Permanent Full Time Contract
Location: East Perth WA 6004
$118,169 Base Salary + Super + NFP salary packaging benefits
Make a meaningful difference to the lives of Australians in need
Life at Mission Australia
When you join the team at Mission Australia, you become part of a community who are determined to end homelessness and ensure people in need can thrive. United by our Christian purpose and values, we advocate for a fairer Australia, to meet the growing needs of people across the country. Together we’re building hope and possibility for all.
Find out more about us and our purpose.
Your Opportunity
The Drug and Alcohol Youth Service (DAYS) is the only dedicated specialist withdrawal and residential rehabilitation service for young people in Western Australia.
As a key access point for young people navigating alcohol and other drug challenges, DAYS provides therapeutic, developmentally appropriate support that builds on each young person’s strengths, resilience, and capacity for change. The service works collaboratively with a broad network of community partners to deliver holistic, wraparound support that promotes wellbeing, stability, and long-term positive outcomes. This on-site leadership role is integral to fostering a safe, responsive, and supportive environment within the service.
As Program Manager for Youth withdrawal residential program based in East Perth, you will bring a strong commitment to community impact, relational leadership, and strengths-based practice across youth, AOD, mental health, residential, or crisis settings. You will lead a multidisciplinary team within a 24/7 service, supporting staff to deliver high-quality, culturally responsive, and person-centred support Your leadership will enable a positive team culture grounded in reflection, learning, and shared values, while ensuring service delivery aligns with best practice, clinical governance, and contractual requirements.
In this role, you will guide operational excellence by strengthening practice frameworks, supporting continuous improvement, and fostering collaborative stakeholder relationships that improves outcomes for young people. You will also contribute to a rotating on-call roster, providing consistent and responsive leadership during periods of escalation or crisis
Your Key Responsibilities
Lead and mentor a multidisciplinary team of approximately 13–15 staff (including direct reports and casuals), ensuring high standards of practice, supervision, performance, and professional development.
Oversee daily operations of the 24/7 Youth withdrawal residential service, including rostering, handovers, incident management and service continuity.
Coordinate client intake, assessments and allocation, ensuring timely responses to referrals and consistent monitoring of young people’s progress.
Maintain service compliance, quality practice and risk management, including reporting, data oversight, reflective practice, TCI implementation and adherence to funding, safety and service standards.
Develop and maintain strong stakeholder relationships, engaging with funders, partner organisations, community services and internal Mission Australia teams.
Manage administrative, financial and operational requirements, including budgets, incident reports, KPIs, audits, and continuous improvement initiatives.
Provide on‑call leadership support as part of a rotating roster, responding to escalations, crises and complex situations involving vulnerable, intoxicated or distressed young people.
Requirements for Success
Demonstrated leadership experience (2+ years) within the child, youth & family, Alcohol and other drugs, homelessness or residential care sectors, with the ability to lead teams in fast‑paced, complex environments.
Strong capability in values‑based people management, workforce planning, supervision, motivation, and maintaining a positive and accountable team culture.
Relevant qualifications such as a diploma, degree, or equivalent demonstrated experience in community services, AOD, youth work or related fields.
Experience working with vulnerable young people and sound understanding of AOD, mental health, crisis intervention, FDV, risk, trauma‑informed practice and complex behavioural presentations.
Confidence managing 24/7 service operations, including rostering, service flow, crisis response, and maintaining consistent standards across a residential setting.
Ability to build strong stakeholder relationships, collaborate effectively, and represent the service with professionalism and integrity.
High‑level communication, problem‑solving and de‑escalation skills, with the ability to remain calm under pressure, meet KPIs, manage admin-heavy workloads, and provide on‑call support approximately once every 5–6 weeks.
Full driver licence with no restrictions.
Before starting work with us, you will need to undertake a national police history check, qualifications, and referee checks, and have a clearance to work with children/vulnerable people.
Your benefits
To ensure our employees feel valued, empowered, and celebrated, we provide a range of employee benefits including:
Rewarding work – every day you know you’re making a real difference
Not-for-profit salary packaging, reducing your tax (details via Access Pay)
Free external, confidential counselling and access to chaplaincy support
Volunteering opportunities
Opportunity to purchase additional annual leave.
Extra leave including: Mission Australia Thank You Day & Work Anniversary Day off
Our culture
Our innovative and inclusive culture will ensure you feel valued at Mission Australia as you help Australians in need and develop in your career.
We prioritise the safety and wellbeing of everyone, both within our team and the individuals we serve.
We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive working environment. We actively support and encourage people of all backgrounds; gender, age, ethnicity, race, cultural background, disability, religion, and sexual orientation to submit an application and aim to ensure that the recruitment and employee experience is as accessible and inclusive as possible. So, whoever you are, if you’re skilled and actively support our purpose and values, you would be welcome at Mission Australia.
If you live with disability and require support to submit your application, please email talentattraction@missionaustralia.com.au or visit our Careers page for additional contact details.
We strongly encourage applications from people who identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. For culturally safe support or assistance with your application, please contact us at Deadlycareers@missionaustralia.com.au
Find out more about a career with Mission Australia.
How to apply
Click ‘Apply’ and send your application today!
As a committed Circle Back Initiative employer, we will respond to your application.
Applications are shortlisted as they are received. Please apply as soon as possible to be considered. Thank you