Head of Performing Arts

TAFE NSW External; Sydney; On-site; AUD 148,000 - 181,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Premier arts department leadership

Industry-standard facilities access

North Shore location with Metro access

Supportive executive team

Job summary

Bradfield Senior College, a specialist arts-focused college within TAFE NSW, seeks a visionary Head of Performing Arts to lead HSC and TAFE Vocational streams for senior students. You will oversee traditional academic pathways and vocational courses, guiding a dynamic department in a professional, mature learning environment.

The role requires strong leadership, strategic oversight, and a passion for launching creative careers through industry partnerships and exceptional showcases.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience delivering high-performing HSC Performing Arts courses and leading VET frameworks.
• Strong track record with Years 11–12 student cohorts in a senior secondary setting.
• Current NSW WWCC compliance and recognised teaching qualifications.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for HSC Dance, Drama and Music plus TAFE vocational streams.
• Oversee staffing, scheduling and student engagement across department networks.
• Collaborate with Screen & Media, STEM, Visual Art and Design to foster multi-disciplinary student projects.
• Build industry partnerships and supervise arts showcases and events.

Skills

HSC & VET leadership

Mature environment leadership

Organisational excellence

WWCC & NESA compliance

Job description

TAFE NSW: A career of life-changing impact

Head of Performing Arts

(Encompassing HSC Dance/Drama/Music plus TAFE Vocational Certificate Courses: Screen & Media/Music Theatre/Music Industry/Entertainment/Events.)

Location: Bradfield Senior College, St Leonards

Permanent Full-Time

$164,814 salary package - includes base salary ($145,208), plus employer’s contribution to superannuation and annual leave loading.

Bradfield Senior College is a unique, specialist creative industries senior college catering exclusively to Year 11 and 12 students. Located in the heart of Sydney’s North Shore, the school is located on the St Leonards campus of TAFE NSW, just a short walk from St Leonards station and the Crows Nest Metro. At Bradfield, we offer a dynamic, adult-learning environment that bridges school, tertiary education and the creative workforce.

In world class facilities with expert teachers, our thriving arts ecosystem offers HSC Dance, HSC Drama and HSC Music, alongside cutting-edge TAFE vocational courses in Music Industry, Music Theatre, and Entertainment & Events.

At Bradfield, we don't just teach the Performing Arts, we strive to launch creative careers, and our results speak for themselves. In recent weeks, our exceptional students have achieved:

• 29 HSC Dance nominations for Call Back
• 1 Group and 5 Individual Performance nominations for OnStage
• 2 HSC Music nominations for Encore
• Major Sweeps at the Beaches Film Festival in which our HSC Screen and Media students won Best Film, Best Cinematography and Best Actor in the youth filmmaking challenge, for their short film, Blind Trust.
• 3 SHAPE Showcase nominations for our Multimedia students who were recognised for their outstanding Industrial Technology Major Projects, ahead of the prestigious annual exhibition at the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS) running from 16 March to 12 April 2027

The Role

We are seeking an industry-connected, visionary leader to step into the role of Head of Performing Arts. This is a premier leadership position running an energetic and highly successful department that caters for passionate young artists who want to make their mark. In this position you will oversee both traditional NESA academic pathways and specialised TAFE VET frameworks. This role is an ideal job for a dynamic educator who thrives in a collaborative, professional, and mature student environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Departmental Leadership: Oversee operations, staffing and student engagement across HSC performance lines and flagship vocational streams.
• Dual Pathway Management: Seamlessly blend the delivery of NESA HSC Dance, Drama, and Music 1 with TAFE vocational courses in Music Industry, Music Theatre, Entertainment & Events.
• Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration: Partner with our award-winning Screen & Media, STEM, Visual Art and Design learning areas to foster innovative, multi-disciplinary student work on The Project, such as the creative partnership with the Australian Museum that was responsible for Step Inside in June 2026 that is now working towards AM 200, a celebration of the Museum's bicentennial anniversary.
• Industry Integration: Leverage our premium North Shore location to build future partnerships with creative industry professionals and their organisations, mentoring students toward real-world career pathways.
• Event & Production Oversight: Supervise a range of beautifully crafted showcases and industry events in tandem with our Entertainment and Events student learning and development.

About You

• HSC & VET Expert: You will have extensive experience delivering high-performing HSC Performing Arts courses, with a strong understanding of (or capacity to lead) TAFE/VET frameworks in the Performing Arts.
• A Mature-Environment Leader: You are passionate about working with senior secondary students (Years 11–12) in a progressive, adult-learning, environment.
• Logistically Sharp: You will possess exceptional organisational skills that enable you to manage a strong and active department with complex scheduling and production requirements.
• Compliance Ready: You hold recognised teaching qualifications, active NESA registration and a current NSW Working with Children Check (WWCC)

To find out more about the role, click to view the Position Description.

What We Offer

• The chance to lead a premier, specialised creative hub rather than a traditional high school Performing Arts department.
• Access to exceptional, industry-standard facilities and a highly motivated student body who have chosen Bradfield as their place of learning because of its unique approach and proudly Arts-driven focus.
• An unbeatable, highly accessible location in St Leonards that is perfectly connected by the Metro and train network and
• A supportive executive team that champions innovation and non-traditional educational excellence

Our commitment to Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion

Bradfield Senior College is committed to creating a culturally safe and accessible workplace, in which dignity, trust, respect and the promotion of diversity and inclusion are valued,so that you can safely bring your whole self to work and connect with your community through our diverse employee networks. If you require an adjustment in the recruitment process, please contact our Talent Acquisition Advisor listed below.

Applications close 11.55pm (AEDT) Monday 16 November 2026

Role‑specific enquiries: contact Anna Messariti, Director Bradfield Senior College, via email at [e-mail]

General recruitment and adjustment enquiries: Contact Kate Pickett, Talent Acquisition Advisor, via email at [e-mail] or phone [phone]

For support with preparing your application and understanding the recruitment process, visit our Application Process page, and explore the helpful resources available through I Work for NSW.

This is a child-related position. Successful candidates must hold a valid NSW Working with Children Check (WWCC) prior to commencing. TAFE NSW will also conduct an Australian National Criminal Record Check on the preferred applicant as part of the pre‑employment process.

To be eligible for a position at TAFE NSW, you must be an Australian citizen, a permanent resident of Australia, or a New Zealand citizen with a current New Zealand passport.

An eligibility list, valid for 18 months, may be created for this position and used to fill future vacancies.