Advocate, Independent Mental Health Advocacy

About this role

• Full time maximum term position up to 12 months (part time 0.8FTE applications considered)
• Salary range: $86,436 - $101,868 (pro rata) plus super plus salary packaging
• Up to $15,900 in salary packaging and hybrid WFH & office model

About the role
You will provide services to people at risk of or on compulsory treatment orders, assist people to understand and exercise their rights and to enable them to participate in decisions about their treatment, care, and recovery including coaching for self-advocacy and referrals.  

Your will be responsible for: 

• Responding to enquiries from users of the program, mental health organisations and services including hospitals, peer support workers, social workers, lawyers, caseworkers and other advocates.   
• Providing services in person to inpatient units, community settings and via phone and email, with regular travel to designated mental health services. 

This role is based at our Ringwood office on Wurundjeri Country.

About you
As our ideal candidate, you will possess:

• Strong communication and negotiation skills, with an ability to quickly build trust and rapport with a diverse range of consumers and internal and external stakeholders.   
• A deep understanding of the challenges impacting Victorians when accessing mental health support services, and an ability to ‘stand up' on behalf of consumers.   
• A flexible, patient and supportive approach while remaining transparent. You will be a creative problem solver.   
• Candidates should have experience in one or more areas including community development, consumer advocacy, mental health advocacy, community sector advocacy, social work, mental health service provision or other similar fields.    

Don't meet every requirement? At VLA, we understand that your work and life experiences can be just as valuable. If you're excited about this role but your CV doesn't align perfectly with our job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or one of our many other opportunities.

About Victoria Legal Aid
We offer legal representation, family dispute resolution and non-legal advocacy to those who need it most. With over 1400 staff employed in 16 offices across Victoria, we help people with their legal problems by providing information, advice and education with a focus on the prevention and early resolution of legal problems.

Our clients come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds and foster a work culture that's inclusive as well as diverse. Your unique ideas and perspectives are valued so that we best represent the people we serve.

Employee benefits

• Focus on work-life balance including flexible working arrangements
• Hybrid work from home & office model
• Training and professional development opportunities
• Excellent salary packaging options including General Expenses up to $15,900, Meals & Entertainment up to $2,650 and Novated Leasing
• Opportunity to join Myki Commuter Club(and salary package the cost)
• Supportive team environment in modern offices (including free gym and end-of-trip facilities at our CBD office)
• Access to discounted Private Health Insurance

How to apply
To be considered for this role, please submit your current resume and a completed candidate application form (listed within the file attachments).

If you require adjustments to the recruitment and selection process or need an alternative format to any of the application material, please don't hesitate to get in touch with our team.

For further information, please review the attached position description or contact Stephanie Mann, Senior Advocate on (03) 9093 3701 or recruitment@vla.vic.gov.au.

No agency applications will be accepted.

Applications close by 11.59pm on Tuesday 4 November 2025.

Other relevant information
It is a requirement that staff attend for office-based days at their primary work location. In line with this requirement, interstate applications will be considered only where the candidate is able and willing to relocate to Victoria, unless part of a border community.

VLA is committed to putting the safety and wellbeing of children first.