Head Start Assistant Director
Schools (Government)
Applications close Thursday 27 March 2025 at 11.59PM
Overview
Work type: Full time
Salary: Salary not specified
Grade: Ed Support Level 1-Range 5
Occupation: Other
Location: Northern Metropolitan
Reference: 1468714
Selection Criteria
1. Demonstrated leadership capability and experience to implement and coordinate a program delivered across several schools/ sites
2. Evidence of strong interpersonal skills including negotiation, conflict resolution and celebrating success to maintain and support effective relationships with students, parents/families, education and training providers, and industry to deliver positive student outcomes
3. Highly developed operational skill in budget, governance and data oversight and demonstrated commitment to DE values;
4. Strong knowledge and understanding of vocational education, including apprenticeships and traineeships and demonstrated ability to develop policy and process within an overarching framework, for a multi-site program.
Role
The Hub Assistant Director is a senior position that supports the implementation and coordination of the Head Start School-based Apprenticeships and Traineeships (SBATs) program. The Hub Assistant Director may engage with up to fifty government secondary and specialist schools, as well as Flexible Learning Options settings that align with one of the twelve program hubs across Victoria.
Reporting directly to the Head Start Hub Director, the Head Start Hub Assistant Director will:
· manage the expansion of Head Start SBATs program across schools within the Hub; offering logistical guidance for school education services such as school timetabling, career counselling and information provision for a successful delivery of the SBATs program;
· administer the programs budget, operational and data requirements according to the department, school and other relevant policies,
· develop and implement key services integral to the effective operation of the Head Start SBATs program across schools within the local Hub;
· undertake analysis of complex problems and provide a range of strategies that respond to the local or state-wide Head Start SBATs program;
· develop and deliver tools to enable students in middle and senior education to consider Head Start SBAT as an opportunity toward a meaningful career path,
· develop and maintain relationships with multiple stakeholders including employment, training, further education, apprenticeship providers; community organisations, school principals, business managers, teachers and career practitioners to support the Head Start SBATs program;
· coordinate the delivery of the local Hub professional development opportunities for Head Start staff; and
· support the Hub team of approximately nine school-based staff to deliver a robust and effective Head Start SBATs program.
Responsibilities
· Provides senior leadership and coordination of the School-based Apprenticeships and Traineeships (SBATS) program powered by Head Start wrap around services to approximately fifty schools within the local Hub;
· Manages the delivery of a range of program support services using a student-centred approach across schools or industry, including coordinating the student workplace matching process;
· Contributes to the expansion of the Head Start SBATs program that forms part of a significant Victorian senior secondary reform package, across the local Hub.
· Develops successful interconnections between the senior secondary reform programs from a Head Start SBATs perspective; and implements collaborative pathway between Head Start and such programs and other departmental initiatives to coexist.
· Analyses evidence-based data and develops policy, practice and protocol to respond to an identified program improvement or risk while acknowledging department, school, and employment policies;
· Supports the delivery of educational and Head Start SBATs services provided to students alongside the Hub Director.
· Administers the Head Start SBATs program governance, budget and data with the guidance of the Hub Director within the framework of each of the Hub school’s strategic plan, policies and budget.
· Develops and maintains strong relationships with key program stakeholders such as students and their support networks, employers, training providers, Local Learning and Employment Networks (LLENs) and the local community.
· Supervision of students can be required where it is an integral part of the employee¿s position or in circumstances where supervision is required individually or in groups up to 4 in controlled circumstances where the responsibility for students remains clearly with a teacher.
· Other duties as directed.
Who May Apply
Individuals with the aptitude, experience and/or qualifications to fulfill the specific requirements of the position.
EEO AND OHS Commitment
Applicants seeking part-time employment are encouraged to for any teaching service position and, if they are the successful candidate, request a reduced time fraction. Such requests will be negotiated on a case-by-case basis and will be subject to the operational requirements of the school.
The Department of Education is committed to the principles of equal opportunity, and diversity and inclusion for all. We value diversity and inclusion in all forms – gender, religion, ethnicity, LGBTIQ+, disability and neurodiversity. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates are strongly encouraged to for roles within the Department. The Department recognises that the provision of family friendly, supportive, safe and harassment free workplaces is essential to high performance and promotes flexible work, diversity and safety across all schools and Department workplaces. It is our policy to provide reasonable adjustments for persons with a disability (see Workplace adjustment guidelines).
Additional support and advice on the recruitment process is available to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islanders from the Koorie Outcomes Division (KOD) via marrungeducation.vic.gov.au
Child Safe Standards
Victorian government schools are child safe environments. Our schools actively promote the safety and wellbeing of all students, and all school staff are committed to protecting students from abuse or harm in the school environment, in accordance with their legal obligations including child safe standards. All schools have a Child Safety Code of Conduct consistent with the department’s exemplar available at:
https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/child-safe-standards/policy
DE Values
The department’s employees commit to upholding the department’s Values: Responsiveness, Integrity, Impartiality, Accountability, Respect, Leadership and Human Rights. The department’s Values complement each school’s own values and underpin the behaviours the community expects of Victorian public sector employees, including those who work in Victorian Government Schools. Information on the department values is available at:
https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/values-department-vps-school-employees/overview
Other Information
Conditions of Employment
The Assistant Director will be required to:
· Have a current driver’s licence
· Have or be able to obtain a Working with Children check http://workingwithchildren.vic.gov.au/
· Be highly mobile. Work may occur across a range of schools. This may mean potentially changing the Industry Coordinator¿s primary location over time
· Complete work from a location(s) other than their host school
· The successful applicant may be required to work some school holiday periods.
Other Information – IMPORTANT
Applicants should keep a copy of the position description as it cannot be accessed once the job has closed.
Candidates are advised that the key selection criteria must be addressed. Visit http://careers.vic.gov.au/vacancies/tips-for-ing for guidelines and tips for ing for government positions and addressing key selection criteria.
All staff employed by the department and schools have access to a broad range of employment conditions and working arrangements. Successful applicants are subject to a satisfactory criminal record check prior to employment. New DE employees are required to meet the cost of the criminal record check. If appointed from outside DE, successful applicants will be required to complete a pre-employment health declaration.
A probationary period may during the first year of employment and induction and support programs provided. Detailed information on all terms and conditions of employment is available on the department¿s Human Resources website at http://education.vic.gov.au/hrweb/Pages.default.aspx
All DE employees are required to comply with relevant legislation, including legislation regarding the management of Departmental records, the Code of Conduct for Victorian public sector employees and Departmental policies and procedures in the conduct of their employment.
To support DE’s commitment to its Environmental Management System, DE employees are expected to act in an environmentally responsible manner at all times.
Due to the potential for amendments to both local school and DE policy in response to COVID, a level of flexibility may need to occur in relation to interview, appointment and commencement processes for this position. This may involve changes to interview dates, times and location at short notice, as well as the need for flexibility regarding appointment deadlines and possibly commencement of position. There may also present a need to maintain flexibility regarding working location(s) and communication between program members once an appointment has been made.
All queries regarding the information above should be made directly to the Hub Director, Peter D Evans, via email or phone as per below:
Email peter.evans2education.vic.gov.au
Mobile 0474 257 245
Location Profile
Strathmore Secondary College will be the host school for this Head Start position.
Head Start supports students to undertake school-based apprenticeships and traineeships (SBATs) during senior secondary school. Head Start aims to improve the outcomes, quality assurance and equitable distribution of opportunities for senior secondary and special education students who undertake an SBAT. Head Start also considers middle school students’ preparedness for success in the SBATs program.
The 3 core components of Head Start are:
· flexible delivery of the senior secondary certificate with a strong focus on literacy and numeracy
· quality training delivered concurrently with secondary school education
· maximised time on the job to support achievement of competencies
The Head Start SBAT program was piloted in over 150 schools from 2019 with strong outcomes. The expansion of the program includes access to all Victorian government secondary schools, including special schools, and Flexible Learning Options.
The program has introduced more rigorous SBAT compliance and monitoring across the system supporting the state¿s response to the 2020 Review into Vocational and Applied Learning Pathways in Senior Secondary Schooling (the Firth Review) reform agenda in senior secondary and vocational education. These reforms will collectively support all Victorian secondary students to pursue high-quality and valued vocational pathways aligned with their strengths and interests and to finish schooling with the skills and capabilities they need for success in further education, training, work, and life. The expansion of SBATs will also assist in addressing prioritised skill shortages by providing employers with support and access to school-based apprentices and trainees.
The option to maximise time in employment has proven to support students¿ genuine progression through the apprenticeship or traineeship whilst meeting employer requirements. The program provides students with a clear pathway from school into employment with a qualification.
About Head Start Hubs
All government schools are committed to a collaborative and creative approach to improving Vocational Education outcomes and experiences for all students. All schools actively engaged with Head Start are committed to providing their students with a pathway to completing Year 12, whilst establishing an authentic career path within an industry with proven demand. Head Start hubs are overseen by a Board comprising selected host school Principals and led by the Hub Director, who has the primary responsibility for reporting directly to its members.
The successful candidate will be part of a diverse team led by the Hub Director. The successful candidate will be highly mobile. They will be tasked with establishing and facilitating relationships with employers, training providers and other agencies, liaising directly with students and their families at school and at their workplaces, cooperating effectively with school communities within the hub, and collaborating with their Head Start colleagues at both area and state-wide program level.
All Head Start team members are assigned a host school, however they may in fact be required to work from a location or locations other than their assigned school. This is a great opportunity to work flexibly and creatively as part of a motivated and skilled team establishing new and vital pathway options for students.
Applications close Thursday 27 March 2025 at 11.59PM
Posted 12 March 2025
Action