Principal Consultant

Department of Education, Western Australia; Perth; Hybrid; AUD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

12% employer superannuation

Flexible working arrangements

Generous leave entitlements

Professional development opportunities

Salary packaging access

Job summary

Join the Department of Education, Western Australia as a Principal Consultant - Staffing Services in this permanent full-time position. You will influence staffing practices and promote best-practice in hiring across WA public schools.

This role offers the opportunity to lead strategic initiatives, implement staffing policies, and enhance workforce excellence while enjoying workplace flexibility, generous leave entitlements, and professional development opportunities.

Qualifications

• Extensive knowledge of human resources practices in public sector.
• Ability to translate strategic ideas into operational plans.
• Proven record of leading change initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Lead development, implementation, and evaluation of staffing initiatives.
• Identify opportunities for continuous improvement in staffing practices.
• Support high-quality and equitable employment outcomes.

Skills

Strategic management

Change management

Human resources policy

Written communication

Presentation skills

Job description

This is a permanent, full-time (1.0FTE) position commencing ASAP.

We are looking for a strategic thinker who has the ability to translate innovative ideas into practical strategies and operational plans that deliver measurable outcomes and lasting impact.

This is an exciting opportunity to make a meaningful impact on how WA public schools attract and appoint the people who make a difference every day. As Principal Consultant - Staffing Services, you will lead the development, implementation and evaluation of reform initiatives, staffing policies, practices, professional learning programs and support services, that promote best-practice in staffing, and build the capacity of hiring managers across the Department.

Working closely with school leaders and hiring managers, you will identify opportunities for continuous improvement in staffing practices, and create conditions that support them to make high quality staffing decisions. Through your expertise and leadership, you will help shape workforce practices at a system level, driving consistent, effective and future-focused staffing outcomes for schools and Department business areas.

Working in a small, collaborative team within the Staffing Services Directorate, you will contribute to initiatives that enhance staffing services and support workforce excellence across the Department. The team is responsible for:

• Driving improvements in staffing and workforce practices.
• Implementing workforce reform initiatives.
• Building capability and confidence of hiring managers.
• Supporting high-quality and equitable employment outcomes.

Professional Benefits

We are conveniently located in East Perth and our employees enjoy a range of benefits which include:

• 12% employer contributed superannuation.
• Flexible working arrangements are genuinely considered to create healthy work life balance including; working from home or remote, flexible working hours and part-time arrangements
• Generous leave entitlements including annual, personal, long service and parental leave
• Professional development opportunities and study leave/assistance
• Access to salary packaging (in accordance with relevant industrial instruments)
• Convenient access to public transport with the Claisebrook train station just a 5-minute walk away or, take advantage of the free Yellow Cat bus service that stops outside our building entrance. Additionally, various CPP parking locations are within walking distance.

Want to know more?

Full details of the role, selection criteria and training requirements are listed in the attached Job Description Form (JDF).

For more information about this opportunity, please contact Matthew Ward, A/Director Staffing Services on [phone] or emailing [e-mail]

We are committed to building the leadership capability of our people (Building Leadership Impact).

Equity and Diversity

We are committed to an inclusive and culturally responsive workforce reflecting the diversity in our workplaces and the Western Australian community. We welcome and encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, young people, people of diverse sexualities and genders, people with disability, and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

Explore our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Plan for more details.

Eligibility

To work with us, you must:

• be an Australian or New Zealand citizen, permanent resident or have a valid visa with relevant work rights for the term of the appointment.
• consent to a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check and obtain a current Screening Clearance Number issued by the Department of Education’s Screening Unit before you start.

More information about employment eligibility can be found on our website and in the attached Job Description Form (JDF).

Key Requirements

• a current curriculum vitae (CV) of no more than three (3) pages, outlining your employment history and professional learning relevant to the selection criteria for this role (refer to the JDF).
• a written statement of no more than 2 pages, addressing selection criteria 1, 2 and 4.
• Demonstrated extensive knowledge of human resources policy, procedures and practices within the public sector legislative framework and an understanding of the application of these within a large decentralised and complex organisation.
• Demonstrated highly developed strategic management and change management skills with the ability to lead the delivery of strategic outcomes within agreed timeframes and in a customer-focused manner.
• Demonstrated high-level written communication and presentation skills, including extensive experience in the preparation of briefings, reports, frameworks and policy.

Late applications will not be accepted.

The remaining selection criteria will be assessed at later stages of this selection process.

For technical support submitting your application, you can call the Department of Education’s Recruitment team on [phone] for assistance.

Advertised Vacancy Number: DOE1067582

Applicants assessed as suitable may be considered for similar vacancies that arise in our branch within the next 12 months. This includes circumstances where this position becomes subsequently vacant should the successful applicant decline or vacate the advertised position.

The Department applies a four (4) day breach period to this selection process.

Applications close:

4.30pm (AWST) on Wednesday, 7 October 2026