Recreation Co - Ordinator

About This Role

• Utilise your coordination expertise to provide support and advice to Western Plains Correctional Centre
• Ongoing/Fixed, Full-Time opportunity to work with a high-performing and passionate team in the Victorian Public Service
• VPS Grade VPS3: $81,496 - $98,955 plus superannuation.

About The Business Unit

Western Plains Correctional Centre is a modern, maximum-security prison focussed on rehabilitation, housing up to 1248 people in custody. Western Plains features multi-purpose infrastructure which is adaptable to the evolving needs of Corrections Victoria and the people in our care. Modern amenities include medical wards, a cultural centre, and vocational training facilities.

Western Plains provides a holistic, multidisciplinary approach to individualised care which motivates, encourages and promotes reintegration into the community. Western Plains has advanced technology which improves security, streamlines operations and enhances connections for the people in our care.

About The Role

The Recreation Coordinator is responsible for supporting a recreation team to create and deliver innovative programs that enhance the physical, mental and emotional wellbeing of the people in our care. This role focuses on fostering community engagement, promoting personal care and encouraging active lifestyles in alignment with organisational goals for holistic health.

Having industry expertise, they will develop, implement and monitor a range of passive and active activities for the men in their care. They will coach and mentor their team to undertake physical assessments and develop training plans for the prisoners wishing to engage in fitness activities, in both group and individual settings. They will have extensive knowledge of fitness equipment on the market, and its functionality. They are integral in developing, implementing reinforcing and reviewing practice and procedures relating to fitness and recreation processes.

The Recreation coordinator will oversee the management of prisoner recreation and fitness activities, safe operating procedures and other OHS legislative requirements and compliance within prison recreation. They will ensure recreation staff under their supervision correctly operate a variety of fitness/gym equipment, collate information, observe and assess prisoner behaviour and prepare reports.

The role requires leadership, maturity, sound judgement, confidence in decision making, with developed capabilities to coach, mentor and motivate staff and prisoners. Highly developed communication, negotiation and problem-solving skills.

Some Of Your Duties Will Include

• Coordinate the development and evaluation of programs and recreational strategies to meet the release preparation and community reintegration requirements for the prisoners.
• Contribute to the Healthy Prison policy by assessing the individual needs and promoting a physically active and mentally healthy lifestyle culture within the prison, with a focus on opportunities for continuation post release.
• Assess and address the recreational needs and capacities of the general prison population, ensuring the availability and inclusion of a diverse cohort, including elderly and disabled.

To learn more about this role before applying, please read the attached position description.

About You

As our ideal candidate, you will possess:

• Demonstrated behaviours aligned to Department of Justice Values of Serving the Community, Working Together, Acting with Integrity, Respecting Other People, and Making It Happen.
• Demonstrate a high level of leadership, maturity, sound judgement and confidence in decision making, with capabilities to coach, mentor and motivate staff and productively achieve dispute resolution, to achieve program outcomes in a multidisciplinary team and rehabilitative environment.
• Demonstrated experience in the design, planning and delivery of group and individual fitness classes or programs

How To Apply

Please click the Apply button on this advertisement. Applications should include a resume and covering letter. Attachments can be uploaded in .doc, .docx, .pdf, .txt or .rtf formats.

The successful candidate will be required to undergo pre-employment checks which may include reference checks, national police checks and misconduct screening. Dependant on the role, other checks may include VicRoads checks, drivers licence checks, medical checks, Working with Children Checks, and Declaration of Private Interests (for executive and responsible officer roles).

If you require adjustments to the recruitment and selection process, or require an alternative format to any of the application material, please don't hesitate to get in touch with the contact person listed on this ad.

To be eligible, please apply by 17th of June at 11.59pm 2026.

Important Information

CHILD SAFE STATEMENT OF COMMITMENT

The Department of Justice and Community Safety is committed to the safety and wellbeing of children and young people. We seek to prevent harm of any kind impacting children and young people and have zero tolerance for racism, child abuse and inequality. Children and young people's rights, relationships, identity, and culture must be recognised and respected, their voices heard, and their concerns acted upon. We aim to foster a culturally safe, child safe and child friendly environment for all children and young people we have contact with, deliver services to, or are impacted by our work.