Senior Social Worker

Fairness feels good

Make a real impact at AFCA. Where fairness drives every decision. Help us deliver world-class, independent complaints resolution for Australians. As a not-for-profit and progressive financial ombudsman, we’re championing positive change. Achieving our purpose takes progressive thinking, accountability and resilience. At AFCA, our inclusive leadership values every voice. We offer our people flexible work options, thoughtful benefits and opportunities to deepen expertise. Flourish in a diverse, caring culture. Feel the difference of belonging to an organisation intentionally designed to put people first.

Make a real difference where it matters most.

At AFCA, we help people navigate some of the hardest moments of their lives. We’re seeking an experienced Senior Social Worker to provide high‑quality, trauma‑informed support to complainants experiencing financial difficulty and complex vulnerability, helping to ensure fair access to justice and better outcomes for all.

This is a meaningful opportunity to combine your social work expertise with system‑level impact, influencing how complaints are resolved across Australia’s financial services sector.

In this senior, hands‑on role, you will:

• Deliver trauma‑informed, culturally safe social work support to complainants experiencing financial difficulty, vulnerability or distress.
• Provide specialist family violence support, including risk assessment, safety planning, crisis response, emotional support and liaison with external services.
• Support complainants through goal‑setting, counselling, emotional preparedness and practical assistance, including help accessing required documentation.
• Facilitate timely referrals to support services, including community legal services, financial counsellors, mental health services, housing providers, food banks and family violence services.
• Clearly explain AFCA’s complaint resolution processes, rules and stages in an accessible and compassionate way.
• Keep dispute resolution specialists informed of relevant vulnerabilities, risks and changes in complainants’ circumstances.
• Contribute to embedding and monitoring family violence policies and practices across Financial Difficulty casework and decision‑making.
• Identify and escalate systemic issues or serious misconduct to the appropriate teams.
• Support continuous improvement by identifying opportunities to strengthen AFCA’s end‑to‑end complaint resolution processes.
• Provide guidance, learning and support to colleagues, and contribute to community education and stakeholder engagement.
• Maintain accurate records and case notes within AFCA’s case management systems.
• Actively contribute to a culturally safe service, particularly for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and culturally and linguistically diverse communities.

Please note that this is initially a 12-month contract role. 

To succeed in this role, you’ll have:

• A tertiary qualification in Social Work or equivalent, with eligibility for or membership of the AASW.
• At least 3 years’ experience in social work or a closely related field.
• Demonstrated experience supporting individuals and families facing financial difficulty, trauma and complex vulnerability, including family violence.
• Strong ability to triage, prioritise and respond to urgent matters in a fast‑paced, evolving environment.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain complex information clearly and sensitively.
• High levels of empathy, emotional intelligence and professional judgement.
• Excellent organisational and time‑management skills, and comfort working autonomously.
• Strong critical thinking skills, with the ability to identify systemic issues and apply preventative, sustainable solutions.
• High computer literacy, including confidence using Microsoft 365 and case management systems.
• Working knowledge of the legal, regulatory and social factors impacting financial difficulty, vulnerability and home lending.

Additional information 

• BOSS Best Places to Work 2024 –credited for its culture, engagement and flexible working arrangements. 
• Most Inclusive Workplace 2024 – Australian HR Institute (AHRI) Awards. 
• Employer of Choice Public Sector and NFP – Australian HR Awards 2023 
• Bronze AWEI Accreditation 2024 – Recognised for LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion. 
• Accredited Family Friendly Workplace – Supporting work-life balance and inclusivity. 

• Hybrid working – Flexible arrangements with state-of-the-art offices designed for collaboration and wellbeing. 
• Inclusive leave options – Flexible public holidays, 20 weeks paid parental leave, gender affirmation leave, women’s health leave, and paid time off over Christmas. 
• Financial benefits – Not-for-profit salary packaging to boost take-home pay. 

• Locations – A team of over 1,200 dedicated professionals based in modern Melbourne and Sydney CBD offices. 

To apply 

If you’re passionate about fairness and believe your skills align with this role, we encourage you to apply—even if you don’t meet every single criterion. 

We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, cultures, abilities, sexual orientations, and gender identities. If you require any accessibility support during the recruitment process, please reach out to our team at [email protected]. 

AFCA is a 2025 Circle Back Initiative Employer - we are committed to responding to every applicant.