Head Of Visual Arts

Stella Maris College; Brisbane; On-site; AUD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Stella Maris College in Manly, a Catholic girls' secondary school, seeks a Head of Visual Arts to lead a department serving Years 7–12. The appointee will model innovative pedagogy, mentor staff, and ensure the Visual Arts curriculum meets NSW standards while supporting student growth.

Reporting to the College leadership, the Head will drive quality teaching programs, coordinate assessment, and foster collaboration across staff and families.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years teaching experience in a school.
• Relevant teaching qualifications and experience in visual arts.
• Ability to mentor staff and lead a team.
• Familiarity with NSW Visual Arts curriculum.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the Visual Arts department from Years 7-12.
• Develop and implement a challenging curriculum aligned with standards.
• Model best practice and support staff professional learning.
• Coordinate assessment and reporting.
• Support College initiatives and Strategic Plan.

Skills

Leadership

Mentoring staff

Curriculum leadership

Collaboration

Education

Teaching qualifications

Tools

SharePoint

Job description

Contract Type: Permanent/Ongoing Position Full Time

Applications Close: 23 November 2026

Full-time position commencing Term 1, 2027The College seeks a Head of Visual Arts who has effective and innovative skills and a leader of learning.

Stella Maris College Mission and Vision

Stella Maris College, Manly, is a Catholic secondary school for girls in Years 7 to 12, inspired by the Good Samaritan Benedictine tradition. As one of ten schools nationally that form the Good Samaritan Education (GSE) network, the College upholds a holistic and inclusive approach to education, grounded in the values of stewardship, mutuality, prayer, hospitality, humility, discernment, justice, and peace.

Informed by the Good Samaritan Philosophy of Education, Stella Maris is committed to fostering a learning environment that promotes innovative pedagogy across all areas of the curriculum while nurturing the personal, social, and spiritual growth of each student. At the heart of this commitment is a strong focus on pastoral care, which seeks to ensure that every student is known, valued, and supported to flourish.

The College encourages students to become grounded, hope-filled young people who are capable of deep listening, wise leadership, and compassionate engagement with others and the world. Pastoral care at Stella Maris is not a separate program but an integrated and relational approach that informs all aspects of school life, from the classroom to the co-curricular space, fostering a sense of belonging and wellbeing.

Stella Maris College is incorporated and governed locally by a Board of Directors, accountable through the Company Members to Good Samaritan Education.

Position Purpose

The Head of the Visual Arts Department gives expression to the College’s Mission and Vision by leading a department focussed on working with students, staff and parents to develop a positive learning culture centred on best practice. They will be an expert in the NSW Visual Arts curriculum who can mentor their staff to be a highly functioning collaborative team. They will be an accomplished leader who has effective and innovative skills as a leader of learning.

Key Responsibilities

The Head of Visual Arts Department’s key responsibility is the provision of an approved and appropriately challenging curriculum from Years 7-12. The curriculum offered should enable all students to thrive as they develop their knowledge, skills and love of learning. The Head of Department will be an expert classroom teacher, (see page 5-6), administrator and leader of innovation and best practice. The Head of Department, as a visible leader in the College, will also assist with College initiatives, events and the implementation of the Strategic Plan.

The Head of the Visual Arts Department:

Assists inthe developmentof StellaMaris Collegeas afaith communityby:

• ContributingtothedevelopmentoftheCollege’sCatholicculturethroughthepromotionofBenedictinevaluesandsupportfortheprayerandliturgicallifeoftheCollege
• SupportingtheCollege’spastoralcarepolicybypromotingpositiveeducationstrategies

Collaborates in the promotion of the College as a centre of excellence in teaching and learning by:

• Leading the development and implementation of quality teaching programs, incorporating a process for consultation and review
• Organising assessment schedules, procedures and task allocations to conduct rich and valid assessment programs
• Encouraging and facilitating appropriate forums for cooperative planning, the sharing of ideas and decision making
• Supporting teachers in their relationships with students and in their classroom management
• Ensuring College reporting procedures and schedules are followed by department staff
• Ensuring requirements relating to compliance are met by the department including preparation for registration and accreditation
• Being an expert teacher who mentors staff in current, effective teaching practices and facilitates their professional learning
• Working with department staff, the Head of Inclusive Learning and support staff to foster inclusive learning for all students through differentiation of the curriculum
• Leading consultation, collaboration and communication to build capacity in the department team
• Promoting quality pedagogy that is rich, real and relevant for students including the use of technology to support learning experiences
• Coordinating the sharing and storing of resources in SharePoint
• Connecting with other schools and organisations to share resources, skills and build networks
• Working as part of the HODs team to implement the College’s vision for learning
• Overseeing the academic progress of students in visual arts – monitoring, tracking and reporting on student progress
• Maintains College compliance procedures

Provides strong and strategic leadership of the department by:

• Building capacity in department teachers to work as a collaborative and cohesive team
• Exploring with staff areas of responsibility for developing their leadership skills
• Building a professional learning community within the department to conduct conversations about teaching practices and current research
• Sharing an understanding of the AITSL standards and promoting the progress of staff through the levels of accomplishment
• Giving leadership to aspects of the implementation and evaluation of the College Strategic Plan to create a vision for the department
• Discussing and incorporating best evidence-based practice from current research
• Meeting with department staff regularly to ensure staff are informed and on target to meet College and NESA deadlines
• Staying up to date with relevant NESA initiatives, directions and syllabus changes and discussing with department members
• Presenting, analysing and leading discussions on the use of data to inform teaching practice
• Taking responsibility for the induction, mentoring and performance management of teachers and assistants in the department
• Leading the College professional review process for the department
• Managing the department budget to ensure sustainability
• Managing the Art Assistant to ensure support of teaching and learning in Visual Arts

Contributes to the effective leadership and administration of the College by:

• Actively supportingandimplementingCollegepolicies and initiatives.
• Ensuring that confidentiality is maintained in dealings with parents, students and staff members as appropriate.
• Undertakingothersuchtasksandresponsibilitiesas mayberequiredduetoemergingprioritiesin the College.
• Taking an active role in the College and supporting initiatives to implement change
• Contributing tothe development of an environment that is welcoming,hospitable,life-giving, compassionate and just.
• Dealingwithstudentsinpositiveandgrowth promotingwaysand displaying a respect of the individual.

Expectations and Selection Criteria

• Relevant teaching qualifications and experience teaching visual arts with a minimum of 5 years teaching experience in a school.
• Demonstrated experience in the development, implementation and maintenance of policies, programs and processes.
• Highly developed organisational skills, effectively maintaining deadlines.
• A demonstrated ability to work in high-pressure situations, with changing priorities.
• A strong commitment to promoting Catholic Good Samaritan values.
• A proven ability to work in a collaborative environment as a member of a team and as a leader of a team.
• Expertise as a proficient teacher able to model and coach quality teaching practices.

Conditions of Appointment

• TheHeadofDepartmentisappointedbytheCollegePrincipal
• Thepositionwillcarrya1-pointCoordinatorallowance in salary, with an appropriate time allocation.
• The Head of Department is a permanent position subject to the successful completion of a 6-month probation period.
• Applicantsmustbeaccreditedwith NESAasaproficientteacherand haveappropriatequalifications.
• PreferredapplicantswillbescreenedinaccordancewithChildProtectionLegislation.
• TheappointeemustholdacurrentWorkingwithChildrenCheck.
• ThisRoleDescriptionmaybesubjecttochangeatthediscretion oftheCollegePrincipalatanytime.Itis notintendedtobeanexhaustivelistofresponsibilitiesandaccountabilities.

Workplace Health and Safety

Employees areresponsibleandaccountablefor:

• Compliance with workplace policies and procedures for risk identification, risk assessment and risk control
• Activeparticipation in activitiesassociatedwiththe managementof workplace healthandsafety
• Identificationand reporting ofhealth and safetyrisks,accidents,incidents,injuriesand propertydamage at the workplace

Child Safe Standards

StellaMaris Collegeiscommittedtoensuring thatallthoseengaged intheCollegepromotethefundamental right of children and young people to be respected in a safe school environment. The College has zero tolerance of child abuse and expects all of staff to:

• Beawareof,understandandcomplywiththeCollege’sChildSafetyPolicyandCodeofConduct,includingtheChildSafeStandards,anddemonstratebehavioursinaccordancewiththese
• BeinpossessionofacurrentandvalidWorkingwithChildrenCheck
• RespondaccordingtotheCollege’spoliciesandprocedureswheninteractingwithchildrenandyoungpeople,takingallallegationsandconcernsveryseriously
• Becommittedtoprovidingasafeenvironmentforall childrenandyoungpeople,promotingphysical, emotional, and cultural safety

Stella Maris College is a Year 7-12 girls school committed to providing an inclusive education through the provision of quality learning experiences which enhance the students’ understanding of our Good Samaritan Benedictine tradition, promote individual creativity and develop their academic potential. Stella graduates leave school prepared to meet the demands and challenges of the 21st Century.