Work Type: Ongoing - Full-time
Salary: Salary not specified
Grade: Assistant Principal - Range 1
Occupation: Principal and assistant principal
Location: Melbourne - Western suburbs
Reference: 1548921
Our School
Dharra School is a growing Foundation¿Year 12 specialist school located in Aintree, in Melbourne's western suburbs. Since opening our doors in 2024, we have established a strong sense of community, a clear commitment to student learning and an exciting future ahead.
Our school caters for students with intellectual disabilities and associated disabilities, including autism. We recognise that every student brings their own strengths, interests and abilities, and we are committed to creating a learning environment where every student feels safe, connected, challenged and supported to achieve.
At Dharra, we believe that every student deserves a high-quality education and the opportunity to experience success. Our approach is grounded in evidence-informed teaching, individualised learning and a strong commitment to School-wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS). Our values of Respect, Responsibility and Safety guide how we learn, interact and support one another every day.
Relationships are at the heart of our school. We invest time in getting to know our students, their families and the people who support them. We recognise that meaningful learning happens when students feel understood, when families are valued as partners and when staff work together with a shared purpose.
As a developing school, we have a unique opportunity to shape our culture, strengthen our practices and build the systems that will support Dharra for years to come. We are committed to creating a school where high expectations are matched by high levels of support, where staff are encouraged to reflect, collaborate and grow, and where every member of our team understands the difference they can make.
Our approach to school improvement is built around three connected priorities:
Ready to Learn Creating safe, supportive and engaging environments where students develop positive relationships, regulation and the confidence to participate.
Access to Learning Ensuring every student has the communication tools, individualised adjustments and support they need to meaningfully access their education.
Learning & Achievement Delivering high-quality curriculum, evidence-informed instruction and assessment that supports meaningful learning growth for every student.
These priorities are not separate areas of our school. They reflect our belief that student engagement, access and achievement are deeply connected, and that improving outcomes requires collective responsibility across every classroom and every team.
Our purpose-built learning environment includes Junior and Senior learning neighbourhoods, specialist learning spaces, a library and community hub. Students benefit from a broad range of learning opportunities, including physical education, the arts, STEAM, kitchen and garden programs, and community-based learning experiences. As our school continues to grow, so too do the opportunities we create for our students, including the Victorian Pathways Certificate and programs that build independence, confidence and connections beyond school.
We are proud of the people who make Dharra what it is. Our teachers, Education Support staff, allied health professionals and school leaders work collaboratively to understand student needs, celebrate progress and continually improve our practice. We value staff who bring curiosity, initiative, a willingness to learn and a genuine commitment to making a difference.
We also believe that schools should be positive and enjoyable places to work. We set high expectations, support one another through challenges, celebrate achievements and recognise that building a great school takes the collective effort of great people.
Above all, we want Dharra to be a place where students are known, families feel connected and staff are proud of the work they do together.
Who This Role Will Suit
Dharra School is at an exciting point in its development. Having opened in 2024, we are continuing to build the practices, programs and culture that will shape our school for years to come. We are looking for Assistant Principals who want to play a meaningful role in that journey.
This position will suit a thoughtful and capable educational leader who is passionate about improving student learning, strengthening engagement and developing the people around them. Someone who understands that meaningful learning growth looks different for every student, but that high expectations and access to quality teaching should remain consistent.
Our next Assistant Principals will play a significant role in shaping the next stage of Dharra's development. They will work closely with the Principal, Leading Teachers, Learning Specialists, PLC Leaders and allied health professionals to strengthen school-wide practice, build staff capability and translate evidence-informed approaches into meaningful improvements for students.
We are looking for leaders who understand that student engagement, positive behaviour support, communication, curriculum and high-quality teaching are deeply connected. Whether developing a Behaviour Support Plan, strengthening curriculum, supporting individualised adjustments or improving classroom practice, the focus must always be on how our work improves student participation, learning and achievement.
We want leaders who can see both the bigger picture and the everyday details that make a difference. Leaders who contribute to strategic school improvement while remaining visible in classrooms, coaching and supporting staff, understanding students and ensuring that agreed practices are consistently implemented and evaluated.
This role will particularly suit someone who:
is passionate about high-quality teaching and understands the relationship between student engagement, regulation, communication and learning;
brings strong educational leadership experience in areas such as curriculum, assessment, student engagement, positive behaviour support or inclusive practice;
believes that effective leadership goes beyond developing plans and processes, and involves modelling practice, coaching staff and evaluating the impact on student outcomes;
enjoys developing the knowledge, confidence and capability of teachers, Education Support staff and emerging leaders;
can use student learning, engagement and behavioural data to identify needs, inform decisions and drive school-wide improvement;
values clarity, consistency and evidence-informed practice while respecting the expertise, creativity and professional judgement of others;
understands the importance of building strong partnerships with families, allied health professionals and the broader school community;
can lead and manage change, navigate complex situations and support others through challenges with sound judgement and empathy;
brings high expectations and equally high levels of support, holding themselves and others accountable for agreed practices and continuous improvement; and
contributes to a leadership team that values collaboration, constructive challenge, shared responsibility and learning together.
At Dharra, we don't see teaching and learning, student engagement and individualised support as separate responsibilities. Our Assistant Principals will provide leadership across these connected areas, with particular portfolio responsibilities determined through consideration of the successful applicants' strengths, experience and the strategic needs of the school.
We recognise that educational leaders bring different strengths and experiences. We are not expecting applicants to have led every aspect of a specialist school, but we are looking for people with strong educational foundations, a willingness to broaden their expertise and the capacity to lead improvement beyond their areas of experience.
As an Assistant Principal, this position also involves broader whole-school leadership responsibilities, including strategic planning, staff development, school organisation, policy implementation, resource management and contributing to the effective operation of a growing specialist school.
Above all, we are looking for leaders who genuinely enjoy developing people, value the strength of a collaborative team and are excited by the opportunity to help shape the next chapter of Dharra School.
And One Last Thing...
At Dharra, we don't believe there's only one way to be a great leader. We value authentic people who bring their own personality, strengths and ideas, while remaining open to learning from others.
Our leadership team is built on trust, collaboration and collective responsibility. We welcome different perspectives, encourage constructive challenge and believe in high expectations and high support.
We also believe that working hard and having fun go hand in hand. We enjoy a laugh, don't take ourselves too seriously and genuinely enjoy the people we work with.
You don't need to lead like us. We want you to lead with us.
If that sounds like the kind of team you'd enjoy being part of, we'd love to hear from you.
SC1 Educational Leadership
SC2 Financial, managerial and administrative ability
SC3 Planning, policy and program development and review
SC4 Leadership of staff and students
SC5 Interpersonal and communication skills
SC6 Community
The assistant principal reports directly to the principal.
Assistant principals have a primary responsibility for the management of significant areas or functions within the school to ensure the effective development, provision and evaluation of the school's education program. In exercising the responsibility, assistant principals will have the authority to make all significant decisions relating to the program, budget and staff relating to their area of designated responsibility within the framework of the school's strategic plan, policies and budget. Assistant principals will contribute to the overall management of the school through involvement in policy formulation and decision making.
The management of significant school program or functional areas in schools involve assistant principals in the analysis of the needs of students and the translation of state educational policy and frameworks into appropriate education programs to meet the needs of all students.
Typically assistant principals will be responsible for the effective use of the teaching staff and program budget of a defined area of the school's operation and for the oversight and leadership of the educational programs provided utilising these resources.
Typically, assistant principals perform one or more of the following functions:
Appropriately qualified individuals currently registered or eligible for registration with the Victorian Institute of Teaching.
The department is committed to diversity and inclusion and developing a workforce that is representative of the community we service. We value diversity and inclusion in all forms - culture, gender, religion, ethnicity, LGBTIQA+, disability and neurodiversity. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for roles within the Department. The Department recognises that the provision of safe, respectful and inclusive workplaces is essential to high performance and promotes flexible work and diversity across all schools and Department workplaces. It is our policy to provide reasonable adjustments for staff with disability (see Workplace adjustment guidelines).
Additional support and advice on the recruitment process is available to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander candidates from the Koorie Outcomes Division (KOD) via [email protected]
Applicants seeking part-time employment are encouraged to apply for any teaching service position and, if they are the successful candidate, request a reduced time fraction. Such requests will be negotiated on a case-by-case basis and will be subject to the operational requirements of the school.
Victorian government schools are child safe environments. Our schools actively promote the safety and wellbeing of all students, and all school staff are committed to protecting students from abuse or harm in the school environment, in accordance with their legal obligations including child safe standards. All schools have a Child Safety Code of Conduct consistent with the department's exemplar available at:
https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/child-safe-standards/policy
The department's employees commit to upholding the department's Values: Responsiveness, Integrity, Impartiality, Accountability, Respect, Leadership and Human Rights. The department's Values complement each school's own values and underpin the behaviours the community expects of Victorian public sector employees, including those who work in Victorian Government Schools. Information on the department values is available at:
https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/values-department-vps-school-employees/overview
To apply for a position at Dharra School, please submit the following through School Jobs Victoria:
To be eligible for employment, transfer or promotion in the principal or teacher class:
Details of qualification requirements as updated from time to time can be found at Recruitment in Schools.