Now Hiring: Volunteer and Data Coordinator at Women’s Health Victoria (Deadline: 26 June 2026)

The Peer Support Lead position at Women’s Health Victoria represents an important leadership opportunity within community health services in Australia. Based in Melbourne and working closely with the Counterpart program, this role sits at the intersection of peer support, gender equity, and cancer care—areas that are increasingly recognised as essential to holistic health systems.

At its core, the role focuses on strengthening peer support services for women and gender diverse people living with cancer across Victoria. It is both a service delivery leadership position and a systems-building role, requiring expertise in program design, team leadership, and inclusive health practice.

Advancing Gender-Equitable Health Support

Women’s Health Victoria is a statewide feminist organisation committed to advancing gender equity in health. Its work spans policy advocacy, health education, capacity building, and direct community support.

Within this ecosystem, the Counterpart service plays a vital role. It provides peer-based support, evidence-informed information, and community engagement opportunities for women and gender diverse people affected by cancer. The Peer Support Lead position is central to ensuring these services remain accessible, responsive, and inclusive.

A defining feature of this work is its feminist framework. Rather than treating health as purely clinical, WHV approaches wellbeing as shaped by structural inequalities, social determinants, and lived experience. Peer support is therefore not an “add-on” service—it is a core component of equitable healthcare.

The Role of Peer Support in Cancer Care

Peer support services offer emotional, informational, and practical assistance to individuals navigating cancer diagnosis and treatment. Unlike clinical care, peer support is grounded in shared experience. It helps reduce isolation, build resilience, and improve wellbeing outcomes.

Within the Counterpart program, peer support extends across multiple formats:

• In-person and regional peer support hubs
• Community-based group programs
• Telephone and online support services
• Structured volunteer-led engagement

The Peer Support Lead is responsible for ensuring these services are high quality, inclusive, and responsive to diverse needs, particularly for women and gender diverse individuals in rural and regional areas.

Leadership and Service Design Responsibilities

This role requires a strong background in service design and program leadership. The successful candidate must be able to manage complex service systems while maintaining a person-centred approach.

Key responsibilities include:

• Supervising and supporting peer support staff and volunteers
• Overseeing service delivery across multiple hubs and programs
• Strengthening program design and implementation
• Ensuring equity of access for priority populations
• Monitoring service quality and continuous improvement
• Managing stakeholder relationships across health and community sectors

Importantly, the role also requires adaptability. As demand for peer support services grows, the Peer Support Lead must help build capacity while maintaining quality and consistency.

Collaboration Across Health and Community Systems

A significant part of the role involves partnership-building. The Peer Support Lead will work with internal teams within Women’s Health Victoria as well as external stakeholders across the health and social policy sectors.

This includes collaboration with hospitals, community health organisations, advocacy groups, and regional service providers. Strong stakeholder engagement skills are essential, particularly in navigating complex systems where funding, service delivery, and community needs intersect.

The role also requires cultural responsiveness and an understanding of how gender, geography, and socioeconomic status shape access to care.

Inclusion, Equity, and Lived Experience

One of the defining values of Women’s Health Victoria is its commitment to inclusion and equity. The organisation explicitly recognises cis and trans women, as well as gender diverse people, in its service model.

The Peer Support Lead is expected to uphold these principles by ensuring services are accessible, affirming, and designed with lived experience in mind. This includes attention to:

• Rural and regional access barriers
• Cultural and linguistic diversity
• Disability inclusion
• Socioeconomic disadvantage
• Gender diversity and identity-affirming care

By embedding these considerations into service design, the role contributes to more equitable health outcomes across Victoria.

The Value of Lived Experience in Health Services

Peer support models are increasingly recognised as essential in modern healthcare systems. They complement clinical treatment by addressing emotional and psychosocial needs that are often overlooked in traditional medical settings.

At the Counterpart program, lived experience is central. Volunteers and peer supporters bring authentic understanding to the challenges faced by people navigating cancer. The Peer Support Lead plays a key role in nurturing this workforce, providing supervision, training, and a supportive organisational culture.

This approach reflects a broader shift in health systems toward participatory care models, where patients and communities are active contributors rather than passive recipients.

Conclusion

The Peer Support Lead role at Women’s Health Victoria is more than a management position—it is a leadership opportunity within a feminist, equity-driven health organisation.

By strengthening peer support systems, enhancing service delivery, and fostering inclusive practices, the role contributes directly to improving the lives of women and gender diverse people affected by cancer across Victoria.

In a health landscape increasingly focused on equity and lived experience, this position highlights the importance of compassionate leadership, community connection, and systemic change in achieving better health outcomes for all.

VIEW ToR HERE

Join Our WhatsApp Community

Disclaimer: Remote Job Opportunities (RJO) is not the organization offering this opportunity. For any inquiries, please contact the responsible organization directly. Please do not send your applications to RJO, as we are unable to process them. Due to the high volume of  emails we receive daily, we may not be able to respond to all inquiries. Thank you for your understanding.