AOD Specialist Family Violence Advisor

Honesty     Trust      Respect     Concern      Love     

AOD Specialist Family Violence Advisor 

• Full-Time, Fixed Term (1 Year)    

• Based in Footscray 

• $103,118.11 per annum plus super.       

• 17.5% annual leave loading and generous salary packaging options      

• Progressive Workplace Flexibility options that enable genuine work life balance     

About Odyssey Victoria:    

Odyssey Victoria (OV) is a place of hope and positive change for individuals working towards breaking their pattern of addiction. At Odyssey Victoria we believe that every person should have the opportunity to change and grow. Our diverse teams work with individuals, families, and communities to reduce alcohol and other drug (AOD) use, improve mental health, and reconnect people to their family and the community. OV is a dynamic and fast-growing organisation committed to excellence in service provision and innovation in responding to alcohol and other drugs use problems.

Role Purpose: 

The AOD Specialist Family Violence Advisor provides expertise under the supervision of the Manager: Child and Family Services to collaboratively drive capacity building activities within the AOD sector enabling earlier recognition, intervention, and more consistent service response to those using and/or experiencing family violence at whatever point they enter the health and human services system.

The AOD Specialist Family Violence Advisor will encourage and assist all three sectors to collaborate through the promotion of shared casework models. This position provides family violence capacity building expertise and support for AOD service providers and practitioners within the NWMAOD catchment, assisting with capacity building activities to enable earlier identification and responses to family violence for those who are experiencing family violence and/or perpetrating family violence, as well as promoting capacity building with other sectors to increase access and support to those impacted by substance abuse and family violence.

Key areas of focus:      

• Provisioning of practice leadership and capacity building across sectors, especially AOD, Specialist Family Violence Services and Mental Health services to promote collaborative and inclusive practices and policies.

• Assisting in developing collaborative community engagement, sectoral awareness in both formal and informal partnerships to increase the understanding of the intersections between domestic family violence, AOD and mental health.

• Supporting capacity building within the AOD sector through the provisioning of specialist family violence expertise in identifying, recognising, and responding to family violence within an intersectional framework.

• Supporting and strengthening networks through cross sector collaboration between family violence, mental health and AOD Agencies within the NWMAOD Catchment

• Assisting with the identification and enhancement of referral pathways that provide a more integrated and collaborative health and human services system response to family violence and AOD issues.

• Assisting with the development of screening for early recognition of, and intervention into, family violence situations for clients of alcohol and other drug services.

• Contributing to quality improvement and consistency of service response to clients who engage in, or experience, family violence at whichever point they access the health and human services systems.

• Participating in WIFVC and other local family violence networks · Contributing to identification emerging trends, needs, and gaps in service delivery along with collaborating in using this knowledge to generate changes in systems and approaches.

• Contributing to the development of relevant policies, protocols, and procedures in consultation with the Manager: Child and Family Services

• Facilitating engagement, and promoting joint work between, AOD, mental health and family violence services in the NWMAOD Catchment in collaboration with the Manager: Child and Family Services

• Contributing to improving the quality and consistency of family violence related information, assessment, and interventions in AOD services

• Contributing to developing the capacity of the AOD workforce to work effectively with the target client group, including secondary consultation.

• Delivering relevant training and professional development activities to increase capacity to intervene at the intersections of family violence, mental health and AOD, as agreed with the Manager: Child and Family Services

• Contributing to State-wide capacity building activities and advocating for high level systems reform, where service gaps and improvement are identified.

• Supporting the implementation of the government’s responses to recommendations from the Royal Commission into Family Violence.

To be successful in this role, you must…      

1. Relevant health and or welfare tertiary qualification e.g., in Social Work, Psychology, Nursing or Allied Health Sciences or working towards completion of relevant qualification.

1. Ability to articulate and apply a practice framework focused on engagement and assessment, including extensive knowledge and experience of MARAM risk assessment framework and the Best Interests Case Practice Model, in the context of family violence.

1. Ability to quickly acquire in-depth knowledge and understanding of Family Violence Risk Assessment and Risk Management (MARAM), and Family Violence Information Sharing and Child Information Sharing Schemes (when introduced in September 2018).

1. A significant understanding of:

• the diverse nature of interpersonal and family violence.

• the impact of gender, and of social and systemic issues affecting women and children.

• the dynamics of family violence, including patterns of coercive control and behaviours.

• the impact on children and the ability of the protective parent to safely parent.

• the structure and nature of the specialist family violence service system, with a focus on local specialist family violence support services and approaches in the local area, and the mechanisms they employ to restore and enhance safe, child-centred parenting.

• the interface between specialist family violence services and other service systems, particularly child protection.

• the relationship between family violence and substance use coercion

1. Demonstrated experience in interagency liaison, consultation, and the building of partnerships with key stakeholders and relevant service sectors.

1. Possesses effective negotiation and problem-solving skills in a multi-disciplinary environment context.

1. Demonstrates commitment to social justice and social inclusion.

1. Extensive experience and knowledge of working with diverse individuals and communities.

1. Demonstrated ability to manage confidential information, to keep accurate and complete records of work activities in accordance with organisational requirements, information security and adherence to privacy policy requirements.

1. Highly developed written and oral communication skills including the ability to accurately record data, correspondence, conduct reporting and provide written and oral evidence as required.

*Note: refer to Appendix A for details on competencies

For a copy of the position description which outlines the full list of responsibilities and key selection criteria, please click HERE (http://odyssey.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/POSCS3110-AOD-Specialist-Family-Violence-Advisor.pdf)

*Appendix A (AOD Competencies)      

OV requires people in clinical positions to have the following competencies (or their equivalent). Where people do not already have these competencies, OV will invest in the person’s professional development by providing them through its RTO.

The competencies required in the first 12 months of employment are:

• CHCAOD001 - Work in an alcohol and other drugs context

• CHCAOD004 - Assess needs of clients with alcohol and other drugs issues.

• CHCAOD006 - Provide interventions for people with alcohol and other drugs issues.

• CHCAOD009 - Develop and review individual alcohol and other drugs treatment plans

What we can give YOU!     

In return we are committed to offering you an inclusive and transparent workplace culture where our people can develop to be their very best by:

• Ongoing learning and development opportunities

• Providing work that is meaningful and challenging

• Providing career pathways across diverse OV programs.

• Access to 24/7 counselling through our Employee Assistance Provider (EAP)

• Generous leave options such as 48/52 Purchase Leave and Study Leave

• Flexible working arrangements such as monthly RDO’s for full-timers (arrangements will vary based on role requirements).

In addition to the above, staff will also be provided monthly Clinical Supervision sessions for professional development and personal wellbeing.

Application information     

Please apply directly via our careers website (applications via external recruitment websites or via email will not be considered)

Applications should be addressed to Emma Shaw and include your CV and a cover letter addressing the key selection criteria.

If you have any questions relating to the position, please contact Emma Shaw Clinical Manager – Child, Youth & Families at eshaw@odyssey.org.au.

We will be assessing applications on a rolling basis, and suitable candidates will be shortlisted immediately. This role will be open for one week and close once a suitable candidate has been selected, which may be prior to the application deadline, so please don’t wait to apply!

Our commitment to diversity     

At OV we value diversity and believe that a range of backgrounds brings a variety of ideas, perspectives and experiences that will enhance our effectiveness. We promote a workplace that actively seeks to include, welcome and value unique contributions by encouraging people with disability, Aboriginal Australians, LGBTQIA, young people and people from culturally diverse backgrounds to apply for this position.

Safety screening     

OV is committed to child safety and is a child safe organisation. All OV employees must undergo Police Records and Working with Children Checks. Any person issued with a negative notice on their Working with Children Check will not be eligible for employment with us.

All Odyssey Victoria sites are smoke free for all employees