Assistant Director of Student Development

Canberra Grammar School; Canberra; On-site; AUD 95,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Professional development funding

Salary packaging

Cafe coffee on site

Annual health & wellbeing programs

Parental leave benefits

Onsite parking

Job summary

Canberra Grammar School invites applications for an engaging and collaborative Assistant Director of Student Development to enhance our Senior School’s pastoral system. You will lead with purpose, helping students feel known, supported and connected while working with families and staff to maintain a caring school community.

You will coordinate follow-up, guide colleagues through sensitive matters and contribute to student wellbeing, attendance and engagement across the campus.

Qualifications

• Experience in care, support and development of students in a school environment.
• Strong understanding of house-based pastoral care and belonging, accountability and continuity.
• Ability to handle sensitive matters with discretion and sound judgement.
• Experience guiding teams through complex student matters and pastoral responses.
• Excellent communication with students, families and colleagues, including difficult conversations.

Responsibilities

• Lead and strengthen the Senior School’s House-based pastoral system.
• Coordinate pastoral follow-up and ensure actions translate into timely support.
• Support staff with student behaviour, attendance, engagement and belonging.
• Respond thoughtfully to everyday challenges and more complex student needs.

Skills

Pastoral care

Relational leadership

Team guidance

Strong communications

Sensitive matters handling

Meetings & follow-up

Collaboration with families

Organization & detail

Job description

Assistant Director of Student Development

• Lead with purpose. Strengthen belonging. Help every student thrive.
• Support House leaders to build a connected, responsive and caring school community.
• Five-year leadership appointment with an ongoing teaching position.

About the Role

Great pastoral care begins with strong relationships and the confidence that someone will follow through.

Canberra Grammar School is seeking an engaging and collaborative Assistant Director of Student Development to strengthen our Senior School’s House-based pastoral system. This is an opportunity to turn your commitment to young people into practical leadership that helps students feel known, supported and connected.

Working collaboratively, your focus will include student behaviour, attendance, engagement and belonging, helping colleagues respond thoughtfully to everyday challenges and more complex student needs.

With delegated authority, you will coordinate pastoral follow-up, guide colleagues through sensitive matters and ensure that agreed actions translate into timely support.

About You

You believe that students flourish when they experience both care and accountability. You bring a calm, approachable leadership style and the confidence to support colleagues, work constructively with families and navigate complex situations.

You bring:

• Experience in the care, support and development of students or young people in a school environment
• Strong understanding of House based pastoral care, relationalpracticeand the importance of belonging,accountabilityand continuity in student development
• Demonstrated ability to work with sensitive and confidential matters with sound judgement,discretionand professionalism
• Experience supporting or leading teams, including the ability to guide colleagues through complex student matters,behaviourfollow-upand pastoral response
• Strong communicationskills with students,familiesand colleagues, including the capacity to manage difficult conversations constructively
• Ability to coordinate meetings, actions,recordsand follow-up processes with accuracy and attention to detail
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, including in sensitive and difficult conversations, with sound organisational capability and confident technological literacy
• Capacity to work collaboratively with Directors, Assistant Directors, Heads of Student House, specialistcolleaguesand administration teams
• A proactive,flexibleand relational approach to leadership, with the ability to manage competing priorities in a dynamic school environment.
• Experience in restorative practice or the coordination of student support
• Experience supporting or leading a pastoral or year-level team in a school
• Familiarity with contemporary approaches to student wellbeing, behaviour and development.

All team members at CGS are required to have:

• A valid ACT Working with Vulnerable People Card
• A current National Police Check
• Full working rights within Australia.

Benefits for you

As a CGS team member, you have access to a range of additional benefits, including:

• A competitive salary and superannuation of 13.5% (for permanent team members)
• Employee awards program and generous professional development funding
• Attractive salary packaging arrangements
• Complimentary daily barista-made coffee
• Delicious daily morning tea and discounted lunches
• Access to the onsite health clinic and annual influenza vaccinations
• 24/7 access to our Employee Assistance Program
• 14 weeks of paid parental leave (for permanent team members)
• School fee concessions (for permanent team members)
• Onsite parking

Working at CGS

At Canberra Grammar School, teachers are trusted as professionals, supported to grow and encouraged to bring ambition, creativity and fresh thinking to their practice.

You will join a diverse and forward-thinking educational community where academic excellence and student wellbeing are equally valued. Alongside your pastoral leadership responsibilities, you will contribute as a teacher, collaborate with passionate colleagues and play an active role in the broader life of the School.

Canberra Grammar School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. All applicants will undergo child safety screening and recruitment checks in accordance with the School’s Child Safe policies.

Applications will be assessed as they are received. Early applications are encouraged, as the School may close the vacancy before the advertised closing date if a suitable candidate is identified.