No deadline – apply ASAP.
This vital client-facing role will be the first point of contact for many survivors seeking assistance from Knowmore Legal Service. As such, Intake Officers will deliver high quality telephone and face-to-face services to provide clients with information about Knowmore’s service delivery programs, gather relevant information from clients, work with clients to understand their legal issues and rights, and to identify, prioritise and action clients’ legal and support needs through referrals to in-house and external services.
Intake Officers will work closely with the Manager Client Services, Senior Intake Officers, and other discipline members delivering legal and support services, including cultural support, to provide clients with trauma-informed, effective, and streamlined services.
Intake Officers will also be an ongoing point of contact and liaison for existing clients, providing information and assisting with arrangements for further service delivery.
A client-centred approach and a commitment to ensuring high-quality services are provided to vulnerable people is essential.
Duties and Responsibilities are including but not limited to:
- Provide accessible, responsive, and effective intake services through telephone and face-to-face services (including potential outreach), that ensures clients can engage effectively with the service and that clients’ legal and support needs are identified, prioritised, and actioned appropriately.
- Work with clients to develop trust and safety, helping them identify their legal and support needs, accurately and thoroughly documenting the results of contacts and assessing initial risk and safety issues.
- Evaluate clients’ circumstances as to any need to expedite service delivery and ensuring urgent referral action is implemented when required.
- Ensure clients are supported in their engagement with the service through working collaboratively and cooperatively with clients and other Knowmore staff, to:
- Obtain sufficient initial information to identify clients’ legal needs and to support further service delivery by Knowmore’s legal team.
- Obtain sufficient initial information to determine potential financial counselling needs and facilitate referral to Knowmore’s financial counselling team.
- Ensure cultural support services through Knowmore’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander engagement team are available for all Indigenous clients.
- Facilitate responsive social work and counselling support for clients.
- Provide ongoing liaison, information, and assistance to existing clients.
- Promptly and accurately document all client and non-client interactions.
- Support clients through making referrals to a range of other agencies and services to assist clients with their ongoing needs.
- Provide information about Knowmore’s services and programs to a range of other, non-client callers, such as referring agencies and services and develop effective working relationships with key partners.
Selection Criteria Qualifications
- Demonstrated ability to engage effectively with clients who have been impacted by complex trauma and to provide appropriate, trauma-informed support.
- Knowledge and understanding of the dynamics, complexities, and legal and social consequences of child sexual abuse.
- Demonstrated understanding of the issues affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and experience in providing culturally safe services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
- IT proficiency, including being highly skilled in effective client file management, data collection, and note-making on databases, in addition to proven ability to use Microsoft Office.
- Experience in appointment booking management.
- Experience in the use of digital telephone systems and software.
- Excellent organisational, time management, and administrative skills that support the capacity to prioritise and manage a diverse range of client matters and tasks in an effective and timely way.
- Highly developed interpersonal skills with the proven ability to build effective relationships and communicate with a diverse range of people, including both face-to-face and online-only relationships.
- Demonstrated ability to work independently and use initiative.
- The ability to work collaboratively, flexibly, and respectfully within a multi-disciplinary team to achieve high level operational performance.
- An awareness of issues of confidentiality and privacy relating to clients of a legal service and the ability to act professionally and within the boundaries of Knowmore’s practice.
- A commitment to self-care, resilience, and ongoing professional development.