Blackwood Advisory – your local financial experts.
Blackwood Advisory is Victoria’s fastest growing financial planning and accounting firm with ten (10) offices around regional Victoria. We are also aligned with another 5 businesses located in suburban Melbourne giving us one of the largest specialised advice firms in Victoria. Blackwood Advisory is building a dedicated Centrelink Specialist team to support our growing client base across Victoria, with the potential to expand to our Melbourne firms and then nationally.
About the Role
We’re seeking an experienced, detail‑oriented Centrelink Specialist to join our growing Client Services team. This dedicated role focuses on providing end‑to‑end Centrelink administration support in partnership with our financial advisers—ensuring client applications, assessments, and ongoing obligations are managed accurately, efficiently, and with care.
You’ll be comfortable engaging with Centrelink on a daily basis, advocating confidently for clients, and knowing when—and how—to professionally challenge inaccurate information or unnecessary delays. Don’t stress about how you fit in with our financial planning team, we’ll guide you along the way! The most important thing is your can-do attitude and team approach.
Working closely with our Admin Team Leader – Advice and the wider advice admin team, you’ll also contribute to broader client service operations, ensuring every interaction reflects Blackwood Advisory’s high service standards.
Key Responsibilities
In this role, you will:
- Act as the point of contact for all Centrelink‑related client enquiries
- Prepare, lodge, track, and follow up Centrelink applications within a financial planning context
- Manage ongoing Centrelink reviews and maintenance to keep client records current and compliant
- Liaise regularly with Centrelink to resolve issues in a calm, confident, and solutions‑focused manner
- Accurately manage client documentation, data entry, scanning, and profiling
- Coordinate client appointments and follow‑ups to ensure service timeframes are met
- Collaborate closely with advisers and administrative staff to maintain smooth workflows and exceptional client experiences
- Support senior team members with escalations and contribute to continuous service improvement initiatives
What You’ll Bring
To be successful in this role, you’ll bring:
- Demonstrated knowledge of Centrelink processes, applications, and ongoing reporting requirements
- 1–3 years’ experience in a client services or administrative role (financial planning experience highly regarded but not essential)
- Strong problem‑solving skills, with confidence managing complex or inconsistent Centrelink responses
- Exceptional attention to detail and the ability to manage competing priorities
- Clear, professional written and verbal communication skills
- A strong team ethic and genuine passion for helping clients navigate government systems
- Solid computer literacy, including MS Office and client management systems
- Initiative and ownership—you proactively follow issues through to resolution