Rainbow Door Team Leader

Rainbow Door Team Leader

Switchboard Victoria is based on the lands of the Yaluk-ut Weelam clan of the Boon Wurrung peoples. 
 
We acknowledge that our work takes place on lands that are under colonial occupation and that sovereignty has never been ceded. We hope to pay our deepest respects to Boon Wurrung elders, past and present, and wish to extend this respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People across this Country we know as Australia.

About Switchboard Victoria (Inc.)

Switchboard Victoria is a community-based, not for profit organisation that provides peer-based, volunteer driven support services for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and gender diverse, Intersex, Queer, Asexual and more (LGBTIQA+) people and their friends, families and allies.

Our current activities include:

• Phone and web counselling and referral – Switchboard is the Victorian partner in the national QLife service. QLife provides anonymous and free LGBTIQA+ peer support and referral for people in Australia wanting to talk about sexuality, identity, gender, bodies, feelings, or relationships. 

• Community connections for older LGBTI+ people – Switchboard’s Pride in Ageing program works to tackle ageism and strengthen social inclusion and community connection for older LGBTI+* Victorians. The Out and About peer visiting program builds friendship and connection between LGBTI+ seniors living anywhere in Victoria through regular volunteer visits.  

• Rainbow Door - is a free specialist LGBTIQA+ helpline providing information, support, and referral to all LGBTIQA+ Victorians, their friends and family. Rainbow Door supports people of all ages and identities with issues that may include suicidal thoughts, family, and intimate partner violence (including elder abuse), alcohol and other drugs, relationship issues, sexual assault, social isolation, mental health and wellbeing. 

• Suicide prevention - research and development of suicide prevention resources and programs for LGBTIQA+ communities. 

• QTIBPoC Programs - The QTIBPoC program aims to build connection and greater equity for Queer, Trans, Intersex and Bla(c)k, Indigenous and/or People of Colour and People of Faith. The program runs free events and workshops throughout the year led by and for QTIBPoC communities.

• Training Program – Switchboard delivers a range of training to the community and service sector organisations. Trainings offerings include LGBTIQA+ Inclusive Practice, How to Recognise and Respond to F/IPV, How to Talk About Suicide Safely, Everyday Racism in the Workplace and Peer Support Training. Staff are accredited to deliver LivingWorks programs ASIST and safeTALK.

• Rainbow Families - Connecting and supporting LGBTIQA+ parents, carers, and their families. Supporting services to develop and deliver rainbow family-inclusive better practice across Victoria.

Position details

Title: Rainbow Door Shift Team Leader

Organisation: Switchboard (Victoria) Inc

Employment type: Fixed-term contract, cessation date 30 June 2027 (parental leave cover)

Part Time, 0.7 FTE, 53.2 hours per fortnight.

Rostered employee, Monday – Sunday, 9.00am - 5.36pm (fortnightly roster)

Classification & remuneration: Social and Community Services Employee, Level 6 pay point 1 -3 (based on level of skills and experience)Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Award 2010.

Plus Superannuation 12%

Tax benefit available from salary sacrifice arrangements for not-for-profits, package of up to $15,899 per year

Location: Switchboard Victoria operates from offices in Melbourne’s inner north and the Victorian Pride Centre, 79–81 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda VIC 3182.

Applicants must be able to lawfully work in Australia and may be located within metropolitan Melbourne or elsewhere in Victoria, provided they can reliably attend the workplace as required.

This is a hybrid role. The successful applicant must have the capacity to work from Switchboard Victoria’s Melbourne-based offices as reasonably required to meet the inherent and operational requirements of the role.

Switchboard Victoria supports flexible working arrangements, including remote work, where appropriate. Flexible arrangements will be considered in accordance with the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) and Equal Opportunity Act 2010 (Vic) and organisational policies, and are subject to the inherent requirements of the role and operational needs.

Reports to: Rainbow Door Practice Lead, Rainbow Door Manager

Direct reports: Rainbow Door Helpline Workers

About Rainbow Door

Rainbow Door is a specialist helpline service supporting LGBTIQA+ people, their friends and families, across Victoria. Operated by Switchboard Victoria, the service provides telephone and text-based support information, referrals, assessment and short-term case advocacy.

Rainbow Door connects people to safer, more accessible services across a broad range of issues, including mental health, suicide, family and intimate partner violence, sexual assault, gender and sexuality, alcohol and other drugs (AOD), legal concerns, aging, housing, discrimination, gender affirmation, and social isolation.

Our work is grounded in intersectional, trauma-informed, LGBTIQA+ peer and person-centered practice, upholding the dignity, safety, and self-determination of all service users.

Rainbow Door operates from 10am – 5pm, 7 days a week. Rostered shifts are from 9.00am - 5.36pm (7.6hrs), on a fortnightly roster which may include weekends and some public holidays.

Position Overview

The Rainbow Door Team Leader is a Shift Team Leader, who provides support, direction and informal supervision to Helpline frontline workers during their shift and are the first point of consultation and risk escalation. The Shift Team Leader provides effective leadership and management support to a team of specialist workers and contributes to the effective operation of the organisation. Operating with autonomy and sound judgement, the Shift Team Leader ensures consistent quality service provision in alignment with relevant legislative and practice frameworks. At times of high demand or low staffing, Shift Team Leaders may also step in to provide empathetic, nonjudgmental and person-centred support to people contacting the Rainbow Door.

Shift Team Leaders will have a thorough understanding of the range of Rainbow Door services and be able to support and provide guidance to Helpline frontline workers, who may be responding to a broad range of complex and sensitive situations. Common areas of support offered on the Rainbow Door include, but are not limited to mental health and suicidality, family and intimate partner violence, sexual assault, gender and sexuality, support related to disability, families and parenting, gender affirmation, housing insecurity and homelessness, alcohol and other drugs, legal concerns, ageing, discrimination, and social isolation.

Frontline Helpline workers are rostered to provide support across three core areas of the Rainbow Door service delivery:

• Helpline support (via phone and text-based channels).

• Live single-session call-back support, including family violence assessment and safety planning.

• Short-term case work and advocacy.

To support the Helpline workers in this work, Rainbow Door Shift Team Leaders provide:

• On shift supervision and support.

• Secondary consultation.

• Post-intervention debriefing.

• Risk management and escalation.

The Shift Team Leader will have a good understanding of intersectionality and the issues faced by the LGBTIQA+ communities and specifically those living with or impacted by family or relationship violence, mental health concerns, isolation, disability, homelessness and/or suicidality. They will also have strong communication and leadership skills that help to create a positive team culture of respect, passion and ongoing learning. They will work collaboratively with other Rainbow Door Shift Team Leaders, Practice Lead, Manager and their peers across Switchboard.

On any shift, there may be 3-6 Helpline frontline workers. On weekday shifts (Monday to Friday), there are two Shift Team Leaders rostered to provide support and oversight of frontline Helpline activities. On weekends, one Shift Team Leader is rostered to provide Helpline support.

Rainbow Door Shift Team Leaders work as part of the Rainbow Door team and report directly to the Practice Lead and Manager. Rainbow Door operates 7 days a week and Shift Leaders are required to work on a fortnightly roster which may include weekend work. Rostered shifts are 7.6 hours. Shift Team Leaders may be expected to work onsite in a shared office environment, when rostered to support frontline Helpline workers responding to service users. This role may also involve providing direct service support to a number of service users or those with complex needs.

Responsibilities and Duties

Leadership, supervision and practice oversight

• Provide real-time supervision, guidance, and support to frontline Helpline workers delivering phone and text-based services, ensuring safe, effective shift operations.

• Guide staff in applying intersectional, trauma-informed, LGBTIQA+ peer-based, and person-centred practices, particularly in complex situations involving family violence, distress, or crisis.

• Monitor and manage risk during shifts, ensuring appropriate escalation and compliance with legislative, regulatory, and practice frameworks (including MARAM, FVISS, CISS).

• Deliver high-quality supervision, coaching, and reflective practice to build staff capability and support ongoing professional development.

• Oversee adherence to service standards, including risk assessment, safety planning, documentation, and coordinated risk management, and review critical incidents to support learning and system improvement.

Service delivery and practice support

• Support staff to deliver short-term casework, advocacy, referrals, and crisis responses, including assisting with service navigation, warm referrals, and access to crisis brokerage.

• Provide guidance in the use of assessment tools and frameworks to inform decision-making and appropriate service responses.

• Deliver secondary consultations to internal and external stakeholders.

Program quality, collaboration and development

• Collaborate with the Rainbow Door Manager, Practice Lead, and other Team Leaders to ensure consistent, high-quality service delivery aligned with organisational policies and procedures and legislative requirements.

• Contribute to policy, procedure, and practice framework development, and use service data and trends to inform continuous improvement and system advocacy.

• Support staff induction, onboarding, and student supervision, fostering a positive and inclusive team culture.

Administration and other duties

• Undertake rostering, case documentation, data entry, and reporting in line with organisational requirements.

• Participate in supervision, team meetings, and ongoing professional development, and perform other duties as required.

Key Selection Criteria

Essential

1. Applicant must identify as part of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Gender diverse, Intersex, Asexual communities (LGBTIQA+) [Switchboard Victoria has an exemption under section 28 of the Equal Opportunity Act 2010 (Vic)].
2. Qualifications and experience in Social Work, Counselling, Psychology, Community services or similar and able to meet the Mandatory Minimum Qualification for family violence work in Victoria. The organisation recognises that effective specialist practice may be informed by a combination of formal qualifications, professional experience, community-based knowledge and lived experience, and supports ongoing professional development, supervision and reflective practice.
3. Demonstrated leadership in, and commitment to cultural awareness, cultural competence, culturally safe and inclusive practice in service provision with First Nations communities, multicultural and/or multifaith, LGBTQIA+ communities, culturally and linguistically diverse communities and people living with a disability.
4. Previous experience providing support services, such as counselling, case work or case management, advocacy, and/or peer support, and the capacity to deliver (and support the delivery of) case work, and live phone-based and text-based support in an onsite or shared office environment.
5. Experience in specialist family violence practice or leadership, with demonstrated capability in advanced risk assessment and management, professional judgement, supervision, secondary consultation and/or system collaboration. In-depth knowledge of the nature, dynamics and impacts of family violence across varying cohorts, underpinned by intersectional feminist theory.
6. Well-developed interpersonal skills with the ability to effectively communicate, provide support, actively listen, apply problem solving and conflict resolution skills, and engage and build rapport with others (including service users).
7. Demonstrated leadership experience, including supervision, support and mentoring of staff.
8. Ability to work weekends.

Highly Desirable

1. Demonstrated experience and leadership working on a Helpline or equivalent, including case management and intake and assessment.

To find out more and apply

Please make yourself familiar with Switchboard’s purpose and programs by visiting our website at www.switchboard.org.au.

Please carefully review the selection criteria for this position, which you should systematically address in your application, along with a cover letter and your resume listing all relevant employment and volunteer experience and qualifications.

NOTE: Applications that do not address the Selection Criteria will not be considered.

For information, please contact Shei U., Rainbow Door Manager.

Email: [email protected] using the subject line: Rainbow Door Team Leader enquiry via EthicalJobs.

Switchboard Victoria is committed to supporting diversity and inclusion in our workforce and will consider all qualified applicants, regardless of sex, gender, gender identity or expression, age, disability or national origin. Switchboard Victoria values diversity and is committed to the principles of cultural and ethnic diversity, social inclusion, and anti-racism.

We promote a workplace that actively seeks to welcome and value unique perspectives. Switchboard especially welcomes and encourages applications from people who are Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander; trans, gender diverse or intersex; disabled; carers; live with HIV, are culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD), People of Colour or People of Faith.