Parkville Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing Service (PYMHWS) is a new, dedicated public youth mental health service and is the first of its kind in Australia. We are looking for a passionate and dedicated individual to join our team.

Program Lead – Pathways Care Team

Parkville Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing Service (PYMHWS)

Permanent Ongoing | Full-Time 1.0 EFT | 📍 Multiple

Lead the new Pathways Care Team offering short‑term, team‑based care for young people aged 12–25 with complex mental health needs.

• Full Time permanent ongoing role 
• Monday to Friday 9-5pm hours, no shift work
• Salary Packaging | Monthly ADO | 5 weeks Annual Leave

About Us:

Parkville Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing Service (PYMHWS) is Victoria’s newest public mental health service dedicated to the care of young people aged 12 to 25 experiencing complex mental health challenges. 

PYMHWS is leading a bold and values-driven transformation in youth mental health care across Melbourne’s north and west. We exist to walk alongside young people, their families, carers, supporters and kin delivering care that is accessible, inclusive, developmentally appropriate, evidence-informed, and grounded in lived experience. Our service model is shaped by the voices of young people and their communities, and underpinned by a commitment to safety, equity, and continuous learning.

At PYMHWS, we are working with our community and partners to build in a future where all young people can access world-class mental health support, close to home. As we grow, we are looking for passionate, skilled, and visionary professionals to join us in shaping a new era of youth mental health in Victoria.  

The Opportunity:

Pathways Care Team (Pathways) is a new program being established as part of the   expansion of our Continuing Care Teams (CCT). Pathways is designed for young people who present with tertiary level mental health needs, but where specialist early intervention programs are not yet indicated or need for this cannot be determined at intake

Our CCT model delivers ongoing, community‑based care for young people experiencing severe and/or complex mental ill health, including mood, personality, substance use, eating and neurodevelopmental disorders. Pathways will strengthen this model by offering case management with a strong emphasis on care coordination, collaborative care, and engagement to support assessment and brief intervention.

The Program Lead will have a key role in establishing and delivering the new Pathways Care Team exciting model of care.  This role is central to ensuring high quality evidence-based practices are delivered to young people in partnership with their families, carers, supporters and kin (families), in addition to providing leadership to the new team.   

Our service is made up of compassionate, curious, and committed people. As we continue to grow, we are seeking an experienced, kind and collaborative Team Leader to support and lead the delivery of comprehensive acute and complex mental health care to young people and their families of the Pathways Care Team. 

Why Join PYMHWS?

• Be part of building a legacy for youth mental health in Victoria
• Work alongside passionate, visionary leaders in a values-led organisation
• Salary packaging options, up to $11,600 tax free earnings
• 5 annual leave plus monthly ADO for full time employees
• Flexible working arrangements including remote work options where possible
• Employee wellbeing focused, access to EAP
• Fitness Passport membership
• Flexible, inclusive, and supportive workplace culture
• Opportunities for professional growth and development

About the Role:

The position is a key leadership role within PYMHWS. The Pathways Program Lead supports the provision of comprehensive clinical mental health care with young people, and their families. of the PYMHWS Pathway’s Care Program. The Program Lead will provide operational leadership and management ensuring excellence in the mental health care provision to young people and families/carers.

The Program Lead will partner closely with the PYMHWS Youth Access Team (YAT) and other parts of the Continuing Care Team (CCT), namely the specialist streams of care, ensuring safe and efficient transitions of young people and families into and out of the Pathway’s program. The fostering of positive and collaborative working relationships with all internal and external key stakeholders is a key component of this position.

The Pathway’s Care Program Lead will also be a leader in development of new programs and operating models, as well as established skills in development of workforce with a strong emphasis on managing, mentoring, supervising, and skill development of the workforce. Participating in the recruitment and selection of staff and supporting the development and growth of staff within Pathway’s and the greater PYMHWS service will also be part of the role.

What You'll Do:

• Provide Leadership, fostering and demonstrating the specific values and perspective within the multidisciplinary Pathways Care team.
• Lead the development of the Pathways Care Team model regarding care team planning, consultation and service delivery.
• Develop and implement program operational processes, service development and service evaluation including internal escalation processes where indicated.
• Ensure clinical processes are effectively managed, including; allocation of clients, critical incident responses, clinical review, business and team meetings in consultation with the team leaders.
• Maintain high standards of clinical care that are congruent with PYMHWS aims – client focused, accessible, responsive and consistent with best practice

About You:

You will be experienced in, and passionate about, providing tertiary level, complex, developmentally appropriate, and evidence-based mental health care to young people and their families in the community, including those requiring complex support through the Hospital in the Home program.

✔️ Eligible disciplines: RPN, Occupational Therapist, Social Worker Grade 6 (under new Mental Health EBA) and Psychologist Grade 5

✔️ Relevant registration and qualifications (see position description for details)

✔️ Minimum 10 years’ experience in tertiary and/or youth mental health and a demonstrated ability to lead a clinical team, supervise mental health clinicians, and function both autonomously and collaboratively with other clinical and organisational leaders

✔️ Excellent communication, organisation, and leadership skills

✔️ Motivated by youth-focused, inclusive, and recovery-oriented care

Ready to Make a Difference?
If you're looking to be part of something truly meaningful—we’d love to hear from you.

For a confidential discussion, contact Elle Crisp, Recruitment Partner – 0407 311 076

Interested applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. Recruitment is ongoing, with interviews commencing as soon as suitable candidates are received. Advertising may cease prior to the closing date.

We provide reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process to support all applicants. If you require any adjustments, please let us know via the application prompts or inform our People and Culture team if you’re contacted for an interview.

To view the full Position Description, please click HERE

All appointments are made subject to a satisfactory Criminal History Record Check and a Working with Children Check. Successful applicants will be required to provide evidence of an immunisation assessment prior to commencement.

PYMHWS stands in solidarity with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in work and care. We are proud to be a workplace that champions diversity, inclusion and equality for our staff and our community.  Our goal is for our people to feel safe, included and supported so that they can be at their best every single day. We encourage talented people from all backgrounds, abilities, and identities to apply to our vacancies, and will consider adjustments to support such applications.