Lifeline Australia is recruiting to the role of Practice Lead, Cultural Safety. This exciting role provides culturally grounded clinical leadership to strengthen the safety, quality and effectiveness of services delivered to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Lifeline is a national charity and plays a leading role in delivering suicide prevention, crisis support, and mental health services across Australia. Lifeline aims to achieve an Australia free of suicide through better support for those seeking help.

Yilabara, a wholly Aboriginal owned employment and training organisation is supporting Lifeline Australia to recruit to this important role.

This is an Identified position for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Why join Lifeline Australia

Lifeline Australia is passionate about making a positive impact on people's lives and values diversity, creativity, and a commitment to making a difference in the community. It offers:

• Salary packaging - being a not-for-profit organisation allows us to offer our employees access to some amazing tax savings through salary packaging
• Lifeline Learning Academy - access to instructor led and online courses through the Australian Institute of management and e-learning modules
• Flexible working - Lifeline provides flexibility and support to all employees and encourages work-life balance
• Employee Assistance Program - access to free counselling sessions for you and your family
• Beautiful office facilities in a central location in Sydney's CBD.

About You

You are highly experienced and regarded tertiary qualified Aboriginal and Torres Strait clinician passionate about improving the delivery of evidence-based, cultural and trauma-informed clinical practice.

You:

• have strong links within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and peoples, and a deep understanding of the issues impacting their lives

• are a systems thinker committed to the principles of and continuously improving the quality of service delivery

• have deep theoretical knowledge of and experience in applying the principles of cultural safety, self-determination and trauma-informed care within clinical practice

• thrive in a greenfield environment where there is a high level of ambiguity

• embrace the opportunity to operationalise newly designed roles within a guided and supported environment

• are a passionate and skilled communicator known for your ability to build and maintain effective relationships.

About the Role

This is an ongoing role subject to ongoing grant funding.

The Practice Lead, Cultural Safety is responsible for ensuring that Lifeline Australia's clinical practice reflects the principles of cultural safety, self-determination and trauma informed care while aligning with organisational governance standards and relevant national standards.

The role plays a critical leadership role in embedding culturally responsive models of care and supporting Lifeline Australia and its delivery partners to deliver safe, evidence informed practice.

Key responsibilities include:

• advising senior leadership on emerging issues, policy reform and system level impacts affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities

• supporting complex case consultation, particularly where cultural, intergenerational trauma or systemic issues present

• promoting best practice models informed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing, being and doing

• contributing to clinical governance forums, case review panels and service improvement initiatives

• leading the development and implementation of culturally responsive practice frameworks and service design

• strengthening workforce capability through coaching, reflective practice and structured learning

• partnering with cultural advisors, Elders and community representatives to inform service design and review using co-design approaches

• contributing to incident review, complaints oversight and continuous improvement processes with a cultural safety lens

• building and maintaining respectful relationships with key stakeholders

• monitoring and reporting on cultural safety indicators and service outcomes.

Essential criteria

• Identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander - It is a genuine occupation qualification that the incumbent of this position be Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander (section 14(d) of the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977)

• Relevant tertiary qualifications in psychology, social work, counselling, mental health nursing or related discipline

• Current registration with the appropriate professional body (where applicable)

• Demonstrated experience in clinical leadership or senior clinical practice

• Deep understanding of cultural safety, intergenerational trauma, and the social and emotional wellbeing framework

• Experience contributing to clinical governance, risk management and quality improvement processes

• Strong capability in influencing, mentoring and supporting multidisciplinary teams

• Cultural authority and credibility withing community contexts

• Systems thinking and service level decision making

• Advanced capability in clinical reasoning

• Reflective and strengths-based leadership

• Strategic communication and stakeholder engagement.

Desirable criteria

• Experience working with Aboriginal Community Controlled services

• Knowledge of relevant national standards and accreditation frameworks

How to apply

Please send your current resume and a cover letter to [email protected]. Your cover letter should address the essential criteria demonstrating how you meet the role requirements informed by your experience. Applicants not addressing the essential criteria may not be considered.

Applications are to be received by 11.59pm on Wednesday 29 April 2026. Applications will be progressively reviewed prior to the closing date.

For further information about the role, please contact Alix Goodwin, Business Development Manager at [email protected].