Occupation: Principal and assistant principal

Location: Loddon Mallee - Greater Bendigo

Reference:

Overview

The role of Assistant Principal Student Engagement (Transitions) provides strategic leadership of cohort-based student engagement systems, contributing to coordinated student support, successful transitions, participation and retention across the college. The role leads a Student Coordination Team and oversees engagement, attendance, behaviour and student support systems across allocated cohorts, and leads transition, retention and student services systems to support students entering, progressing through and exiting the college successfully. The role works with college leaders and external partners to strengthen participation, engagement and successful completion, builds leadership capability, provides line management and strengthens collaboration, accountability and continuous improvement across the portfolio.

Selection Criteria

KSC 1 - Educational leadership

- Outstanding capacity for visionary and exemplary educational leadership of a school or college.
- Highly developed skills in leading and managing change including the leadership of others in the process of change.

KSC 2 - Financial, managerial and administrative ability

- Outstanding financial, organisational and resource management skills.

KSC 3 - Planning, policy and program development and review

- Exemplary values appropriate to the development of student learning with a demonstrated capacity to achieve high quality student outcomes.
- Demonstrated ability to implement Department policies to a high level.
- An understanding of, and a commitment to, the use of learning technologies to improve teaching and learning.

KSC 4 - Leadership of staff and students

- A highly developed capacity to motivate staff, develop their talents and build an effective team.
- A clear capacity to foster a learning environment that takes account of the individual needs of students and helps students to develop their special abilities and talents.

KSC 5 - Interpersonal and communication skills

- Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills in individual, small group and community contexts.
- Exemplary values pertaining to personal qualities of objectivity, sensitivity and integrity.
- An ability to work with parents and the community to develop a strong learning environment.

KSC 6 - Local criteria

- Demonstrated capacity to lead and sustain improvement in student engagement, building the capability of others and contributing to a positive, collaborative and high-performing culture in a senior secondary environment.

Role

The Assistant Principal Student Engagement (Transitions) provides strategic leadership of cohort-based student engagement systems, contributing to coordinated student support, successful transitions, participation and retention across the college. The role leads a Student Coordination Team and oversees engagement, attendance, behaviour and student support systems across allocated cohorts. The role also leads transition, retention and student services systems to support students entering, progressing through and exiting the college successfully. As a member of the Student Engagement Team, the role contributes to the development, implementation and evaluation of student engagement, wellbeing and inclusion priorities across the college. The role works collaboratively with college leaders and external partners to strengthen participation, engagement and successful completion. The role builds leadership capability, provides line management and strengthens collaboration, accountability and continuous improvement across the portfolio. Success is realised through strong relational practice, consistent engagement systems, responsive student support and coordinated transition approaches that strengthen student participation, engagement, wellbeing, inclusion, retention and successful transition to the college.

Reporting relationships

Reports to: Assistant Principal Engagement & Wellbeing

Direct reports: Student Coordination Team, Student Services Team and BEP Student Engagement Coordinator

Responsibilities

Portfolio leadership and improvement

- Lead the implementation and continuous improvement of student engagement priorities aligned to the School Strategic Plan, Annual Implementation Plan and college improvement agenda.
- Work collaboratively with college leaders to ensure student engagement systems support participation, attendance, wellbeing, inclusion and successful completion.

Student engagement leadership

- Lead the design, implementation and continuous improvement of student engagement systems.
- Establish clear expectations,



processes and supports that promote inclusive participation, attendance, connection and successful completion.
- Monitor system effectiveness and drive continuous improvement across student engagement structures.

Attendance, participation and successful completion

- Provide strategic leadership of attendance, participation and retention systems.
- Monitor attendance, engagement and completion data to identify emerging risks and opportunities.
- Lead proactive and responsive approaches that strengthen student connection, participation, inclusion and successful completion.

Student coordination and case management

- Lead and support Student Coordination Teams to provide consistent and effective responses to student engagement needs.
- Support teachers to respond effectively to student behaviour and engagement concerns. Establish clear approaches to case management, intervention, escalation and support planning. Ensure student support processes are coordinated, timely and aligned across teams.

Advisor program and student connection

- Provide strategic leadership of the Advisor Program as a key mechanism for student connection, engagement and support.
- Establish clear expectations and priorities for the Advisor Program and ensure advisor structures, processes and practices support participation, attendance, belonging and successful completion.
- Lead professional learning and capability development for advisors in partnership with the Assistant Principal Engagement & Wellbeing.
- Ensure the Advisor Program supports the delivery of Respectful Relationships, student voice and other whole-college engagement priorities.
- Work collaboratively with Student Engagement Coordinators to strengthen consistency, accountability and effective practice across the program.

Partnerships, families and student voice

- Strengthen partnerships with students, families and carers, community organisations and external agencies to support engagement and participation.
- Promote student voice and agency in the design and evaluation of engagement initiatives.
- Foster positive relationships that strengthen belonging and connection.

Data, monitoring and continuous improvement

- Use engagement, attendance, wellbeing and pathway data to monitor performance and identify improvement opportunities.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of engagement strategies and interventions.
- Use evidence to inform planning, decision-making and continuous improvement.

Transitions and pathways engagement

- Lead transition and pathway engagement processes that support inclusive and successful entry, participation and completion.
- Strengthen engagement across key transition points, including entry to the college, movement between year levels and post-school transitions.
- Lead subject selection and course counselling processes that support informed student decision-making and pathway planning.
- Work collaboratively with feeder schools, pathways staff and external partners to support continuity of learning and engagement.

Resource and portfolio management

- Lead the effective planning, allocation and monitoring of staffing, workforce capability, funding and resources across the portfolio.
- Ensure resources are aligned to student needs, college priorities and evidence-informed practice.
- Monitor performance, evaluate impact and use data to inform decision-making, service delivery and continuous improvement.

Staff leadership and support

- Provide leadership and strategic direction for the portfolio.
- Build leadership capability, establish clear expectations and support effective performance and continuous improvement across the portfolio.
- Foster collaboration, professional trust and continuous improvement through coaching, feedback, professional learning and shared leadership.

Who May Apply

BSSC seeks applicants who embody the principles of the College's leadership capability framework and Ways of Working. Applicants should demonstrate outstanding leadership capabilities, including the ability to guide and motivate teams, exercise effective decision-making, and foster a culture of achievement and continuous improvement. Appropriately qualified individuals must be currently registered or eligible for registration with the Victorian Institute of Teaching.

Ways of working

Value people - Build positive and respectful relationships.



Recognise, support and develop the contribution of others while fostering inclusion, belonging and high expectations.

Build trust and collaboration - Work collaboratively across teams, portfolios and partnerships. Communicate clearly, follow through on commitments and contribute to shared success.

Lead with integrity and accountability - Demonstrate professionalism, consistency and sound judgement. Maintain transparent expectations and take responsibility for actions and outcomes.

Prioritise wellbeing and connection - Promote a culture of care, inclusion and belonging. Maintain a student-centred and relational approach.

Promote learning and growth - Use evidence, feedback and reflection to inform improvement. Build capability through coaching, collaboration and professional learning.

Inspire purpose and optimism - Take initiative to improve practice, culture and outcomes. Focus on solutions, innovation and continuous improvement while contributing to a culture where students and staff can thrive.

Diversity and Inclusion

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. Details of workplace adjustments guidelines are available. Additional support and advice on the recruitment process is available to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander candidates from the Koorie Outcomes Division (KOD).

Child Safe Standards

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.

DE Values

The department's employees commit to upholding the department's Values: Responsiveness, Integrity, Impartiality, Accountability, Respect, Leadership and Human Rights. Details are available on the department website.

Conditions of Employment

- All staff employed by the Department and schools have access to a broad range of employment conditions and working arrangements.
- Appointment of successful applicants will be made subject to a satisfactory pre-employment conditions check.
- A probationary period may apply during the first year of employment and induction and support programs provided.
- Detailed information on all terms and conditions of employment is available on the Department's Human Resources website.

Qualification Requirements

To be eligible for employment, transfer or promotion in the principal or teacher class:

- The person must have provisional or full registration approved by the Victorian Institute of Teaching; and
- If the person completed an Australian postgraduate level initial teaching program or course of study on or after 1 January 2024, they must demonstrate that they have satisfactorily completed a postgraduate level accredited initial teacher education program that has been accredited by an Australian State or Territory Teacher Regulatory Authority as satisfying the requirements of the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership "Accreditation of initial teacher education programs in Australia: Standards and Procedures"; and
- A person who graduated from a Victorian Initial Teacher Education (ITE) program after 1 July 2016 must also demonstrate that they have passed the literacy and numeracy test for initial teacher education (LANTITE) requirements.

Details of qualification requirements as updated can be found at Recruitment in Schools.

Location Profile

Bendigo Senior Secondary College (BSSC) is a Year 11 and 12 school located in a growing regional area. With an enrolment of 1870 students, we are the largest provider of the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE), VCE Vocational Major (VCE VM) and Vocational Education and Training (VET) delivered in schools in the state.

Additional information about the college, its programs, and facilities is available on the college website.

Applications close

Applications close Thursday 30 July 2026 at 11.59pm

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📌 Assistant Principal Range 1: Student Engagement (Transitions) (Greater Bendigo City)
🏢 State Government Of Victoria, Australia
📍 Greater Bendigo City