Principal, coach-mentor - various

Temporary part-time appointments up to 28/01/2029. (Commencing on or after 28 January 2027)

Location: Various Office locations statewide

Opportunities have become available for NSW Department of Education (DoE) substantive school principals, as well as former DoE principals and former DoE directors, who are interested in applying for a part-time temporary appointment in a Principal, Coach-Mentor role for up to two years. The part-time allocation for these positions will be based on the business needs consisting of various 0.2, 0.4 and 0.6 FTE temporary appointments. Please note, for current DoE substantive school principals, the Principal, Coach-Mentor position is a part-time 0.2 FTE temporary appointment.

About the Department of Education

The Department of Education is the largest provider of public education in Australia with responsibility for delivering high-quality public education to two-thirds of the NSW student population.

For more information about the Department of Education, please visit NSW Department of Education

About the role

The Principal, Coach-Mentor (PC-M) role provides differentiated support to principals through practice-focused coaching and mentoring to build the professional practices of principals required to lead, manage their schools and improve quality teaching to ensure the progress and achievement of all students.

Note: Former principals or former directors with the NSW Department of Education (DoE), not currently permanently employed by the Department and who separated from that employment after 30 January 2025 or who will be separating with their last day of service being 27 January 2027, or prior are eligible to apply. (Former DoE principals and former DoE directors who separated from their permanent employment with the Department outside of this timeframe can apply and must demonstrate an understanding of the current school leadership environment and the educational currency the applicant would bring to the role in their application).

In your application, please address the selection criteria with reference to the Key Accountabilities for the position. Please note that it is a requirement that all candidates submit their applications online. No paper based, email based or late applications will be accepted.

How to Apply

Applicants apply online via iworkfor.nsw. The application must be submitted in PDF Format: including a resume (maximum 2 pages) and an additional 4 pages (maximum) clearly outlining the skills, knowledge and experiences in response to each of the selection criteria with reference to the Key Accountabilities. Include contact details of three referees; one must be your most recent Director, Educational Leadership or Executive Director (if applicable). Please refer to Addressing selection criteria for open merit positions (Principal) for formatting guidelines.

Please note that:

• Applications significantly exceeding page length may be excluded.
• It is a requirement that all candidates submit their applications online. No paper based, email based, or late applications will be accepted.

Please refer to and read; Position Description, PC-M – Primary Objectives and PC-M Manager & PC-M Applicant Employment Fact Sheet available through the following links:

• Position Description
• PC-M – Primary Objectives
• PC-M Manager & PC-M Applicant Employment Fact Sheet

To undertake this role, you are required to hold:

• an Approval to Teach
• a valid and current NSW Driver Licence

Conditions

The conditions of employment for a Principal, Coach-Mentor role are currently corporate roles under school-based conditions of employment as provided for under the Crown Employees (Teachers in Schools and Related Employees) Salaries and Conditions Award 2022, the Teachers Handbook and other relevant policies and procedures of the Department.

This is a child-related role. If you are the successful applicant, you will be required to obtain a Working with Children Check (WWCC) Clearance number as a condition of employment (if you do not already have this). For more information, visit the website for more information. In addition, your employment may be subject to the Department’s National Criminal Records Check to determine your suitability for employment.

We welcome applications from all ages and genders, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, culturally and linguistically diverse groups, the LGBTQIA+ community, veterans, refugees and people with disability. If we can make some adjustments to our recruitment/interview process to better enable you to shine, please contact the Diversity and Inclusion Team (dandi@det.nsw.edu.au) or visit NSW Department of Education Diversity and Inclusion.

Eligibility List

An eligibility list (which is valid for 12 months) will be created through this recruitment process and considered when vacancies occur or additional short-term needs arise across the state for principal support.

Activation of the eligibility list and term of appointment is at the discretion of the Director, School Excellence Principal Support and based on the business needs at the point in time the vacancy or additional need occurs and based on the geographical need for principal support (i.e. not automatically appointed for up to a two-year term).

Selection Criteria

• Current employment with the NSW Department of Education (DoE) as a substantive school principal or employment as a former principal or former director with the NSW DoE, not currently permanently employed by the Department and who separated from that employment after 30 January 2025 or who will be separating with their last day of service being 27 January 2027, or prior. (Former DoE principals and former DoE directors who separated from their permanent employment with the Department outside of this timeframe can apply and must demonstrate an understanding of the current school leadership environment and the educational currency the applicant would bring to the role in their application.)
• Tertiary qualifications, extensive recent educational leadership experience, and a demonstrated understanding of the current leadership context of NSW government schools, the role of a system’s leader and the role of principals.
• Current high-level knowledge and working understanding of systemic strategic directions and priorities in education.
• Experience in and deep knowledge of, evidence-based strategic planning, monitoring, evaluation and reporting processes, including a demonstrated understanding of the use of data to inform teaching and learning for student growth and attainment and school improvement.
• Demonstrated skills and expertise in mentoring and coaching principals of varying experience to facilitate professional support and learning networks to build leadership and organisational effectiveness.
• High level collaborative, communication and interpersonal skills, to establish and maintain strong relationships with principals and key stakeholders to support effective and continuous school improvement.
• Demonstrated understanding of and commitment to the value of public education.
• Demonstrated capacity to lead staff in implementing the Department’s Aboriginal Education Policy and upholding the Department’s Partnership Agreement with the NSW AECG and to ensure quality outcomes for Aboriginal people.