NSW DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING
POSITION DESCRIPTION
POSITION DETAILS
Position Title:
School Education Director
Reports to:
Regional Director
Location:
Various regions throughout NSW
PRIMARY OBJECTIVES
Provide decisive and strategic leadership to ensure the delivery of timely and high
quality educational support to schools in the region to achieve successful outcomes
of programs and services to students.
Lead the provision of quality education to meet the present and future educational
needs of students and to enhance community confidence in the quality of public
education.
Provide strategic leadership to principals and schools in the region to support and
monitor the implementation of government priorities including achieving high
standards and equity of student outcomes.
Provide timely and accurate advice to senior officers, the Director-General and the
Minister.
Promote public education to the broader community.
REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS
The School Education Director reports directly to the Regional Director and is
responsible for the performance of approximately 30 schools. The School Education
Director is the line manager for the principals of their schools.
The School Education Director works closely with a number of regional support staff,
who report directly to the Regional Director, in addition to CEOs and teaching and
learning teams to address identified needs in schools.
ORGANISATIONAL ENVIRONMENT
The Department of Education and Training is an innovative organisation focused on
provision of service to the community through the delivery of quality education and
training.
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It is the role of senior staff in the department to lead the development of an
organisational culture which is focused on the work of staff in schools and TAFE
Institutes. Senior staff serve and support students, staff and the community; promote
the development of key relationships and values; and work collaboratively with
interest groups. They also value team work, problem solving and strategic issues
management; and promote the significant role of education and training for the social
and economic future of NSW.
More than 1.5 million students (in schools, TAFE and ACE) in NSW benefit from the
services of the Department of Education and Training. To achieve this, the
department has a recurrent budget of approximately $12.4 billion and a workforce of
over 96,000 FTE. Its size and capacity for coordination provide opportunities to
integrate the provision of education and training in ways that had not been possible
traditionally.
The challenges and opportunities facing the department are immediate and
significant. Success depends on providing quality support to teachers in schools,
TAFE Institutes, communities and industries; ensuring that high quality learning and
teaching are everyone’s central focus; providing students with the knowledge,
understanding, skills and values for productive and rewarding lives; and providing
vocational education and training of the highest quality. This ongoing focus is needed
to meet the needs and aspirations of the community and industry, and to implement
government initiatives in the provision of educational technology.
The Department of Education and Training will meet these challenges and
opportunities by strengthening its focus on support for teaching and learning; leading
the growth of the market position of public schools; ensuring accountability to the
Government and community; and implementing an ethos of customer service
throughout the department. The department is committed to promoting public schools
and TAFE and the teachers who work in them; and creating harmonious and
productive relations with the teaching profession (and those who represent its
members), the community and industry.
Rapidly changing information and communications technology provides further
opportunities for the Department of Education and Training to apply and adapt work
practices to e-business, online curriculum, flexible delivery of services and products,
and strategic use of executive information to inform corporate and educational
decisions.
Provision of high quality public education and training requires the concerted effort of
every senior officer of the department. These efforts require close alignment of policy
and support through the department’s directorates and portfolios with the needs of
schools and TAFE Institutes.
The staffing environment of the Department of Education and Training is diverse and
complex. Staff are employed under a number of Acts of Parliament, with the majority
being covered by the Teaching Service Act 1980 and the Public Sector Employment
and Management Act 2002 (this includes staff employed under Chapter 1A of the
Public Sector Employment and Management Act 2002 in the Department of
Education and Training, or the TAFE Commission Division, to enable the TAFE
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Commission to exercise its functions). Every senior officer of the department will
ensure that all staff, regardless of the awards governing their employment, are
committed to the corporate priorities.
The Schools portfolio has responsibility for supporting high quality teaching and
learning in all schools across the state.
The major role of the School Education Director is to provide decisive and strategic
leadership to ensure timely and high quality education support to schools through
effective delivery of programs and services.
This includes leading, directing and supervising the work of schools in their area of
responsibility so that schools achieve high standards, continued school improvement
and equity of student outcomes.
The culture of continuous school improvement will reflect best practice in teaching,
learning, leadership and management.
The School Education Director must also develop regional staff under their
supervision to ensure the delivery of high quality support to schools in teaching and
learning.
The School Education Director is integral to the educational processes of the region
and is one of the region’s senior educational leaders.
The School Education Director has clear line management responsibility for schools
in their designated, operational area and will lead the implementation of effective,
transparent and rigorous accountability and reporting frameworks.
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES
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Provide strategic advice and support to the Regional Director and participate
in the planning and management of the provision of the delivery of public
education within the region.
Provide educational leadership for schools and principals ensuring student
performance standards are achieved.
Supervise and report on the performance of schools, consistent with the
elements of the development and accountability framework for NSW public
schools.
Work closely with schools, CEOs and teaching and learning teams to address
identified needs in schools.
Ensure responsive quality service delivery to staff, parents and to the local
community.
Ensure principals are accountable through the effective implementation of the
PARS process.
Ensure schools’ accountability for devolved professional development and
other targeted funds.
Endorse school plans which will incorporate school improvement targets.
Develop and maintain effective relationships with staff, parents, unions,
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community groups, business, special interest groups, other government
agencies and education sectors.
Promote public education within the broad community.
Manage delegated regional programs and policy areas including whole of
government projects and community solutions programs.
Ensure effective delivery and management of delegated regional resources.
Monitor education audit and financial audit outcomes for schools within the
region.
Facilitate innovative programs to ensure students’ effective transition through
primary and secondary education.
Support the development and implementation of whole of government
initiatives within the region.
Provide high level advice and exercise sound judgement in the management
and resolution of emergent and contentious issues.
Contribute to continuous safety improvement by promoting OH&S policies,
implementing safety strategies in consultation with stakeholders, ensuring
compliance with OH&S legislation and managing risk in all areas of
responsibility.
Commitment to ethical practices, EEO and to the principles of Cultural
Diversity.
INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS
School Education Directors are integral members of the regional senior management
team and report to the nominated Regional Director. They are responsible for
approximately 30 schools and have regular interaction with the teaching and learning
teams.
The School Education Director works closely with and provides leadership to
principals. They are responsible for monitoring the implementation of Government
policies and programs to improve school performance and student outcomes.
The School Education Director liaises closely with the Regional Director and State
Office directors in the implementation of system priorities. The School Education
Director also provides feedback from schools to the Department’s senior
management to provide advice about policies and service delivery and to inform
policy development.
The role has a high profile at the local level and is responsible for developing and
enhancing relationships with key interest groups. The School Education Director has
significant local relationships with other Government agencies, local and Federal
members of Parliament, the Aboriginal Education Consultative Group, ethnic
’ councils, professional
associations, special interest and lobby groups and unions.
The relationship with these groups includes: consulting on the implementation of key
educational priorities; promoting Government initiatives, Departmental programs and
public education generally; increasing the standing and status of teachers;
developing local level partnerships; and resolving sensitive issues.
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CHALLENGES AND CONSTRAINTS
The School Education Director must lead and support schools to implement a range
of Government initiatives to improve performance and student outcomes.
The School Education Director will require a thorough understanding of Departmental
policies, a sound and sensitive understanding of schools and school communities, an
in depth knowledge of the operation of Government, astute judgement and the ability
to identify potential and actual difficulties and to provide advice on solutions
consistent with Government policy.
The School Education Director must be able to explain, interpret, promote and inspire
confidence in Government policy to key stakeholders in the community. The School
Education Director must be able to manage disputes at the local level which may
involve a number of people including staff, the union and members of the community.
The politically sensitive, diverse, complex and urgent nature of many of the issues
dealt with require the School Education Director to have astute judgement and to
have the capacity to think strategically and operate within a tight timeframe.
DECISION MAKING
Within the context of Government commitments and the Department’s statewide
policy framework, the School Education Director:
 Is accountable to the Regional Director and provides strategic decision making
to ensure the appropriately prioritised delivery of timely and high quality
educational support to schools in the region to achieve successful outcomes
of programs and services to students
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Is responsible for approximately thirty schools.
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Has considerable autonomy in managing local issues and represents the
Department at the local level and, when appropriate, at state and across
regions
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Is accountable for the formulation, integrity and reliability of expert advice and
recommendations to the Regional Director and other senior staff, based on
professional judgement and expertise, options and implications
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Has financial delegation for up to $75,000 in budget areas.
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KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED
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Detailed knowledge of contemporary strategic issues in education and
training with particular emphasis on the provision of teaching and learning
in school settings.
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Demonstrated skills in the successful management of organisational,
program and cultural change.
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Experience in project and resources management and in the development
of educational policies, practices and strategies, particularly in the context
of a complex and diverse organisation.
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High quality analysis, research, planning and advisory skills, combined with
creative problem-solving skills.
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Outstanding oral and written communication and interpersonal skills for
consulting key stakeholders and for leading, motivating and influencing
Departmental staff.
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Tertiary qualifications in a relevant discipline, such as education,
educational administration and/or management, or equivalent knowledge
and experience.
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Capacity to lead staff in implementing the Department’s Aboriginal
education policies and to ensure quality outcomes for Aboriginal people.
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Knowledge and understanding of Equal Employment Opportunity, Ethical
Practice, Ethnic Affairs Priorities Statement, and Occupational Health and
Safety.
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