Senior Mental Health Clinician

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Opportunity to play a vital role in a vibrant, innovative, therapeutic team who work together to improve outcomes for children and families/carers

• 1 Permanent Full time opportunity
• 24/7 residential flexible hours  
• Macleod Location  

Austin Health is the major provider of tertiary health services, health professional education and research across three campuses in the north-east of Melbourne and statewide. We have a highly engaged, diverse and collaborative workforce that is unified by our goal to help people live healthy and fulfilled lives. 

About Boooboop Narrkwarren Nagarra –jarra-noun (BNNJN) 

BNNJN is part of the Mental Health Division within Austin Health, BNNJN is situated offsite from Austin Health in a purpose-built facility. BNNJN is one of many programs within Infant, Child, and Youth Mental Health Service (ICYMHS)  

The BNNJN provides a specialised therapeutic residential service for children aged up to 12 years who have experienced adverse life events and whose developmental trajectories continue to be disrupted by ongoing trauma related difficulties 

The children’s difficulties are understood and responded to in the context of complexities in parent-child relating and family functioning, and challenges in community. 

The BNNJN’s Model of Care (MOC) aims to give children the best start in life by providing support early in the life of children’s and their families difficulties, by building children’s connections to family and community, and by empowering children and families to make choices that promote good physical and mental health connectedness.  

About the role 

The Senior Mental Health Clinician provides support to the Centre Manager, Team Leader and Consultant Psychiatrist in operational and clinical leadership of the Centre. They will lead a multidisciplinary clinical team ensuring a safe and therapeutic milieu on a rostered shift work basis. They provide trauma-informed, evidence-based care to children, young people, and their families, offer secondary consultation to external agencies, and mentor junior staff to ensure recovery-oriented care 

A regular day will see you: 

• Providing psychotherapeutic and psychosocial interventions to children and families residing at the Centre 
• Lead and support other clinicians throughout the shift ensuring that any consumer or staffing concerns or management issues are appropriately responded to and reported back to the Centre Manager as required. 
• Facilitate group programs within the Centre for children, parents/carers and siblings  
• Contribute your knowledge and skill set within the multidisciplinary team at care meetings and within care systems
• Contribute your knowledge and skill set within the multidisciplinary team at care meetings and within care systems   
• Coordinate referrals and admissions of children and families to the Centre 
• Liaise with relevant community agencies, provide secondary consultation, training and promote the service to wider community  

About you 

If you are passionate about working with children and families and have knowledge and experience in the use of current theoretical approaches and best practice and enjoy being part of a multidisciplinary team and shaping the future of an innovative child and family mental health team, we are keen for you to join us! 

The successful candidate will be tertiary qualified in Nursing, Social work, Psychology, Occupational Therapy, or a related discipline. have demonstrated knowledge of the mental health, family and community sector service system, proven experience working with children and families,  

To be successful in this role you'll bring with you: 

• Demonstrated experience and knowledge in working with children presenting with trauma-related mental health concerns, and their families.  
• Experience in working therapeutically and systemically with children with mild to moderate mental health presentations. 
• Demonstrated leadership skills to enhance team functioning including the provision of coaching, mentoring and the provision of some supervisory functions to other team members. 
• Demonstrated understanding of professional frameworks, theories, and practices as they relate to children and families and mental health. 
• Demonstrated ability and knowledge of a range of psychotherapeutic interventions for both individuals and groups. 
• Willingness and ability to work outside business hours and in an outreach capacity, including early morning and evening shifts, weekends, and possible overnight outreach. 

Our benefits 

Working at Austin Health means enjoying a strong sense of purpose, engaging in meaningful work every day. Our people also receive a variety of rewarding benefits, including: 

• Greater take-home pay through generous salary packaging, for living expenses, meals, and holiday accommodation. 
• A suite of wellness initiatives designed to support you, including discounted fitness memberships and special offers on health insurance, and a comprehensive wellbeing program. 
• Onsite childcare at Austin Hospital, easy access via public transport and car parking options. 
• Mentoring and career development opportunities. 

Work with us! 

We are committed to cultural safety and health equity for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander People. We celebrate, value, and include people of all backgrounds, genders, identities, cultures, bodies, and abilities. We welcome and support applications from talented people identifying as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, people with disability, neurodiverse people, LGBTQIA+ and people of all ages and cultures. 

If you feel this role is right for you, we encourage your early application. Even if you don’t meet every single requirement, we encourage you to apply. What matters most is your passion, your drive and your willingness to learn and contribute. Applications will be reviewed as they are received, and interviews may take place prior to the closing date. This means we reserve the right to close a job ad prior to the advertised closing date. 

All appointments are made subject to a satisfactory National Police Check and if required, a Working With Children Check. Austin Health is a child safe organisation, committed to upholding the rights, safety, and wellbeing of children and young people in line with Child Safe Standards. If you require any reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process, you are welcome to reach out to the hiring manager: Christine Denton, Child and Family Centre Manager on Christine.DENTON@austin.org.au

Interested in finding out more about this opportunity? Read the position description for further details. 

Application closing date: Tuesday 6 October 2026