Job Description

Manager

Family Preservation Implementation Support

• Location – Parramatta (Hybrid)
• Employment type – Temporary full-time, 35 hours per week, for up to 12 months, with the possibility of extension up to a maximum of 5 years
• Grade – Clerk Grade 11/12
• Salary – $154,231 pa - $178,369 pa plus employers’ contribution to superannuation and annual leave loading

This is a targeted recruitment. While all applicants are welcome, preference will be given to candidates who meet the established standards of the role and are of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait islander descent. This is because the Department acknowledges this lived experience contributes a perspective valuable to our work with this community.

About the team

The Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) is investing $900 million into a redesigned Family Preservation service system in NSW to improve the outcomes, experience, suitability, and accessibility for families. The redesign aims to keep children safe and at home and prevent entry into Out of Home Care.

For Aboriginal children, young people, and families this also means increasing culturally safe, responsive and community-led services that centre family-led decision making. The NSW Government is directing $350 million of funding, or 40% of service delivery funding, to Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs). Most of this funding is directed to the new ACCO-only Aboriginal Family Preservation Framework, which provides ACCOs with the opportunity to codesign Family Preservation models with the community.

This role is based in the Family Preservation and Child Protection Branch. The Family Preservation and Child Protection Branch is responsible for managing the Family Preservation program and leading the system design and implementation of the program, updating and developing child protection policy and practice mandates, and managing child protection programs (including Family Group Conferencing and Pregnancy Family Conferencing). Family Preservation and Child Protection Branch sits within Child and Family which leads the development of child protection policy, strategic program design and program management.

Your role

The NSW Government is investing $5.6m per annum to support the implementation of the redesigned Family Preservation system and has set out its 5-year road map in the Family Preservation Implementation Plan Central to the implementation plan is the creation ofnewImplementationSupport Team, which willbe responsible for:

• Practical implementation support and on the ground engagement with services and districts during rollout.

• Supporting services to apply new system and operational requirements in practice.

• Provide training, walkthroughs and hands on support during establishment.

• Work closely with districts to support local rollout and resolve early operational issues.
• Prioritise support for new and expanding service providers, including ACCOs.

What you’ll do

As a Manager, you will lead the Family Preservation Implementation Support team from its creation – offering a unique opportunity to shape and build a function that effectively supports DCJ Child Protection and Permanency (CPP), DCJ Commissioning and Planning (C&P) and service providers across every LGA in NSW to keep children safe and at home and prevent entry into Out of Home Care.

From coordinating and supporting implementation activities, you will play a critical role in enabling effective reform delivery and supporting confident, informed decision-making. You will build trusted relationships and collaborate across government and stakeholders including ACCOs and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) service providers to align diverse perspectives and achieve shared outcomes in line with the intention of the system design. You will draw upon your experience partnering with Aboriginal Community to support the achievement of Closing the Gap targets.

As a manager, you will confidently navigate complex policy, commercial, legal and operational drivers and parameters, ensuring implementation is aligned with the intention of the system design, and guide staff to effectively operate within these frameworks to deliver strong on-the-ground outcomes.

You will shape and inspire a high-performing team culture, setting the tone for collaboration, accountability and innovation. You will lead by example and create an environment that emphasises accountability, responsiveness, and capability uplift, with a focus on building confidence across service providers and embedding sustainable, best-practice approaches to implementation and reporting.

In return, you will have the rewarding opportunity to contribute to a significantly redesigned system that will create lasting value for the community, children and families, while working in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.

What we’re looking for

This role represents a unique and rewarding opportunity to make a real impact by shaping and building a function that supports DCJ and the sector to keep children safe and at home and prevent entry into Out of Home Care.

This role requires a high-level of leadership, including the ability to lead and develop a high-performing team, allocate work, build capability and support a positive team culture. The ideal candidate for this role will have strong problem-solving skills with demonstrated experience in engaging, collaborating and influencing multiple stakeholders to identify risks and implement practice and timely solutions in dynamic environments.

This role requires demonstrated experience in leading implementation or service delivery support functions within complex program or reform environments. The ability to be proficient in building and maintaining effective relationships with minimal oversight and engaging with a range of diverse stakeholders across DCJ and the sector to support the achievement of key strategic and operational objectives is essential.

The ideal candidate will have a strong understanding of translating policy or system design into operational practice, ideally within child protection, human services, or government sectors. The ability to provide leadership in navigating complex legal, policy and operational frameworks, ensuring decisions are well-informed and aligned with organisational priorities is essential.

Demonstrated experience in working closely with Aboriginal stakeholders, particularly Aboriginal Community-Controlled Organisations (ACCOs), to support culturally responsive service delivery and strengthen outcomes for Aboriginal children, young people and their families is desirable. Exceptional communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to distil complex information into clear, influential advice that supports high-quality decision making is essential.

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We focus on hiring people who share our commitment and goals of inclusion, collaboration, adaptability, courage and integrity. If you meet the essential requirements and the role resonates with you, please apply – you do not need to meet every desired requirement for us to want to talk to you.

What We Offer

We offer a variety of benefits, including:

• A challenging and rewarding career

• Flexible, autonomous work environment

• Competitive pay and conditions

• Training and development opportunities to build and maintain capabilities

• Health & Wellbeing and Employee Assistance Programs.

Want more information? Visit our website to see more information on Working for us.

We do work that really matters

Working for the Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) provides lots of opportunities to make a real difference. We collaborate with other agencies and community partners, to improve lives and realise the potential of children, adults, families and communities. We're focused on breaking, rather than managing, disadvantage. It’s work that really matters.

Apply now and join Australia’s top public sector employer where we will support you and provide an exciting and flexible working environment!

Are you ready to join us?

Click apply. You will need to attach an up-to-date resume (maximum 5 pages) and a cover letter (maximum 3 pages) with a brief outline on how you meet the requirements of the role and answer the two targeted questions below:

• Targeted Question 1

Provide an example of when you have managed implementing a new policy, program, or project, and describe the strategies you employed to drive successful implementation.

• Targeted Question 2

Can you share an example of leading or supporting reform implementation for Aboriginal children and families, including how you worked with services to translate system design into culturally responsive practice.

Applications close Sunday, 26 July 2026 at 11:59pm AEST.

Got a question?

For more information about the role or what it’s like to work for DCJ, please contact the hiring manager Briana Jurgeit via email at Briana.Jurgeit@dcj.nsw.gov.au

If you’ve got a question about applying or would benefit from an adjustment in the recruitment process to help you perform at your best (including an alternate method submission of the application), please call Poppy Sgro on 02 9765 3929 or via email at poppy.sgro@dcj.nsw.gov.au

Visit Recruitment adjustments on the DCJ website to learn more.

Inclusion and Diversity lies at the heart of how we recruit

We continue to hire great people with a wide variety of skills, experience and backgrounds. This includes people with disability, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, women, people identifying as LGBTIQ+, culturally and linguistically diverse people, carers and other diversity groups.

To find out what DCJ are doing to build an inclusive and diverse workforce, visitInclusion and diversity on the DCJ website

Other Information

A talent pool may be created for future ongoing and temporary roles and is valid for a period of up to 18 months.

For more information and advice on applying for roles at DCJ, visit Careers for Aboriginal people.

Thank you for your interest in this role. We look forward to receiving your application.

To keep up with recruitment opportunities at DCJ, follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/CareersatDCJ/

The Welcome Experience
Thinking about moving to regional NSW? Get free, personalised support with housing, schools, jobs, and settling in. Learn more: www.nsw.gov.au/welcomeexperience

The careers site currently promotes this service on the ‘Discover roles with DCJ in regional NSW’ page.