Dean of Pastoral Care

at; Perth; On-site; AUD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading Christian K-12 school in Perth is seeking a Dean of Pastoral Care to provide Christ-centred leadership and oversee student wellbeing initiatives. The successful candidate will lead pastoral care for students in Years 7–12, ensuring that care and behaviour processes align with the College's Christian values. Applicants should have relevant pastoral leadership experience and a commitment to Christian education. This is a combined role with teaching responsibilities, commencing January 1st, 2026.

Benefits

Strong community connections

Growth opportunities in education

Supportive work environment

Qualifications

• Personal commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ and active participation in a Christian Church.
• Understanding of adolescent development and wellbeing frameworks.
• Ability to lead and support staff in student wellbeing.

Responsibilities

• Lead the pastoral care framework for secondary students.
• Oversee student wellbeing initiatives and behaviour management.
• Support staff in managing student wellbeing with compassion.

Skills

Pastoral leadership experience

Interpersonal skills

Conflict resolution

Education

Postgraduate study in pastoral care or educational leadership

Job description

Southern Hills Christian College is a K-12 Christian school located in Bedfordale, Western Australia, and is part of the Swan Christian Education Association. Our staff are all committed Christians, and this belief is embedded both explicitly and implicitly in our curriculum and everything we do.

We are seeking a supportive and passionate Dean of Pastoral Care to join our Secondary School team in an ongoing position commencing on the 1st January 2026. This role consists of a 0.4 FTE leadership component and a 0.6 FTE teaching component, for a subject to be decided depending on your experience and school availability.

The successful candidate will provide Christ-centred leadership for the spiritual, emotional, and social wellbeing of students in Years 7–12, ensuring that pastoral care, wellbeing initiatives, and behaviour processes reflect the College’s Christian values and foster a culture where every student, as Imago Dei, is known, valued, and supported to grow in character and faith.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the pastoral care framework for secondary students, ensuring it reflects the College’s Christian ethos.
• Provide Christ-centred leadership by overseeing Year Coordinators and the Chaplain to ensure a consistent, relational approach to pastoral care and behaviour management.
• Oversee student wellbeing initiatives, restorative practices, and behaviour management processes.
• Support and guide staff in managing student wellbeing and behaviour with consistency, compassion, and care.
• Build and maintain strong partnerships with parents, guardians, and external support services.
• Lead and refine wellbeing and mentoring programs that promote resilience, identity, relationships, and Christian values.

Selection Criteria

• To have a personal commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ and be an active member of a Christian Church.
• To accept the Association’s Statement of Faith, Foundational Statements of Belief and Educational Objectives and to live a lifestyle consistent with these statements.
• Proven experience in pastoral leadership, student wellbeing, or middle/senior leadership roles.
• Strong knowledge of adolescent development, wellbeing frameworks, and restorative practices.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and conflict resolution skills.

Desirable

• Postgraduate study in pastoral care, counselling, or educational leadership.
• Experience leading Christian worship or mentoring young people in faith‑based settings.

What We Offer

• Unity in Community: Join us as we continue to build strong connections between our network of schools as we work together for a common purpose.
• High‑Capacity Workplace: Working for SCEA means joining us as we continue to seek growth opportunities across our people, places and resources so we can offer excellent Christian education.
• Growth in Reach: Be a part of increasing community access to transformative Gospel‑inspired education as we work with stakeholders to grow the SCEA Schools network.

How to Apply

If you’re a dedicated leader seeking to make a meaningful contribution as the Dean of Pastoral Care, we invite you to apply online via the SCEA website: https://scea.wa.edu.au/working-with-us. Online applications should be submitted by the 24th November 2025, however shortlisting will begin immediately, and SCEA reserves the right to close this advert before this date.

Applications Must Include

• A covering letter addressing all the Essential Criteria and a brief statement outlining the competencies you would bring to the role and your reason for applying.
• A current resume/CV.
• Copies of qualifications.
• Copies of current Working with Children Card, TRBWA registration, and Department of Education Police Clearance, or willingness to apply for one.

Only online applications that provide the above requirements will be considered.

For confidential enquiries, please contact Joel Vallance on [phone] or email [e-mail].

Swan Christian Education Association (SCEA) is a not‑for‑profit network of seven schools across Perth. With over 900 staff and 5000 students, SCEA is united in its mission: “We value and empower every student to become all God created them to be.”