Job Description

Are you passionate about making a meaningful difference in the lives of young people?

Do you have the skills, compassion, resilience and leadership capability to lead and support teams working with young people with complex needs?

MADEC is seeking a Residential Youth Coordinator (Out of Home Care) to join our team in the Mackay region on a 12-month fixed-term contract, covering parental leave.

This is an exciting opportunity to step into a key leadership role providing operational coordination across our residential services. You will oversee and support Team Leaders and Residential Youth Workers, provide leadership and guidance to staff, promote safe and consistent practice, and ensure services operate in accordance with relevant legislation, regulatory requirements, standards and MADEC policies and procedures.

As a visible and supportive leader, you will role-model MADEC's values, build staff capability and confidence, and contribute to a positive, accountable and collaborative team culture.

If you are an experienced residential care professional looking to grow your leadership experience while making a genuine difference in the lives of young people, we would love to hear from you.

About the Role

At MADEC, our Residential Youth Coordinators play an important role in ensuring our residential homes provide safe, stable, nurturing and trauma-informed environments for young people who may have experienced trauma, neglect and significant life challenges.

Working as part of a team of Youth Coordinators, you will provide day-to-day operational, people and compliance leadership across residential services, supporting service continuity, quality practice, staff capability and positive outcomes for young people.

A key component of the role is the oversight and support of Team Leaders, working collaboratively with them to ensure effective leadership, communication, staff support, consistent practice and compliance across our residential homes. You will provide leadership, guidance and support to Residential Youth Workers, helping staff build their confidence, capability and resilience when working with young people with complex needs.

As a leader within our residential services, you will be expected to lead by example, model professional and trauma-informed practice, and foster a workplace culture where staff feel supported, accountable and empowered to deliver high-quality care.

You will work closely with Residential Youth Workers and Team Leaders to promote consistent, person-centred and trauma-informed approaches, while providing guidance and support when managing complex situations.

You will also play an important role in monitoring and promoting compliance across residential services, ensuring staff and Team Leaders understand and meet their responsibilities under relevant legislation, regulatory requirements, standards, policies and procedures. This includes supporting quality assurance, safeguarding, incident management, risk management, documentation and continuous improvement.

A key part of the role is developing and maintaining strong working relationships with the Department of Families, Seniors, Disability Services and Child Safety. You will contribute to care planning, placement requirements, case coordination, information sharing and the delivery of safe, responsive and individualised supports.

You Will Have the Opportunity To:

• Lead and coordinate residential services: Provide day-to-day operational leadership across residential homes, supporting service continuity, effective service delivery and quality practice.
• Lead and support Team Leaders: Provide oversight, guidance and support to Team Leaders, working collaboratively to ensure effective leadership, staff coordination, communication, consistent practice and compliance across residential services.
• Lead and develop our people: Be a visible and supportive leader who role-models positive practice and provides guidance, coaching and support to Team Leaders and Residential Youth Workers, building team confidence, capability, resilience and consistency.
• Promote compliance and quality: Provide leadership and oversight to ensure residential services comply with relevant legislation, regulatory requirements, standards, contractual obligations, MADEC policies and procedures, and applicable Out of Home Care requirements.
• Monitor service compliance: Work with Team Leaders to identify and address compliance issues, emerging risks, gaps in practice and areas requiring improvement, escalating significant matters where appropriate.
• Promote safeguarding and risk management: Support a strong culture of safeguarding, child protection, incident reporting, risk management and continuous improvement across residential services.
• Create safe and nurturing environments: Lead teams to maintain safe, stable, respectful and trauma-informed homes that promote the wellbeing, dignity and development of young people.
• Promote positive outcomes for young people: Support Team Leaders and Residential Youth Workers to help young people build independence, confidence, life skills and positive relationships while responding to their individual needs and goals.
• Lead a positive team culture: Promote a culture of collaboration, accountability, professional development and continuous improvement, ensuring staff are supported to perform their roles effectively.
• Work closely with Child Safety: Build and maintain effective working relationships with the Department of Families, Seniors, Disability Services and Child Safety, including collaborating on care planning, placement needs, case coordination, information sharing and the delivery of safe and responsive supports.
• Build strong relationships: Develop positive and professional relationships with young people, employees, families, Department representatives, service partners and other key stakeholders.
• Support quality assurance: Contribute to audits, reviews, quality improvement activities and the monitoring of service standards to support ongoing compliance and best-practice service delivery.

What We Offer

At MADEC, we recognise the important work our people do and are committed to supporting you both professionally and personally.

You will have access to:

• A Rewarding Career: Make a meaningful difference in the lives of young people and see the impact of your leadership every day.
• Training and Development: Access comprehensive training and professional development, including Hope & Healing Trauma-Informed Care, Person-Centred Active Supports and Therapeutic Crisis Intervention.
• Work/Life Balance: Flexible working arrangements that support a healthy balance between work and personal life.
• Inclusive and Welcoming Culture: Join an organisation that values human rights, community, excellence and empowerment.
• Employee Wellbeing Program: Access wellbeing support through Sonder, providing confidential, friendly and expert advice and support when you need it.
• Rewards Program: Access incentives and rewards that recognise your contribution and commitment.
• Salary Packaging: Take advantage of salary packaging options, including Benefits Card and Entertainment Card benefits.
• Career Growth: Access opportunities for professional development and career progression within MADEC.

About You

We are looking for a motivated and experienced leader who is passionate about supporting young people, developing staff and maintaining high standards of quality and compliance across residential care services.

You will ideally have:

• Qualifications: Certificate IV in Child, Family and Youth Intervention, or an equivalent or related qualification, or a willingness to obtain the qualification.
• Residential Care Experience: Minimum 2 years' experience working in residential care, with experience supporting young people with complex needs highly regarded.
• Leadership Capability: Demonstrated ability to lead, support and develop teams, including providing guidance and oversight to Team Leaders, and provide confident day-to-day operational leadership.
• Compliance and Quality: Demonstrated understanding of compliance requirements within residential care, Out of Home Care, child protection, disability or community services environments, including the importance of policies, procedures, documentation, reporting, safeguarding and risk management.
• People Leadership: The ability to lead by example, build positive team culture, coach and develop staff, and provide clear direction and support to employees.
• Child Safety Experience: Experience working collaboratively with the Department of Families, Seniors, Disability Services and Child Safety, including an understanding of the Out of Home Care environment, is highly regarded.
• Relationship Building: Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to develop effective relationships with young people, employees, families, Department representatives and other stakeholders.
• Resilience and Judgement: The ability to remain calm, responsive and solution-focused when managing complex situations, competing priorities and challenging behaviours.
• Licences: A current Queensland Driver Licence.
• Screening: Current Working with Children Check (Blue Card), NDIS Worker Screening Check and LCS2 screening.
• Availability: Willingness to participate in the residential services on-call roster.
• Passion: A genuine commitment to supporting young people and creating positive, safe and consistent environments where they can thrive.
• Values: A strong commitment to MADEC's values of human rights, community, excellence and empowerment.

Why MADEC?

At MADEC, we believe every young person deserves to feel safe, respected, valued and supported.

Our Residential Youth Services teams work every day to create environments where young people can develop trust, build life skills, strengthen relationships and work towards positive futures.

As a Residential Youth Coordinator, you will have the opportunity to lead Team Leaders, support and develop Residential Youth Workers, promote compliance and quality practice, and make a lasting difference in the lives of young people.

If you are ready to bring your leadership, experience and passion to a role where what you do genuinely matters, we want to hear from you.

How to Apply

Ready to make a meaningful difference?

Apply via SEEK with your resume and a cover letter outlining your motivation for the role and how your skills and experience meet the essential criteria.

Position: Residential Youth Coordinator – Out of Home Care

Location: Mackay, Queensland

Employment Type: 12-Month Fixed-Term Parental Leave Position

For more information or to request a copy of the Position Description, please contact:

Rebecca Forbes, Acting People & Culture Manager, hr@madec.org.au

Join MADEC. Lead with purpose. Make a difference in the lives of young people.