Deputy Principal

Brisbane Montessori School; Brisbane; On-site; AUD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Brisbane Montessori School is seeking an experienced Deputy Principal to join our leadership team and act as second-in-command, providing strategic and operational leadership across the School.

You will work with Heads of School to drive teaching, learning, staff development, student wellbeing and compliance, ensuring Montessori principles align with curriculum standards and regulatory requirements.

Qualifications

• Recognised teaching qualification and current Queensland College of Teachers registration.
• Significant senior educational leadership experience and track record.
• Proven ability to lead teaching, learning and school improvement across a large school.
• Strong knowledge of Queensland schooling legislation, child-safety obligations and inclusive education responsibilities.

Responsibilities

• Executive Leadership and Principal Deputising: support Principal, act as Principal when delegated, translate priorities into school plans.
• Teaching, Learning and Montessori Practice: lead whole-school improvement, ensure Montessori alignment with Australian Curriculum and NSSAB requirements.
• People Leadership and Staff Development: coach and develop Heads of School and Educational Leaders; drive performance and professional learning.
• Student Wellbeing, Behaviour and Safeguarding: oversee wellbeing, attendance and safeguarding at the whole-school level.
• Educational Compliance, Risk and School Improvement: coordinate policy compliance, NSSAB readiness and risk management.
• Community and Stakeholder Leadership: maintain relationships with families, regulators and external partners; communicate clearly.

Skills

Leadership

Montessori alignment

Educational leadership

Stakeholder engagement

Staff development

Curriculum development

Governance & compliance

Student wellbeing

Education

Teaching qualification

QCT registration

Postgraduate qualification in educational leadership / curriculum / inclusive education

Job description

Brisbane Montessori School – Fig Tree Pocket QLD

Work unit: Educational Leadership / Whole School

Employment type:Permanent, Full-time

FTE (Equivalent):1.0 FTE

Hours worked: 38 hours per week

Term: 46 weeks per year

Reports to: Principal

Direct reports:Heads of School /Educational Leaders and OSHC Coordinator other staff as delegated by the Principal

ROLE PURPOSE

Brisbane Montessori School is seeking an experienced and inspiring Deputy Principal to join our leadership team and play a pivotal role in the continued development of our School. Working closely with the Principal, the Deputy Principal will be the Senior Educational Leadership partner and designated second-in-command, providing strategic and operational leadership across the School and acting as Principal when delegated or during the Principal’s absence.

With whole-school reach across Early Years, Primary, Upper Primary and Secondary, the Deputy Principal will work closely with our Heads of School to support leadership capability, ensure consistency and quality across the School, and drive teaching and learning, staff development, student wellbeing, compliance and continuous improvement. The role provides an important leadership layer between the Principal and Heads of School, ensuring priorities are driven and followed through with clarity, consistency and accountability.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Executive Leadership and Principal Deputising

• Support, advise and assist the Principal in the overall leadership, management and strategic direction of the School.
• Act as Principal when formally delegated or during planned or unplanned absences, exercising authority within BMS delegations and Board/Principal-reserved matters.
• Translate strategic priorities into clear whole-school educational plans, accountabilities and implementation measures.
• Provide the formal executive escalation and decision-making layer between Heads of School and the Principal, resolving and coordinating matters within delegated authority and escalating matters requiring executive, strategic, legal or reserved decision-making.
• Model ethical, calm, child-centered and values-based leadership consistent with Montessori principles.

Teaching, Learning and Montessori Practice

• Lead whole-school improvement in teaching, learning, curriculum, assessment and reporting in collaboration with Heads of School.
• Promote authentic Montessori practice while ensuring the School’s educational programs meet the Australian Curriculum, secondary and senior schooling requirements, NSSAB requirements and other applicable educational standards.
• Use student learning, attendance, wellbeing and achievement data to identify priorities, monitor progress and evaluate improvement strategies.
• Support coherent transition and progression of students across sub-schools and developmental stages.
• Promote innovation, evidence-informed practice and appropriate use of technology in teaching and learning.

People Leadership and Staff Development

• Coach, mentor and support Heads of School and Educational Leaders, and line-manage them as delegated by the Principal.
• Support workforce planning, recruitment, induction, performance development, professional learning and succession planning for teaching staff.
• Lead or support performance, where appropriate, and conduct processes relating to educational staff, as delegated by the Principal, in partnership with the Business Manager on employment relations matters.
• Build a culture of professional inquiry, accountability, collaboration and continuous improvement.
• Promote high standards of professional practice, conduct, confidentiality and communication.

Student Wellbeing, Behaviour and Safeguarding

• Provide whole-school oversight of student wellbeing, behaviour and attendance.
• Lead or coordinate serious and escalated student behaviour, safety and wellbeing matters in partnership with Heads of School and Inclusion leadership.
• Support the Principal with safeguarding, child protection, mandatory reporting and reportable conduct matters within delegated authority.
• Ensure significant student matters are managed fairly, with appropriate risk assessment, student voice, support and documentation.
• Work collaboratively with families and relevant external agencies to support student safety, wellbeing and educational outcomes.

Educational Compliance, Risk and School Improvement

• Coordinate educational compliance and assurance across the School, including curriculum, teacher registration, student attendance, disability and inclusion, and school registration and accreditation requirements.
• Support NSSAB registration compliance, review readiness and the implementation of required educational policies, procedures and evidence systems.
• Partner with Early Years leadership to support whole-school alignment, while recognising that NQF, QIP, nominated supervisor and service-specific ECEC responsibilities remain with appropriately appointed roles.
• Provide strategic oversight, leadership and support to Out of School Hours Care (OSHC) leaders, ensuring alignment with whole-school priorities, quality expectations, compliance requirements and continuous improvement.
• Contribute to the School’s risk register, critical incident response, emergency management and business continuity from an educational leadership perspective.
• Lead assigned strategic projects, reviews and improvement initiatives, reporting progress to the Principal and, where required, the Board.

Community and Stakeholder Leadership

• Build constructive and respectful relationships with students, families, staff and the broader Montessori and education community.
• Support the Principal in complex parent matters, complaints and community issues where senior educational leadership input is required.
• Represent the School at functions, professional networks and external meetings as delegated by the Principal.
• Promote clear, consistent, timely and professional communication across the School.
• Strengthen connections and collaboration across the School community, supporting a positive, inclusive and connected culture.
• Strengthen partnerships with external agencies, specialists and education bodies to support positive outcomes for students, staff and the School.

Resource and Operational Leadership

• Work closely with the Principal and Business Manager to align educational priorities with staffing, budgets, facilities, technology and resource planning.
• Support effective school calendar, staffing and operational planning where these have a material impact on educational delivery and student outcomes.
• Exercise delegated expenditure and resource authority within the School’s approved delegations and financial controls.
• Contribute to enrolment, transition and retention decisions where educational, wellbeing or strategic considerations require senior leadership review.
• Provide educational leadership input into operational decisions that affect the quality, consistency or effectiveness of teaching and learning across the School.

Child Safety and Work Health & Safety

• Demonstrate an active personal commitment to child safety and the School’s child-safe culture.
• Comply with and promote all BMS student protection, child safety, mandatory reporting, privacy, WHS and risk-management requirements.
• Respond promptly to concerns, disclosures, incidents and near misses in accordance with School procedures and statutory obligations.
• Participate in emergency management and critical incident responses as a member of the executive leadership structure.

Delegations

• The Principal retains ultimate responsibility for the educational leadership and management of the school and may reserve or delegate matters in accordance with Board-approved delegations.
• Heads of School retain day-to-day leadership of their respective sub-schools; the Deputy Principal provides whole-school coordination, assurance, coaching and escalation.
• Specialist inclusion and ECEC statutory responsibilities remain with appropriately qualified and formally appointed roles unless separately delegated in writing.
• The Deputy Principal does not exercise Board powers or Company Secretary statutory functions unless separately and lawfully appointed.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• Recognised teaching qualification and current Queensland College of Teachers registration, or eligibility to obtain registration before commencement.
• Substantial successful classroom teaching experience and demonstrated, tangible senior educational leadership experience.
• Demonstrated capacity to lead teaching and learning, curriculum, school improvement and professional development across a school setting.
• Demonstrated experience managing complex student wellbeing, behaviour, safeguarding and parent matters with sound judgement and procedural fairness.
• Strong knowledge of Queensland schooling legislation, regulatory requirements, child-safety obligations and inclusive education responsibilities.
• Highly developed communication, relationship, decision-making and conflict-resolution skills.
• Demonstrated ability to lead leaders and teams through improvement and change.
• Current child-safety, mandatory reporting, first-aid and other employment clearances required by BMS.
• Recognised Montessori qualification and substantial experience in a Montessori school.
• Experience in a multi-program or P-12 independent school environment.
• Experience acting in a Principal or equivalent executive school leadership role.
• Postgraduate qualification in educational leadership, curriculum, inclusive education or a related field.

KEY SELECTION CRITERIA

• Montessori Alignment - demonstrated commitment to Montessori philosophy, prepared environments, developmental practice and the School’s values.
• Executive Educational Leadership - demonstrated capacity to support a Principal and lead whole-school educational priorities with strategic judgement and accountability.
• Teaching and Learning - evidence of leading high-quality curriculum, pedagogy, assessment and school improvement.
• Leadership of People - demonstrated ability to coach leaders, develop staff capability, manage performance and build a collaborative professional culture.
• Student Safety and Wellbeing - demonstrated capacity to lead complex student behaviour, wellbeing and safeguarding responses in a child-centred and procedurally fair manner.
• Compliance and Governance - strong understanding of the regulatory and policy environment for Queensland schools and ability to translate requirements into effective practice.
• Stakeholder Engagement - high-level written and verbal communication and the capacity to build trust with students, families, staff, regulators and community partners.

CONDITIONS AND PERFORMANCE

Full-time continuing appointment subject to the BMS Enterprise Agreement, National Employment Standards and individual contract.

Base salary and remuneration arrangements are as approved by the Board and set out in the individual employment contract.

Reasonable additional hours, attendance at key School events and availability during critical incidents required due to the executive nature of the role.

Annual performance and development review with the Principal, including agreed strategic and operational objectives.

The Position Description may be reviewed periodically to reflect the School’s structure, regulatory obligations and strategic priorities, subject to consultation and applicable employment requirements.

CHILD SAFETY STATEMENT

Brisbane Montessori School is committed to providing a child-safe and child-friendly environment. All staff are expected to actively promote the safety, wellbeing, dignity and voice of children and young people and to comply with the school’s child-protection policies, mandatory reporting obligations and applicable Queensland child-safe requirements.