Community Development (Community Services & Development)
About Youturn
The individuals, families and communities we support are at the heart of everything we do at Youturn. We listen deeply – honouring every voice, story, culture and choice – through our core values of Integrity, Respect and Inclusion. We have a strong commitment to reflection and responsibility and are always curious and adapting through our Learning value. At Youturn, we believe in the importance of caring today for a better tomorrow, represented in our value of Stewardship.
Youturn is a community-based not-for-profit charity providing social, community, and health services across Australia. With more than 35 years of experience, we are a trusted provider supporting individuals and communities through life’s toughest moments, empowering people of all ages to live safe, connected, and meaningful lives. With compassion and equity at our core, we support people in the areas of housing, community and family support, mental health, and support for those bereaved or impacted by suicide.
We're seeking a motivated and strategic Service Development Lead to help shape the future of Australia's leading postvention service, StandBy Support After Suicide. This full-time fixed-term opportunity through to 30 June 2027 is responsible for driving service improvement initiatives, leading strategic projects, and ensuring our programs continue to deliver high-quality, responsive support to individuals and communities impacted by suicide.
If you're passionate about using evidence to improve services, enjoy managing complex projects, and thrive on building relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders, this is an opportunity to make a genuine national impact.
Why Join Youturn?
At Youturn, you'll be part of a purpose-driven organisation committed to creating safe, inclusive, and supportive communities across Australia. Our work supports people through some of life's most challenging circumstances, and every role contributes to meaningful and lasting outcomes.
What You'll Be Doing
As the Service Development Lead, you will:
Coordinate strategic service development and improvement projects across the StandBy program.
Research, analyse, and translate evidence into practical service design and improvement initiatives.
Coordinate stakeholder consultations with providers, people with lived experience, researchers, and sector experts.
Develop recommendations, frameworks, resources, and implementation plans that strengthen service delivery.
Manage project timelines, risks, reporting, and outcomes to ensure successful delivery.
Support change management activities that embed new initiatives across the organisation.
Contribute to a culture of continuous improvement, innovation, and evidence-informed practice.
Desired Skills and Experience
What We're Looking For
We're seeking a highly organised and strategic professional who can balance big-picture thinking with strong project delivery skills.
Relevant tertiary qualification in Social Work, Psychology, Human Services, Public Health, Community Services, Project Management, Organisational Development, or a related discipline.
Proven experience managing complex projects from planning through to implementation and evaluation.
Demonstrated experience leading service development, continuous improvement, and organisational change initiatives.
Demonstrated understanding of service design and practice, including service models, models of care, theoretical and practice frameworks, and the application of these to evidence-informed service development and improvement.
Strong analytical, research, and problem-solving capabilities.
Experience conducting literature reviews and translating evidence into practical outcomes.
Exceptional stakeholder engagement, consultation, and relationship management skills.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Highly Regarded
Qualifications or additional experience in Health Management, Project Management, or Change Management.
Lived experience of being impacted or bereaved by suicide.
Who You Are
You are a collaborative and proactive leader who enjoys bringing people together to create meaningful change. You can confidently navigate complexity, manage competing priorities, and build strong partnerships across diverse stakeholder groups. Most importantly, you're committed to improving outcomes for individuals, families, and communities through evidence-informed and person-centred approaches.
What's Required
Current Australian Driver Licence.
Current Working with Children Check relevant to your state or territory.
Why This Role Matters
Every improvement made through the StandBy program helps strengthen support for people and communities impacted by suicide. As the Service Development Lead, you'll play a critical role in shaping programs, influencing best practice, and ensuring services remain responsive to the evolving needs of those we serve.
Ready to Make an Impact?
If you're an experienced project and service development professional looking to contribute to meaningful national change, we'd love to hear from you.
Applications may close prior to the advertised closing date if a suitable pool of candidates is identified.
Youturn is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We strongly encourage applications from First Nations peoples, people with lived experience, culturally and linguistically diverse communities, people with disability, and members of the LGBTQIA+ community.
