Program Manager Children Youth and Families
Posted:
17/02/2026
Closing Date:
03/03/2026
Job Type:
Permanent - Full Time
Location:
Lismore
Job Category:
Community Services & Development
Social Futures is a voice for social change in regional Australia, helping to create connected, resilient communities. With more than 50 years' industry experience, we are a community service leader, striving to create change through our work across homelessness and housing supports, youth and family services, sector advocacy and programs that promote genuine participation for people with disability.
Job Description
About the Role:
We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced and passionate Program Manager based in Lismore. The Program Manager will require flexibility to travel throughout our Northern Rivers sites, working with our Children, Youth, Families and Employment Stream. The Children, Youth, Families and Employment Stream provides accessible, inclusive and culturally safe supports to children, young people and their families to support their health, social and emotional wellbeing, and resilience.
The Program Manager will report to the General Manager, Children, Youth, Families and Employment and be an active member of the broader leadership team. This role offers an excellent opportunity to demonstrate strong leadership capability alongside a deep understanding of the challenges experienced by children, young people and families. The Program Manager will coordinate high-quality, responsive services to support positive and sustainable outcomes for families.
The successful candidate will bring a sound understanding of risk and risk-mitigation strategies, quality and compliance requirements, supervision, and people management. The successful candidate will also be skilled in building and maintaining strong relationships with key stakeholders and be passionate about leading diverse teams with the clients journey at the center of their practice.
This role is currently funded until 3 March 2028.
Desired Skills and Experience:
* Tertiary qualifications or equivalent experience in health, psychology, social work, social science or social welfare, health promotion or similar
* Demonstrated experience in leading a team in the social and human services sector
* Demonstrated experience in utilising a risk assessment framework and working with children and families with complex needs.
* Demonstrated experience and knowledge of working with people presenting with mental health and/or other complexities
* Demonstrated knowledge of trends and models of service delivery for community, family, housing, employment and/or youth programs
* Excellent relationship, negotiation and conflict management skills with a proven ability to develop and maintain strong and effective relationships with government/funders, service providers, staff, peers and key stakeholders in the local community
* Experience in implementation and monitoring of quality assurance processes across customer service programs, including managing risk and program evaluation
About Social Futures:
We are proud to announce that we have received recognition as an accredited Great Workplace by WRK+. Our amazing team makes our workplace special.
Social Futures is a Rainbow tick accredited organisation and an equal opportunity employer and actively recruit from key communities; including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, LGBTIQSB+, people living with a disability, people with lived experience and people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities.
Social Futures is committed to prioritising the safety and well-being of children and upholds the National Child Safe Principles. Working with Children Check and National Police Check are mandatory requirements for all staff.
Our Benefits:
* Generous Salary packaging options
* Staff Well-being Program
* Flexible working options
* Opportunity to bank additional days leave per year
* Access to ongoing Learning and Development
* Staff Recognition Program and Organisational Celebration Events
* Organisational paid Parental leave
* Access to Pool Vehicles
How to Apply:
A cover letter demonstrating how your skills, education and professional experience meet the requirements of the role as outlined in the position description, should be submitted with your application.
Applications close 03 March 2026
For more information about Social Futures please visit our website:
For further information, please contact Mel Gordon on
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