Senior Adviser - Practice

• Full-time, ongoing role
• Flexible location within Australia
• Hybrid working model (2 days in office, 3 days from home)

About Red Cross

Australian Red Cross is part of the world's largest humanitarian movement. We support and empower people and communities in times of vulnerability. We act for humanity.

About the role

Australian Red Cross delivers services to people at some of the hardest points in their lives. We work with migrants in transition, people affected by trafficking and exploitation, older adults receiving aged care, people experiencing homelessness and vulnerability and communities affected by emergencies. Every day, our practitioners, support officers, team leaders and volunteers navigate complex situations, balancing risk, safety, rights, choice and professional judgement.

The Practice Team exists to strengthen the quality, consistency and impact of that work. We're looking for an experienced and curious practice leader who wants to influence more than individual cases. Someone who enjoys working alongside frontline teams to solve difficult practice challenges, while also shaping the frameworks, supervision approaches, tools and systems that support great practice across the organisation. This is a role for someone who can see both the individual and the system.

You'll work directly with service delivery teams, providing consultation on complex practice issues, coaching leaders, strengthening supervision, reviewing practice quality and supporting workforce capability. Just as importantly, you'll use what you learn to improve how practice happens across Australian Red Cross.

We believe good practice support doesn't stop with the individual case. A consultation delivered on Tuesday should influence the training developed next month, the framework reviewed next quarter and the way services operate in the future.

Working alongside the Senior Manager - Client & Community Practice, you'll help shape a contemporary and evidence-informed practice system that supports safe, effective and person-centred services across Australian Red Cross.

This is a hands-on practice role with organisation-wide reach. While the role has no direct reports, it offers significant opportunity to influence practice through expertise, credibility, relationships and evidence-informed leadership.

Day to day you will

• Lead the co-design, testing and continuous evolution of practice framework components, including within the Client Practice Framework
• Translate contemporary research, evidence and emerging sector trends into practical tools, guidance and capability-building resources
• Embed practice considerations into program design, tenders, system enhancements and service development initiatives
• Support the implementation of a contemporary Supervision Framework, coaching leaders to deliver meaningful reflective supervision
• Design and facilitate engaging practice training, workshops and learning initiatives
• Contribute to quality assurance and continuous improvement through file reviews, practice audits and quality improvement activities
• Provide expert consultation, case reviews and advice on complex practice issues, identifying both risks and practical solutions
• Strengthen practitioner capability through coaching, mentoring and practice guidance
• Identify emerging practice trends and systemic issues and work collaboratively with programs to design and implement improvements
• Contribute to the development of practice governance approaches that strengthen quality, consistency and accountability across services

What you'll bring

• Significant experience in a senior practice, practice leadership, practice advisory or similar role within human services, community services, social work, case management or related sectors
• Strong experience supporting practitioners, leaders and teams to navigate complex client situations and practice challenges
• Demonstrated experience developing and implementing practice frameworks, models, tools, training or capability-building initiatives
• Experience strengthening professional judgement, critical reflection and practice capability through supervision, coaching or mentoring
• A track record of translating evidence, practice insights and emerging trends into meaningful improvements
• Strong analytical skills and the ability to identify patterns, risks and opportunities for improvement across service systems
• Strong understanding of trauma-informed, strengths-based, culturally safe, evidence informed and person-centred practice approaches
• Knowledge of practice issues affecting diverse client groups, including people impacted by migration, emergencies, family violence, homelessness, First Nations communities, culturally and linguistically diverse communities
• The ability to work confidently in complexity, balancing practice considerations, risk, ethics, legislation and client outcomes
• Desirable: knowledge or experience of practice governance, quality systems or professional practice oversight models

Qualifications

• Tertiary qualification in Social Work, Social Sciences or equivalent and relevant substantial experience

A valid Working With Children Check, or the ability to obtain one, is a mandatory requirement for this role.

This is a national role and will require occasional domestic travel to support practice development, service improvement initiatives and engagement with teams across Australia.

Benefits that act for you, while you act for humanity

Work flexibility: Australian Red Cross operates under a flexible and hybrid working model providing you more work/life balance

Financial wellbeing: In addition to your salary, you can take advantage of salary packaging that could provide you with a great way to reduce the amount of tax you pay - and get more from your salary. You can salary package up to $15,900 for living expenses (such as rent, groceries, utility bills); up to $2,650 for holiday accommodation and meals when dining out; Novated car leases; superannuation and purchase additional annual leave.

Life, Health & Wellbeing: You can access a paid ‘Me’ day just for you and a wide range of other paid leave options. You can also tap into specialist health and wellbeing advice via our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provider, Converge International.

Career development: Access to ongoing learning, training, and development.

Further information

This role is covered by the Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Award, Level 6.

Salary from $115,339.12 plus superannuation and salary packaging benefits.

For enquiries about the role, please contact Isabel Maclean at imaclean@redcross.org.au. Please note this email is for enquiries only. Applications must be submitted online to be considered.

Applications close: Wednesday 25th November 2026.

While we appreciate all interest in our organisation, we won’t engage with or accept candidates from agencies or consulting firms on this occasion

Thank you for considering a career at Red Cross. We also have great opportunities to volunteer.Click here to find out more.

Job Ref #13934