Candidate Information Pack
Titles
Position Details
Position Title
Planner
APS Classification
APS Level 5
APS Level 6
Salary Range
APS Level 5 - $69,185 - $74,481
APS Level 6 - $77,262 - $85,418
Opportunity Type
Ongoing – Full-time
Closing Date
11.59 pm EST Thursday 12 September 2013
Location
St Marys and Elizabeth, South Australia; Charlestown, New South
Wales
Job Reference
2013 001
About DisabilityCare Australia
DisabilityCare Australia is an independent statutory agency, whose role is to implement the
national disability insurance scheme, which over time supports hundreds of thousands of
Australians with a significant and permanent disability and their families and carers.
DisabilityCare Australia will mean peace of mind for every Australian, for anyone who has or
might acquire a disability significantly impacting on daily life.
Our priority is to ensure people with disability continue to get the support they need. The
changes that are required to existing disability support systems are significant.
Arrangements are being put in place to ensure the scheme is introduced gradually, including
a smooth transition for people with disability and support providers. From 1 July 2013, the
first stage of the Scheme began rollout in South Australia, Tasmania, the Barwon area of
Victoria and the Hunter area in New South Wales. The ACT, the Barkly area of NT and the
Perth Hills area of Western Australia will join the launch in July 2014.
We are committed to becoming a model employer for people with disability who are
specifically encouraged to apply.
Further information is available on the Disability Care Australia website.
About the Job
As a Planner you will work closely with each participant to identify what current and future
supports are required in order to make progress with a person’s goals and aspirations and
enable a good life. You will also handle complex and sensitive conversations where many
factors need to be balanced, to understand how disability impacts on daily living, assess
support needs where necessary, and identify when the individual would benefit from early
intervention.
Planner positions will be filled at the APS 5 and APS 6 level, with successful applicants
being appointed at a level where the responsibilities are commensurate with their skills and
experience.
Please note, you will only be considered for positions at the classifications you nominate on
your Application Cover Sheet.
Applicants wishing to apply for positions at multiple classifications need only to provide one
resume and covering letter, however this should be targeted to the highest classification they
are applying for. Applications will be considered at the highest classification first, and if not
rated suitable will then be considered at the lower classifications.
Applicants need to identify, on their Application Cover Sheet, which location they are
applying for either New South Wales or South Australia.
Other Information
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Police checks and the appropriate working with children and/or vulnerable people
checks will be undertaken for applicants in serious consideration for these roles.
Successful candidates will be required to provide evidence of Australian Citizenship,
prior to a formal offer of employment being made by the Agency.
Successful applicants will need to have a Baseline security clearance or be able to
obtain one.
Contact
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Eileen Fahey Phone: (02) 6146 4542
Email: Eileen.Fahey@disabilitycareaustralia.gov.au
Selection Process
To apply for these exciting opportunities please complete an Application Cover Sheet and
provide a copy of your resume along with a statement of claims against the selection criteria
below. Your statement of claims should summarise how your skills and experiences would
enable you to fulfill the responsibilities of the position and meet the selection criteria below. .
As a guide you should limit your response to 400 words per criteria.
Selection Criteria
Essential Criteria for APS5 and APS6 roles
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Experience in working with participants and/or their representative, to develop goal
based plans reflecting participant choice and control.
Ability to conduct support needs and risk assessments, taking into account
sometimes complex information about functional limitations, personal factors and
context and how they impact on daily life.
Demonstrated ability to build productive relationships with a wide range of people
internal and external to your organisation.
Proven experience of displaying professionalism and integrity.
Strong communication skills with the ability to adapt and negotiate in a flexible and
changing environment.
Relevant experience working with people with disability or lived experience of
disability.
How to Apply
Before deciding to apply, please read this Candidate Information Pack and research
DisabilityCare Australia to develop your knowledge of the Agency. If you are not familiar with
the Australian Public Service (APS), you may find the following resources useful:
Cracking the Code: How to apply for jobs in the Australian Public Service
Applicants will need to send a completed Application Cover Sheet, their Resume and their
responses to the selection criteria to:
jobapplications@fahcsia.gov.au
Applicants who do not have access to email should forward their application to:
Attention: Recruitment
FaHCSIA
PO Box 7576
Canberra Business Centre ACT 2610
Applications will be acknowledged, via email, on receipt.
Applications close at 11.59 pm EST on Thursday 12 September 2013.
If at any time your personal details change or you wish to withdraw your application please
update your details by emailing jobapplications@fahcsia.gov.au and add ‘update my
application for Planner in the subject line.
Privacy Policy
The details you provide when applying for this position are covered by the provisions of the
Commonwealth Privacy Act 1988. In submitting an application, you authorise us to use the
information you have provided for the recruitment process in relation to the positions.
Position Description
Planner – APS 5 and APS 6
Position Purpose
The Planner will work closely with each participant to identify what current and future
supports are required in order to make progress with a person’s goals and aspirations and
enable a good life. Planners need to be able to handle complex and sensitive conversations
where many factors need to be balanced, to understand how disability impacts on daily living,
assess support needs where necessary, and identify when the individual would benefit from
early intervention. They need to be able to make decisions that support the choice and
control of participants and draws on the evidence base, and balances reasonable and
necessary supports in the context of a range of factors including scheme sustainability. As
part of performing their position, planners will be required to travel within their region.
Key Responsibilities
Responsibilities include:
 Providing clients and representatives with information, support and practical
assistance to identify their goals and aspirations and inform/assist with decision
making on supports;
 Where relevant, liaising with health and other support providers to gather and verify
relevant information to facilitate plan development;
 Working with participants and their carers to identify options to achieve their plan
outcomes drawing on informal, mainstream and community supports, and reasonable
and necessary, supports that are to be funded by NDIS;
 Conducting support needs and risk assessments, interpreting sometimes complex
information about functional limitations, personal factors and context and how they
impact on daily life, and consistently applying functional assessment tools and
authorise specialist assessments where required;
 Working with the participant and/or their representative, to develop goal based plans
reflecting participant choice and control, and anticipated outcomes to be achieved;
 Liaising and working cooperatively with Local Area Coordinators and other supports
such as plan management providers to ensure successful implementation of the plan;
 Ensuring plan documentation is complete, accurately reflects participant choice and
control and implementation accountability is fully resolved as agreed with the
participant;
 Undertaking reviews of plans with participants on agreed timelines;
 Participating in internal quality assurance processes and continuous improvement
processes;
 Ensuring high quality record keeping, including competency with IT systems.
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Qualifications and skills
Demonstrated:
 Understanding and knowledge of disability, and its impact on individuals;
 Experience with supporting people with a disability to maximise participation in
community;
 Values based approach consistent with those contained in the NDIS Bill 2012 and
NDIS Rules;
 Ability to manage confidential and sensitive information;
 Ability to synthesise and analyse complex information and make decisions;
 Ability to respond to and prioritise competing and often urgent requests in a calm and
efficient manner while also maintaining high work standards and accuracy;
 Strong communication and interpersonal skills;
 Ability to work within a multi-disciplinary team and adapt quickly to a changing
environment;
 Competency in consistently applying assessment tools to identify support needs.
Relevant Qualifications and/or skills are acknowledged as covering degree, advanced or
other diplomas or Certificate Level 4 qualifications in the following areas:
 Occupational Therapy, Psychology, Physiotherapy, Social Work, Speech Pathology or
Rehabilitation Counselling and be registered with the appropriate registration body or
eligible for membership of the professional association where there is no registration
requirement.
 Community Services, Disability, Education, Early Childhood Education or Special
Education.
 Exercise Physiology eligible for accredited membership of the Australian Association
for Exercise and Sports Science.
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