Lead complex mental health care for older people - and help turn long hospital stays into lasting community outcomes.
Employment Type
: Temporary Part Time until January 2027.
Position Classification
: Social Worker Level 4
Remuneration
: $63.81- $65.35 per hour + super + salary packaging
Location
: Mater Mental Health Centre, Waratah.
Hours Per Week
: 32
Requisition ID
: REQ635083
Applications Close
: Sunday, 15th February 2026
A senior Social Work role where leadership, clinical expertise and real-world impact come together.
Where You'll Be Working
The Pathways to Community Living Initiative (PCLI) is a NSW Health state-wide program supporting people with severe and persistent mental illness and complex co-occurring conditions who are experiencing, or at risk of, prolonged hospital admissions. PCLI focuses on helping people re-establish meaningful lives in the community through coordinated, recovery-oriented care.
Within Hunter New England, the Older People's Mental Health PCLI Team delivers care across both inpatient and community settings using a flexible, multidisciplinary model. The team works closely with local services to promote practice change, reduce the length and frequency of long-stay admissions, and support safe, sustainable transitions from hospital to community for older people with complex mental health needs.
About The Role
This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced Social Worker to step into a Level 4 role and further develop their leadership capability. As the Senior Social Worker within Older People's Mental Health, you will hold a dual clinical–leadership position, combining advanced clinical practice within the Older People's PCLI Team with leadership in Social Work practice across the broader Older People's Mental Health Service.
Your typical week will include direct mental health assessment and intervention with consumers, families and carers across inpatient and community settings; participation in multidisciplinary clinical review meetings; and care coordination for allocated consumers. You will also undertake Social Work leadership activities, including providing supervision, offering specialist clinical consultation, and supporting a local Specialist Residential Aged Care Facility.
The team is based in Newcastle and provides support across the Hunter region, with occasional outreach further afield.
This role is 32 hours per week, with a negotiable non-working day. Flexible working arrangements will be considered.
Support & Development
You will be well supported in this role through regular clinical supervision, a structured induction and orientation, and opportunities to learn alongside experienced senior colleagues. Support is provided by the Program Manager - PCLI and the Head of Social Work for Mental Health, along with strong connections to the Ministry of Health PCLI Team and a statewide network of PCLI clinicians.
About You
You are an experienced mental health Social Worker with advanced skills in assessment, intervention and care coordination for older people experiencing severe and persistent mental illness. You bring a flexible, responsive approach and thrive in a small multidisciplinary team where collaboration and shared problem-solving are essential to achieving positive outcomes.
You are confident working with a wide range of stakeholders, including carers and families, inpatient and community mental health teams, NDIS and aged care providers, and NSW Trustee and Guardian. You have demonstrated experience supporting complex hospital-to-community transitions and are skilled in identifying and managing risks, including risks to self, others, and risks of abuse or neglect.
You will also bring emerging or established leadership capability, with experience supporting, mentoring or supervising others, and an interest in continuing to develop in this space. Knowledge of the PCLI model is welcome but not essential, as training and support will be provided to the successful applicant.
Requirements
* Must hold as a minimum a bachelor's degree in social work which provides eligibility for membership of the Australian Association of Social Workers, or other qualification deemed equivalent by the employer.
What We Can Offer
At Hunter New England Health, enjoy a career where you're challenged by interesting work and surrounded by spectacular locations. You'll contribute to the team enriching health in millions of ways every day. On top of this we also offer:
* Sustainable Healthcare: Together towards zero
* Proximity to shopping and other services
* 4 weeks annual leave (pro-rata for part time employees)
* Paid parental leave (for eligible employees) - giving you the opportunity for true Worklife balance
* Salary packaging options - up to $11,600 plus novated leasing
* Fitness Passport for health and well-being - discounted gym options for you and your family
* Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for staff and family members
Additional Information
* An eligibility list will be created for future part time temporary vacancies.
* To be eligible for permanent employment in this position you must be an Australian Citizen, or a permanent resident of Australia, or a New Zealand citizen with a current New Zealand Passport. Employment of a temporary visa holder may only occur if no suitable local candidate is identified for the position; in this instance, you may only be offered employment in line with the conditions and expiry date of your visa.
* We are unable to accommodate visa sponsorship for applicants requiring a visa for this position.
How To Apply
Click apply online, submit your information and resume, and address the criteria listed below providing examples that demonstrate your ability.
* Demonstrated application of verbal communication and interpersonal skills in building and maintaining effective professional and therapeutic relationships.
* Demonstrated expertise and advanced clinical reasoning skills within area of clinical speciality.
* Extensive experience in mental health assessment, intervention, and evaluation of clinical outcomes. This includes demonstrated understanding of the principles of trauma informed care, recovery-oriented service delivery and the need for co-designing and co-producing mental health services with consumers, carers and clinicians (Minimum of 3 years full time clinical experience)
Need more information?
* Click here for the Position Description
* Find out more about applying for this position
For role related queries or questions contact Samuel Evans on
Information For Applicants
Applicants will be assessed against the essential requirements and selection criteria contained within the position description (link below).
For assistance addressing selection criteria visit:
Stepping Up Website
is a resource designed to help indigenous job applicants apply for positions in NSW Health. For more information, please visit:
This is a Category A position. Recommended applicants will be reviewed for compliance with
NSW Health policy directive
PD2024_015: Occupational Assessment, Screening and Vaccination against Specified Infectious Diseases
for Category A positions prior to offer.
All new employees must agree to comply with the requirements outlined in the policy.
Hunter New England Health is dedicated to fostering a child-safe environment that respects and upholds the rights of children and young people, aligned with NSW Health's commitment to implementing
the Child Safe Standards.
We aim to ensure that children and young people feel safe, supported, and included in their care. All current and prospective staff are expected to prioritise the safety, welfare, and well-being of children and young people, actively working to protect them from harm and abuse.
At Hunter New England Local Health District, we are an inclusive employer dedicated to fostering a diverse, inclusive, and welcoming workplace. Our commitment to a workforce that reflects the community we care for is essential for delivering the highest quality healthcare to our community. We encourage people with diverse lived experiences to apply. If you require any accommodations or adjustments to the recruitment process please let us know when you apply or at any stage of the process. We will work with you to meet your needs and create the best possible experience. Please contact
HNELHD-
for confidential support.