Location:Townsville Catholic Education Office, Kirwan
Position: Guidance Counsellor/Psychologist
Commencing Date: Monday, 14 July 2025 Salary Range: $107,470- $132,764 per annum pending experience
Tenure: Full Time, Permanent
Closing Date: Monday, 23 June 2025
Townsville Catholic Education supports a diverse region extending from Townsville to the Burdekin and Whitsunday regions in the south, and north to Ingham and Halifax, south-west to Winton, and west to the border with the Northern Territory, encompassing Mount Isa and several small, isolated western towns and east to Palm Island.
Townsville Catholic Education provides a supportive, flexible working environment where care for the individual is an important part of our ethos. We employ motivated people who want to work together to produce excellent outcomes for our students.Our staff are recognised as being central to achieving our mission.
Townsville Catholic Education is currently seeking a experienced and dedicated Guidance Counsellor/Psychologist. The role is full time, permanent. This role is based in the Burdekin and supporting Burdekin Catholic High School and St Francis Catholic School, Ayr.
About the Role
The position of Guidance Counsellor/Psychologist will provide professional expertise, leadership and support to the school community in the development, implementation and evaluation of plans and programs to assist students in achieving positive educational, developmental and lifelong learning outcomes.
The position will collaboratively negotiate, develop and implement programs for student that have a focus on preventative and early intervention strategies; are responsive to identified personal, social, emotional and educational needs; and aim to foster resilience and personal skills development.
Guidance Counsellors are guided by a specific theoretical orientation influenced by their global view of the school and the services available to it. Any intervention with Primary and Secondary school students has to take particular notice of the student within the context of the family. The focus is on the student within this and other contexts, realising that the responsibility for each student's welfare and progress remains within the family and local school. A particular emphasis will be to empower school communities to assist students in crisis or with diverse learning needs.
Townsville Catholic Education has standards of conduct for workers to maintain a safe and healthy environment for children. Our commitment to these standards requires that we conduct working with children checks and background referencing for all persons who will engage in direct and regular involvement with children and young people and/or adults-at-risk. The organisation is fully committed to child safety and has a zero tolerance to abuse of children or adults-at-risk.
Key Accountabilities
* Facilitate proactive, preventative and evidence-based practices and initiatives that promote student social, emotional, and educational development and the mental health and wellbeing of students.
* Facilitate effective working relationships and partnerships with parents, school staff and external support agencies, involving a multidisciplinary approach, to provide a comprehensive support, case management and referral service that optimises students' access and engagement in educational programs. Undertaking necessary prioritisation and triage of referrals and service requests within each school context.
* Assess presenting issues and conduct activities such as intakes, student observation and psychoeducational assessment to determine the nature of student learning difficulties, disability, developmental levels, or psychological and emotional status to make recommendations for educational adjustments and interventions.
* Provide recommendations and support to teachers and leadership, as part of tier one and two levels of a multi-tiered system of support, regarding supporting whole-school wellbeing planning, classroom support and behaviour management that indirectly contribute to student wellbeing and learning at school.
* Manage the provision of counselling and consulting services for students (with personal, social, emotional, and educational needs) with a focus on prevention, intervention, and student learning.
* Ensure policy and procedures for student protection, educating students with disabilities, behaviour support, the containment of critical incidents and mandatory record keeping are implemented. This may involve the development, monitoring and review of individual student plans with teachers, staff, and families.
* Balance the ethical issues of consent, privacy, and confidentiality for each student with the appropriateness of sharing information with others and maintain a comprehensive and professional record-keeping system that complies with policy and the legal requirements for access to these official records.
* Prepare and implement professional and personal skill development programs and in-services for teachers, school officers and parents. Participate in regular professional supervision sessions and relevant professional development.
* Provide leadership and specialised support in response to student protection issues, critical incidents, and emergencies, including the development and implementation of responsive programs for school and student needs. For example: anxiety and stress management, grief and loss incident responding, risk management and behaviour support planning for students.
* Maintain standards of practice that are consistent with registration boards and membership of professional associations.
* Complete other duties that are directed as service needs change or grow, if the duties are consistent with the purpose of this position and any relevant legal and/or industrial obligations.
About You
* Proven capacity to develop and implement counselling programs and associated strategies and services to support the needs of students with personal, social and emotional needs
* Demonstrated capacity to effectively respond to sensitive and complex student issues within an ethical framework.
* Capacity for effective counselling and individual case management involving a multidisciplinary approach, within an environment of competing priorities
* Capacity to develop and implement student support programs and services for students with high support needs that reflect best practice and that align with relevant policies and procedures.
* Demonstrated strong interpersonal skills and the capacity to develop and sustain productive relationships within and beyond the school community.
* Capacity to work as a key contributor to a multi-tiered system of support within the school community to effectively engage students and staff.
Mandatory Criteria
* Current Working with Children Suitability Card - The successful candidate will require a paid Blue Card before commencement as per the No Card, No Start policy developed by Queensland Government – exemption for AHPRA or OCT Registration
* Current full registration or current provisional registration with eligibility for full registration, as a teacher in Queensland, and one year (minimum) full-time (or part-time equivalent coursework Masters, majoring in guidance and counselling
OR
* Full registration as a psychologist through the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) Psychology Board of Australia or a fourth year qualification in psychology/or a fifth-year qualification in Psychology that will enable general registration as a psychologist through AHPRA Psychology Board of Australia following completion of the board approved internship or accredited sequence of study
* Current Driver's Licence
* Ability to travel from time to time within the Catholic Diocese of Townsville
* Ability to perform the physical requirements of the role in a safe manner
* Understanding of, and sensitivity to, the ethos of the Catholic School
* Professional membership with the Queensland Guidance and Counselling Association (QGCA) or the Australian Psychological Society (APS).
What we offer
* Competitive Salary range
* Annual Leave at 17.5% leave loading
* Salary packagingoptions
* Modern facilities, equipment and resources
* Superannuation up to 12.75% employer contribution (in a co-contribution arrangement)
* Access to long service leave after 7 years of continuous service
* 14 Weeks' paid parental leave
* Deferred Salary Scheme
* Corporate health insurance
* Induction, professional development and learning opportunities
* Wellbeing programs and initiatives.
How to apply
* Complete theapplication form below including thecontact details of professional referees(one being your current line manager)
* Upload a cover letter, of no more than 2 pages, addressing the experience, knowledge and skills to support the key accountabilities of the role identified in the position description.
* Upload acurrent resume
For a confidential discussion, please call Kellie Burton on 07 4773 0900
Applications during the shortlisting phase will be kept confidential.
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Questions
Work Rights
It is a legal requirement for all Australian employers to ensure candidates have the right to work in Australia.
Please choose one: *
+ I am an Australian citizen
+ I am a permanent resident of Australia or NZ citizen who has entered Australia on a valid passport
+ I am a non citizen with a valid visa that provides work rights and I consent to this being verified
Have you previously worked for Townsville Catholic Education Office? *
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+ If yes, please provide further information
Diversity
Do you identify as any of the following?
+ I identify as an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person
+ I am from a non-English speaking background
+ Qualifications
Please confirm any relevant qualifications. For example, Bachelor of Education, any post-graduate study.
You will be required to attach copies of any qualifications as evidence. *
+ Please outline your previous experience that directly relates to this role *
+ Professional Registration/Membership
Please confirm your registration or membership details. For example, Queensland College of Teachers (QCT), Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) etc.
Townsville Catholic Education must remain committed to promoting and protecting the rights, interests and wellbeing of children. Employees that work with children and young people will be required to hold a Working With Children Check - Blue Card prior to commencing employment. For more information please visit *
+ I hold a current Paid Blue Card
+ I hold a current Volunteer Blue Card
+ I have submitted a Blue Card application which is currently pending approval
+ I hold QCT/AHPRA registration
+ When are you available to commence? *
Work Health and Safety
It is important for us to ensure that your health and safety is protected in the workplace. Are there any specific health problems, pre-existing illness or injury which may impact on your ability to safely perform the inherent (essential) requirements of the position you are making application for? *
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+ If you answered Yes, please provide details
Due to the nature of particular roles, some employees may be required to undergo pre-employment medical assessments during the selection process. Depending on the nature of the role, it may be necessary for successful applicants to be immunised against certain preventable diseases in order to minimise the risk of transmission. Do you consent? *
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The Criminal Law (Rehabilitation of Offenders) Act 1986 outlines the requirement to disclose convictions where an application is being made for specified positions. Have you been convicted, found guilty or otherwise had any criminal offence proven against you? *
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Have you been charged with any criminal offence which is not yet before a court, or yet to be fully determined by a court or still pending before a court? *
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+ No
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+ Referees
We require you to nominate at least two (2) professional referees. These people will be required to speak to your work performance as it pertains to the position you are applying for. Please provide your nominated referees' name, position title, organisation, contact number and email address. We also ask that you approach your nominated referees prior to providing their details to Townsville Catholic Education to confirm their willingness to participate in our recruitment processes.
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I declare that the statements made by me in this application are true, complete and correct. I understand that a false statement, omission or dishonest answer to any questions may be grounds for my application being discontinued or may result in termination of employment. * #J-18808-Ljbffr