APS 5 Veteran Support Officer

at  Department of Veterans Affairs

• Salary Range: $88,923 - $92,670 + Attractive Superannuation
• Contact Officer: Elizabeth Connolly 0436 851 712 elizabeth.connolly@dva.gov.au
  The VSO – Operations role forms an integral part of a team with establishment and functioning of embedded DVA services on military bases. This presence acts as a hub for DVA VSOs to work from, delivering a high level of personalised service relating to accessing DVA supports and services, information briefings and updates to the veteran community including current and former members of the Australian Defence Force (ADF), their families and representatives of ESOs. The VSO will also work as part of a team to provide outreach services to variety of locations inclusive of Defence bases, industry employers, ESOs and regional communities of identified need.
  The VSO must have a good appreciation for veterans and veteran family individual circumstances, working to provide expert advice at the right time with an ability to translate this into guidance for next steps in achieving business as usual arrangements with DVA. The role requires excellent organisational skills and an ability to communicate with a broad range of stakeholders and veterans.
  The VSO must also be proactive in identifying and resolving issues, have sound judgement to determine when to escalate issues, and be able to work with a geographically dispersed national VSO team.
  All VSOs must present well, be highly professional and understand the Defence community context in relation to supports and services available from DVA, and be well organised in managing multiple tasks.

MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS

• Capacity to travel and ability to undertake overnight travel and work after hours and on weekends (if required).
• Applicants must be willing to work on Defence bases and/or Veterans’ and Families’ Hubs.
• A current Australian driver’s licence.

• Provide high-quality, personalised service to current and former veterans of the ADF in line with the DVA Cultural Vision and national VSO Policies, Procedures and Key Performance Indicators as implemented
• Provide advice and interpretation, including in writing, on complex aspects of legislation to clients and colleagues
• Develop strong partnerships with key stakeholders including Command elements, ADF Rehabilitation Program (ADFRP), Veteran Employment Industry and ESOs to enhance service delivery to the veteran community
• Work closely with relevant areas of Defence, including the Joint Transition Authority, to support the delivery of services and activities which may be accessed/considered during the relevant stages of transition
• Perform representational and outreach activities, including presentations to ADF seminars, veteran advocate training sessions, etc., as required
• Assist with the development and maintenance of a VSO national training continuum for all new and incumbent VSO staff, ensuring that service delivery to veterans and their families remains consistent and contemporary
• Assist with the review and update of internal operating instructions and procedures used by VSOs in day-to-day business
• Design and review presentations to support ADF members, including internal content to maintain and upskill VSOs to provide a contemporary service to ADF members. It also includes designing and reviewing external content that is visible to veterans and their families
• Provide support to the continuous improvement/quality assurance process through training and feedback to staff
• Manage Defence Notifications functions provided to DVA by Defence, identifying vulnerable clients and assisting with next steps of support by way of expediting initial liability claims and/or onward referral to VSOs for face-to-face support
• Demonstrate an understanding of matters relevant to DVA services and entitlements in line with the government’s focus on transitioning members, particularly those transitioning from the ADF involuntarily
• Work closely with the national VSO team and relevant areas of DVA and the Defence community, to support the delivery of services for veterans
• Provide early identification of persons at risk or with high needs for referral support to DVA’s Client Support Program.