applications from financial counsellors who are new to the industry as well as more experienced financial counsellors for this position.

Remuneration

Salary range - $103,500pa - $108,500pa (commensurate with experience) with additional financial benefits of 17.5% leave loading, generous 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.

For enquiries, call Dacia Abela, Senior Program Manager, on 03 9749 7720.

To apply, please click on the link Financial Counsellor Job at Westjustice and send your resume together with a concise cover letter demonstrating your skills and experience via this portal. We will be interviewing candidates as applications are received, so don’t wait to apply! Submit your application as soon as possible to be considered for one of these exciting opportunities.

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

The successful applicant will require a Diploma of Financial Counselling (or equivalent allowing membership of Financial Counselling Victoria).

Please Note: This position involves out-reach at a partner site/sites which hold an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) exemption. This exemption permits that only women workers may work onsite with women and child clients.

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 ellen@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 ellen@westjustice.org.au. Information disclosed will be held in the strictest of confidence.

Senior Lawyer - Child Protection and Family Violence 

The Role

Due to expanded services in the Wyndham Law Courts, Westjustice is looking to employ a Senior Lawyer with demonstrated experience in child protection and family violence.

The person we are seeking will have:

• Three years + post admission experience
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience child protection and family violence including representing clients in court proceedings in the Family Division of the Children’s Court and Magistrates Court.
• Some legal supervision and/or mentoring experience
• Dedicated interest and commitment to social justice legal practice and improving outcomes for clients who face life barriers in accessing justice.
• Excellent time management and file management skills.
• Advocacy and litigation experience or the demonstrated ability to develop these skills.

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.

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

Salary range - $113,000 - $118,000 (commensurate with experience) with additional financial benefits of 17.5% leave loading, generous 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.

To apply

Please click here to apply: Senior Lawyer Job at Westjustice and send your resume together with a concise cover letter demonstrating your skills and experience via clicking 'Apply now'. Due to the expansion of our services already starting, we are keen for the successful candidate to commence as soon as possible in 2026. We will therefore be shortlisting and interviewing candidates as applications are received, so don’t wait to apply!

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

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 Ellen Flint via ellen@westjustice.org.au Any information disclosed will be held in the strictest of confidence.

Program Manager / Managing Lawyer - Child Protection and Family Violence 

The Role

Due to expanded services in the Wyndham Law Courts, Westjustice is looking to employ a Legal Program Manager / Managing Lawyer with demonstrated experience in child protection and family violence.

The Program Manager / Managing Lawyer role is responsible for:

• Assisting the Legal Director to build a new child protection practice.

• Leading a team of high performing lawyers representing women, mothers, children and young people in child protection and intervention order proceedings.

• Representing our clients in court proceedings in the Family Division of the Children’s Court and Magistrates Court at the Wyndham Law Courts.

• 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 in child protection and family violence
• 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.

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

Salary range - $122,000 - $127,000 (commensurate with experience) with additional financial benefits of 17.5% leave loading, generous 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.

To apply

Please apply here: Program Manager Job at Westjustice and send your resume together with a concise cover letter demonstrating your skills and experience via clicking 'Apply now'. Due to the expansion of our services already starting, we are keen for the successful candidate to commence as soon as possible in 2026. We will therefore be shortlisting and interviewing candidates as applications are received, so don’t wait to apply!

For a copy of the position description, click here.

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 Ellen Flint via ellen@westjustice.org.au Any information disclosed will be held in the strictest of confidence.

Program Manager - Tenancy

The Role

Westjustice's tenancy team is an experienced, multidisciplinary group of practitioners who assist, advise and represent renters in Melbourne's Western Suburbs with residential tenancy matters including possession proceedings, family violence matters, urgent applications for repairs and compliance, and systemic litigation on key questions of law. Our lawyers appear in VCAT and the Magistrates' Court regularly, and a social worker assists renters with more complex needs to obtain just housing outcomes.

Due to the opening of the new Wyndham Law Courts, Westjustice is seeking to employ an experienced Program Manager to join our Economic and Housing Rights Program on an ongoing contract.

The Program Manager is responsible for:

• Leading a small team to provide quality legal advice via a client centred, trauma informed and multi-disciplinary approach and undertaking case work as required

• Providing strategic and expert advice and working collaboratively with others to achieve the organisations goals

• Developing and implementing the Program’s work and action plans

• Managing existing partnerships to deepen and grow the Program

Skills Required

• Unrestricted Practising Certificate

• Senior legal expertise and highly developed court representation skills

• Leadership and management skills to make reasoned strategic decisions in a collaborative manner

• Experience in supervision, mentoring and training of junior lawyers, students and volunteers

• Strong understanding of the social context of the law and familiarity with legal and social issues faced by vulnerable and/or disadvantaged communities

• Demonstrated knowledge of Victoria’s justice system

• Strategic thinker with proven highly developed interpersonal and influencing skills that enables effective collaboration with both internal and external stakeholders;

• Excellent communication skills including written communication (work plans, reports, funding submissions/tenders and business cases)

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

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.

For enquires, call Jennifer Jones on (03) 9749 7720 for a confidential discussion.

To apply, please click here: Program Manager - Tenancy Job at Westjustice and send your resume together with a concise cover letter demonstrating your skills and experience via this portal. We will be interviewing candidates as applications are received, so don’t wait to apply.

For a copy of the position description, click here.

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 Ellen Flint via ellen@westjustice.org.au Any information disclosed will be held in the strictest of confidence.

Program Manager - Consumer Law

The Role  

Westjustice is seeking to employ a full time Legal Program Manager responsible for leading our consumer and general civil law practice, including delivery of advice, education, and casework to disadvantaged worker groups, primarily newly arrived migrants and refugees through our Settlement Justice Partnership, and to other financially and socially disadvantaged groups in the Western suburbs.  

The Program Manager’s duties include:  

• Manage, supervise, mentor and support your team to provide expert legal advice and casework. 

• Lead and manage complex projects with multiple external stakeholders including monitoring, evaluating and continuously improving legal services being delivered. 

• Lead the identification of consumer law policy issues, draft law reform submissions and coordinate sector systemic advocacy initiatives. 

• Coordinate and deliver legal education, information and outreach services to the community and through project partnerships. 

• Develop and maintain strong stakeholder relationships to support referral pathways.  

• Work with the Legal Director to improve practice management across the broader Economic and Housing Rights Program.  

Skills Required  

• Unrestricted Practising Certificate with a preferred minimum of five years post admission experience in consumer or other relevant civil law 
• Leadership and management skills to make reasoned strategic decisions in a collaborative manner 
• Experience in supervision, mentoring and training of junior lawyers, students and volunteers 
• Strong understanding of the social context of the law and familiarity with legal and social issues faced by vulnerable and/or disadvantaged communities 
• Strategic thinker with proven highly developed interpersonal and influencing skills that enables effective collaboration with both internal and external stakeholders; 
• Excellent communication skills including written communication (work plans, reports, funding submissions/tenders and business cases) 

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

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. 

For enquires, call Jennifer Jones on (03) 9749 7720 for a confidential discussion. 

To apply, submit your resume together with a concise cover letter demonstrating your skills and experience via this link: 

We will be interviewing candidates as applications are received, so don’t wait to apply.  

For a copy of the position description, click here.

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 Ellen Flint via ellen@westjustice.org.au  Any 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.