Little Athletics Victoria
Little Athletics Victoria (LAVic) is the State Sporting Organisation (‘SSO) for the sport of Little Athletics in Victoria. Based at Lakeside Stadium, Albert Park, LAVic employs 13 staff and engages a large community-based volunteer workforce to deliver the program to 98 affiliated Centres across Victoria, each of which are allocated to one of seven geographical Regions. LAVic is a member-based incorporated association governed by a 9-member Board of Directors.
Little Athletics is a uniquely Australian modified athletics program for children from 5 to 17 years. Launched in Geelong in 1964, in subsequent decades ‘Little Aths’ has been rolled out across all States and most territories throughout Australia. LAVic is affiliated with Little Athletics Australia (LAA) to assist the development of the sport nationally.
Athletics Victoria
Athletics Victoria (‘AV’) is the governing body for the sport of athletics in Victoria, with more than 140 affiliated athletics and recreational running clubs across the state. It’s membership consists of over 7,500 registered athletes, officials and coaches, and it conducts competitions, events and activities for athletes over 12 years and of all abilities.
Athletics Victoria is an affiliated Member Association of Athletics Australia, and works closely with Little Athletics Victoria, the Victorian Masters Athletics Association, the Victorian Athletic League and Victorian secondary schools.
Position Overview
LAVic and AV are bound by the National Integrity Framework (NIF) policies, the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations (‘National Principles’), and Victoria’s eleven Child Safe standards.
LAVic and AV have jointly created this position to provide leadership, advice, support, assistance and oversight to LAVic, AV, their Members and key stakeholders, in the key areas covered by:
A key function of the role will be to design and implement processes to educate, enable, build and maintain strong compliance with the NIF, the National Principles and the eleven Child Safe Standards within our Associations, Membership and community. The ongoing education of Members and Association personnel (such as employees and Board members) will be an important part of the role.
The role will have a position in the LAVic Child Safe Working Group, the purpose for which is to engage members from various roles within the sport to provide LAVic with guidance on child safety matters. Further, it is expected that the role will develop an effective and ongoing working relationship with Australian Athletics’ integrity department.
Responding to complaints arising from levels within both Associations will be a key function of the role. This may entail triaging complaints, conducting investigations, seeking advice and maintaining comprehensive records of complaint matters.
The role will be hybrid in nature (both LAVic and AV are supportive of working from home), will have part-time status (0.6 EFT / 3 days per week) and will jointly report to the CEOs of LAVic and AV. The role will operate with a high degree of autonomy.
Key duties
Education
- To determine the key educational parameters and interventions for the implementation and maintenance of key integrity standards at Centre, Region and State levels of the organisation.
- To work with the LAVic and AV management teams and education departments to determine, plan, resource and deliver a program of integrity-themed training & development interventions for Members and stakeholders.
- To positively influence behaviour and culture across key levels of the organisation regarding matters of integrity.
Compliance
- To design and implement means of effectively measuring compliance with NIF, Child Safe Standards and other regulatory requirements across key Membership and stakeholder groups within both Associations.
- To improve systems to enable compliance across the organisation.
Complaints handling
- To provide the first level of response for complaints escalated to Association-level, or arising from Association-level.
- Triaging and prioritising complaints, in consultation with the relevant CEO.
- Responding to complaints, including following NIF complaint handling procedures, where appropriate.
- Providing advice and assistance to complainants, respondents, witnesses and other relevant parties with respect to steps proposed and required for the resolution of complaints.
- Conducting complaint investigations.
- Documenting complaints and related integrity matters.
- Maintaining sustainable and effective relationships with a range of internal and external stakeholders including Little Athletics Australia, Sport Integrity Australia, and the Commission for Children and Young People.
Other
- To assist LAVic & AV team members from time to time with tasks pertaining to the core business of the sport of Little Athletics and Athletics, such as the delivery of competition, assisting members, and helping out at events.
Organisational Relationship:
The position jointly reports to the Chief Executive Officers of LAVic and AV. The role liaises primarily with the members of the LAVic and AV teams, the committees of Centres, Clubs and Regions committees, and the Australian Athletics integrity department. From time to time, they may also have direct dealings with Board members, officials, coaches, volunteers, parents/guardians and athletes.
Outside of LAVic, the position may also regularly work and liaise with dealings with members of LAA, Sport Integrity Australia and the Commission of Children and Young People.
Responsibilities
- To design and provide LAVic, AV and their Members and stakeholders with the tools, resources and knowledge to implement and comply with the NIF sport integrity settings, the National Principles and the Victorian Child Safe Standards.
- To maintain and enhance the levels of knowledge and compliance with the NIF and Victoria’s Child Safe Standards across all levels within LAVic and AA by the delivery of educational interventions.
- To ensure and monitor compliance of the key Member and stakeholders of LAVic and AV with the NIF policies and eleven Victorian Child Safe Standards.
- To receive, respond to, administer and ultimately resolve complaints arising from within our sports.
- To ensure that integrity matters are dealt with requisite confidentiality and sensitivity.
- To document and securely store complaints and related documentation.
Qualifications, skills, and experience:
The Child Safety & Integrity Lead will require the following qualifications, skills and experience:
- Relevant tertiary qualifications pertinent to complaints handling, conducting investigations and the law.
- Experience in managing integrity and safeguarding investigations.
- Strong understanding and demonstrated capability to use a trauma-informed approach to manage integrity issues.
- A sound knowledge of community sport.
- Experience working in or volunteering in children’s sport.
- Well-developed skills in the use of standard office software packages, such as Microsoft Word, MS Teams, Outlook and Google.
- Excellent written, oral and communication skills.
- The ability to work autonomously.
- The flexibility to work outside of normal business hours when warranted.
- Valid Victorian driver’s licence.
- Valid Victorian Working with Children’s Check.
Key Selection Criteria:
- Complaints handling experience within a sporting context.
- Investigations experience using a trauma-informed approach.
- A working knowledge of the National Integrity Framework and Victoria’s Child Safe Standards.
- Strong professional relationship management experience.
- Well-developed oral and written communication skills.
- Impeccable personal credentials.
Engagement Particulars:
Position status: Part-time, permanent - 0.6 EFT / 3 days per week.
Hours of duty: Monday to Wednesday, 9am - 5pm
Probationary Period: An initial three-month probationary period will apply.
Work location: Lakeside Stadium Albert Park, Victoria (hybrid). LAVic and AV support flexible working.
