Board Chairperson and Members - Disability Worker Registration Board

The key functions of the Disability Worker Registration Board, as outlined in the Disability Service Safeguards Act 2018 are to:

• set standards for registering disability workers and registered disability worker practice
• accredit training programs and supervised practice arrangements that qualify persons for registration as a disability worker
• assess the probity and qualifications of applications for registration
• register suitably qualified disability workers
• register disability students to undertake supervised practice, as part of an approved study program
• deal with matters of impairment for registered disability workers and disability students
• receive, assess and deal with notifications and complaints about registered disability workers and disability students
• monitor registered disability workers' compliance with registration and practice standards
• set fees associated with registration
• collect and provide data for disability workforce planning and system improvement purposes and
• regulate the advertising of services provided by registered disability workers.

Duties and responsibilities of Board members are to:

• exercise integrity, sound judgement and accountability to identify and declare any actual, potential or perceived conflicts of interests to ensure that any potential associated risks are managed appropriately
• understand the Board’s key priorities, and contribute to the development of strategic plans, policies and procedures for the operation of the scheme and the roles and responsibilities of a Board member and constructively and actively contribute to Board, committee and working group meetings
• champion and promote the registration scheme to external networks and foster strong strategic relationships with key stakeholders contribute to the establishment and maintenance of effective systems to ensure the scheme meets the needs of the disability workforce and community, and that views of users are taken into account
• maintain adequate understanding of the Board member roles and responsibilities, and the intersectionality between the Commission’s financial position, strategic performance, operations and affairs, and the opportunities and challenges facing the Commission and disability workforce sector generally
• engage and contribute to open and constructive communications amongst Board members, deliberations and decision-making contributing their expertise, knowledge and experience support and maintain an open, effective and constructive relationship between the Board, Commissioner and Commission
• undertake identified and agreed training and development in order to fully discharge responsibilities.

Candidates for the Board member positions are required to possess and demonstrate the following personal and professional qualities, skills and knowledge:

• Personal and professional integrity: uses initiative to work in a complex, sensitive and demanding sector, with a high degree of responsibility and confidentiality; demonstrates the ability to build trust through consistent actions; maintains impartiality, ensuring decisions and actions are guided by and align with Victorian public-sector values and behaviours.
• Interpersonal skills: proactively builds and maintains positive relationships with a diverse and varied stakeholder group, including government or community sectors; the ability to build trust through consistent actions, values and communication; clearly understands the individual / audience and the objectives of communication and handles difficult and sensitive communications in a respectful and diplomatic manner.
• Communication: communicates constructively and respectfully; is articulate, persuasive and diplomatic; is self-aware and reflects on personal impact and effectiveness; and listens and responds constructively to contributions from others.
• Teamwork: extensive experience working collaboratively within teams, committees and/or boards; cooperates and works well with others that may have different working styles in the pursuit of organisational goals; actively shares information and knowledge with others.
• Strategic thinking and planning: ability to think of the big picture; entertains wide-ranging possibilities in developing a vision for the future; contributes to the strategic direction of the organisation; highly developed analytical and conceptual skills, including demonstrated ability to contribute to strategies and frameworks.
• Governance and regulatory experience: working knowledge and understanding of administrative law and/or within a regulatory environment, preferably related to health, disability or human services and demonstrated commercial acumen, together with extensive knowledge and understanding of public sector administration and governance and how it relates to public entities and their legislative requirements.
• Thinks critically: is objective and impartial; uses logical and analytical processes to work through and solve issues; and distils the core of complex issues and weighs up the options.

IMPORTANT: You will need to apply with your cover letter and resume via Fisher Leadership website (visit Board Members, Disability Worker Registration Board - Fisher Leadership), which is the agency assisting the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing with the application process. Please call 1300 347 437 for further information.