Assistant Principal-Range 1

State Government of Victoria, Australia; Shire of Loddon; On-site; AUD 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Birchip P-12 School, located in Birchip, Victoria, is seeking a Principal and an Assistant Principal to lead the school’s educational program, budgets, and staff within the framework of the department’s strategic plan. The roles demand strategic direction, policy alignment, and active community engagement for student wellbeing.

The successful candidates will oversee significant areas of school operations, lead curriculum and wellbeing initiatives, and collaborate with parents and the community

Qualifications

• Outstanding capacity for visionary and exemplary leadership of a school.
• Highly developed skills in leading and managing change including the leadership of others in the process of change.
• Outstanding financial, organisational and resource management skills.
• Clear capacity to foster a learning environment that takes account of the individual needs of students and helps students to develop their special abilities and talents.
• Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills in individual, small group and community contexts.
• Ability to work with parents/carers and the community to develop a strong and positive learning environment.
• Demonstrated ability to promote and lead Birchip P-12 School into the future by ensuring we continue to focus on the educational, physical social and emotional needs of our students.

Responsibilities

• Typically, assistant principals perform one or more of the following functions: supervision and coordination of the work of senior curriculum or level coordinators; allocation of budgets, positions of responsibility and other resources within the area of responsibility; supervision of the delivery of teaching programs; management of programs to improve the knowledge and experience of staff; responsibility for general discipline matters beyond the management of classroom teachers and year level coordinators; contribute to the overall management of the school.

Skills

Educational leadership

Change management

Interpersonal communication

Community engagement

Education

Teacher registration

Job description

Occupation: Principal and assistant principal

Location: Loddon Mallee - Buloke

Reference: 1545989

Selection Criteria

1: Educational Leadership

Outstanding capacity for visionary and exemplary leadership of a school.

Highly developed skills in leading and managing change including the leadership of others in the process of change.

2: Management of a school

Highly developed skills in leading and managing change including the leadership of others in the process of change.

3: Financial, managerial and administrative ability

Outstanding financial, organisational and resource management skills.

A clear capacity to foster a learning environment that takes account of the individual needs of students and helps students to develop their special abilities and talents.

Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills in individual, small group and community contexts.

An ability to work with parents/carers and the community to develop a strong and positive learning environment.

Demonstrated ability to promote and lead the Birchip P-12 School into the future by ensuring we continue to focus on the educational, physical social and emotional needs of our students.

Role

The assistant principal reports directly to the principal.

Assistant principals have a primary responsibility for the management of significant areas or functions within the school to ensure the effective development, provision and evaluation of the school's education program. In exercising the responsibility, assistant principals will have the authority to make all significant decisions relating to the program, budget and staff relating to their area of designated responsibility within the framework of the school's strategic plan, policies and budget. Assistant principals will contribute to the overall management of the school through involvement in policy formulation and decision making.

The management of significant school program or functional areas in schools involve assistant principals in the analysis of the needs of students and the translation of state educational policy and frameworks into appropriate education programs to meet the needs of all students.

Typically assistant principals will be responsible for the effective use of the teaching staff and program budget of a defined area of the school's operation and for the oversight and leadership of the educational programs provided utilising these resources.

Responsibilities

Typically, assistant principals perform one or more of the following functions:

• supervision and coordination of the work of senior curriculum or level coordinators;
• allocation of budgets, positions of responsibility and other resources within the area of responsibility;
• supervision of the delivery of teaching programs;
• management of programs to improve the knowledge and experience of staff;
• responsibility for general discipline matters beyond the management of classroom teachers and year level coordinators;
• contribute to the overall management of the school;

Who May Apply

Appropriately qualified individuals currently registered or eligible for registration with the Victorian Institute of Teaching.

Diversity and Inclusion

The department is committed to diversity and inclusion and developing a workforce that is representative of the community we service. We value diversity and inclusion in all forms - culture, gender, religion, ethnicity, LGBTIQA+, disability and neurodiversity. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for roles within the Department. The Department recognises that the provision of safe, respectful and inclusive workplaces is essential to high performance and promotes flexible work and diversity across all schools and Department workplaces. It is our policy to provide reasonable adjustments for staff with disability (see Workplace adjustment guidelines ).

Additional support and advice on the recruitment process is available to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander candidates from the Koorie Outcomes Division (KOD) via [e-mail]

Applicants seeking part-time employment are encouraged to apply 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.

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:

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:

The assistant principal will have a primary responsibility for the management of student wellbeing and disability inclusion within the school to ensure the effective development, provision and evaluation of the school's education program. In exercising responsibility, the assistant principals will have the authority to make significant decisions relating to the program, budget and staff relating to their area of designated responsibility within the framework of the school's strategic plan, policies and budget. The assistant principals will contribute to the overall management of the school through involvement in policy formulation and decision making.

The management of significant school programs or functional areas in schools involve the assistant principal in the analysis of the needs of students and the translation of state educational policy and frameworks into appropriate education programs to meet the needs of all students.

The assistant principal will be responsible for the effective use of the teaching staff and program budget for student wellbeing and disability inclusion and for the oversight and leadership of the educational programs provided utilizing these resources.

The organisational structure and role responsibilities for the assistant principal will be reviewed annually to ensure alignment with the Strategic School Plan and AIP.

Conditions of Employment

• All staff employed by the Department and schools have access to a broad range of employment conditions and working arrangements.
• Appointment of successful applicants will be made subject to a satisfactory pre-employment conditions check.
• A probationary period may apply 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://www.education.vic.gov.au/hrweb/Pages/default.aspx

Qualification Requirements

To be eligible for employment, transfer or promotion in the principal or teacher class:

• The person must have provisional or full registration approved by the Victorian Institute of Teaching; and
• if the person completed an Australian postgraduate level initial teaching program or course of study on or after 1 January 2024, they must demonstrate that they have satisfactorily completed a postgraduate level accredited initial teacher education program that has been accredited by an Australian State or Territory Teacher Regulatory Authority as satisfying the requirements of the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership 'Accreditation of initial teacher education programs in Australia: Standards and Procedures'; and
• a person who graduated from a Victorian Initial Teacher Education (ITE) program after 1 July 2016 must also demonstrate that they have passed the literacy and numeracy test for initial teacher education (LANTITE) requirements (this condition is satisfied where the LANTITE requirement is part of the Victorian ITE program completed by the person).

Birchip is located on the southern edge of the Mallee in North West Victoria. Birchip is 75 minutes from the large regional centres of Swan Hill and Horsham. We are a short journey from the mighty Murray River as well as Geriweld, (The Grampians). The population of Birchip Township is approximately 700 with an area population of 1000. Birchip P-12 School draws students from the neighbouring districts of Berriwillock, Culgoa, Nullawil, Beulah and Watchem. Birchip P-12 school is a Safe School.

Birchip P-12 School and the Birchip community wish to create opportunity for our students, staff members and the district as a whole. We are a small school with approximately 160 students and 35 teachers and support staff. We have extensive facilities including sporting facilities, gymnasium, a joint use school-community library and Trade Training Centres for Hospitality & Engineering.

Birchip P-12 School regularly receives high VCE Scores and NAPLAN data. This is also supported by positive results in Student Attitudes to School surveys, Parent and Staff surveys. Birchip P-12 School is seen as an excellent provider of the VCE. Subjects we offer can be face to face or through an extensive video conferencing arrangement across Western Victoria. Career classes starting in grade 5 help students form early thoughts on career paths. Students with vocational interests are given opportunity through two VET programs being offered on site and 25 other programs being offered in Horsham. Opportunity for workplace learning is available through structured workplace and work experience programs. Our VCAL program is extensive, well organised and prepares students for further education or training

Our school values of aiming high, showing respect, displaying integrity, valuing diversity and displaying resilience are the foundations upon which our school community is built. Birchip P-12 School prioritizes Respectful Relationships and dedicates a weekly school-wide 20 minute session to the Resilience Rights and Respective Relationships Curriculum. The school Breakfast Club Program is also very successful, with staff and senior students volunteering their time twice a week. Not only does this ensure the opportunity for all students to enjoy a good breakfast but it also promotes a constructive and socially interactive environment for students across all age levels to start the day in a positive manner.

The school is fortunate to have excellent staff and to be seen as a leader within the wider community. The school and Birchip community enjoy a positive relationship. We administer Birchip Cares (a volunteer transport program). The co-located Birchip Early Learning Centre (Kindergarten, Long Day Care and Maternal & Child Health) was officially opened in 2019, creating a 0-18 education precinct on the one site.

Applications close Wednesday 14 October 2026 at 11.59pm