Job Description

Chaplain

8 week coverage role at BaptistCare Brookview Community Residential Aged Care (Westmeadows) at 0.6 FTE in August – September 2026

Following this initial engagement, there is the opportunity of moving into a Casual Locum (West) role ongoing – Aged Care, Retirement Living & Community Services

About Us

BaptistCare is a leading purpose-led care organisation, guided by our Christian identity and serving people and communities across Australia for more than 110 years. We support people to live better through aged care, home care, retirement living, community services, disability support and housing.

We know that life’s challenges can make our world feel smaller. With the right people alongside us, it can feel more connected, supported and hopeful again.

That’s what we work towards every day - enriching lives through communities of care. Today, more than 70,000 customers, 12,000 employees and close to 2,000 volunteers are part of our communities across Australia

About the Role

BaptistCare is seeking a compassionate and experienced Chaplain to provide spiritual and pastoral support to residents at Brookview Community Residential Aged Care in Westmeadows, Melbourne for an 8 week period through August and September, 2026.

This position offers 45.6 hours per fortnight (equivalent to 3 days a week) through 8 weeks in August and September 2026,with flexible workdays, as a casual employee.

This role is based at Brookview in Westmeadows and involves close collaboration with the shared care team to respond to the diverse needs of residents, carers, families, and staff.

Following the initial engagement, there is the opportunity of moving into a Casual Locum Chaplain (West) role ongoing, which is engaged on an ad hoc basis. This Locum Chaplain role is to provide spiritual and pastoral support to aged-care, retirement living and community services clients in a range of settings, predominantly in western metropolitan Melbourne and regional/rural Victoria.

The Locum Chaplain supports our Residential Aged Care homes, In-Home Care teams, Community Services programs and/or Retirement Living Communities during vacancies or whilst staff are on leave. Typically a deployment to a locum role will be from several weeks to several months. The focus of this position is carrying out short term spiritual and emotional care support for our residents and clients in a residential home or their homes, as well as some support of staff. The Locum is responsible for: 

• the provision of high-quality spiritual care 

• significant co-creative leadership with teams 

• effective supervision of spiritual care volunteers 

• supporting the co-ordination, resourcing, and development of initiatives with staff that facilitate the integration of spiritual care across the organisation 

You will be joining the Chaplaincy and Spiritual Care team who provide effective, person-centred spiritual and pastoral care to residents and their families/supporters, staff and volunteers (collectively our ‘customers’) irrespective of cultural background, gender, sexuality, faith tradition, denomination or personal beliefs. We walk alongside our customers, volunteers and employees, supporting them to be more relationally connected to God (or a higher purpose), the people in their lives, the world around them, and within themselves.

BaptistCare empowers staff by offering flexible work hours, a supportive team, training opportunities and financial benefits including salary packaging and stability working for an industry leading provider.

The successful applicant will have:

• Tertiary qualifications in chaplaincy / pastoral care OR tertiary theological qualifications with a willingness to undertake chaplaincy / pastoral care specific training within the first 12 months of employment
• Experience in chaplaincy or pastoral care
• Willingness to undergo a police check

Key Selection Criteria

• Ability to demonstrate a personal, active and authentic Christian faith along with a high level of spiritual maturity
• Ability to recognise and meet the spiritual and pastoral needs of customers by designing, delivering and evaluating person-centred spiritual care initiatives, in accordance with professional codes and standards of conduct
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to develop and maintain positive working relationships with customers and to work effectively as a member of a multi-disciplinary team
• Be capable and willing to lead Christian prayers, devotions and reflections in a manner that reflects BaptistCare’s Christian identity
• Ability to facilitate safe and welcoming spaces which provide a sense of community and belonging, treating all customers with equity, respect, and dignity
• Provide spiritual and pastoral care in ways that respect and value diversity, e.g. age, race, faith, culture, disability, gender, spirituality, and sexuality
• Ability to manage, support and train Pastoral Care Volunteers
• Demonstrated commitment to maintain professional boundaries, and professional spiritual development in line with the Christian faith
• Demonstrated commitment to self-nurture and self-care
• Ability to inspire and encourage others to grow in their Christian faith and to embody Christian values in daily life, particularly in challenging or complex situations
• Capacity to integrate Christian theology and Biblical teaching into pastoral care in a sensitive and appropriate manner
• Alignment and commitment to BaptistCare’s Mission, Vision, and Values

How to apply

• As part of your application please address the selection criteria listed above. Applications that don't address the Key Selection Criteria will not be accepted.
• Only short-listed applicants will be contacted.
• For more information contact Asher Kirby, Spiritual Care Manager - akirby@baptcare.org.au

Applications close: Sunday 5 July, 2026 – noting that applications will be reviewed as submitted.

Applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible as applications will be reviewed as and when received and may be actioned accordingly. Closing Date is subject to change without notice.

Successful applications will be subject to a variety of background checks.