Head of Secondary School

Immanuel Lutheran College is seeking an exceptional educational leader to join our Executive Leadership Team as Head of Secondary School. This is a significant senior leadership opportunity to shape the educational direction, culture and student experience of Years 7 to 12 within a thriving P to 12 College community.

The position reports directly to the College Principal and will be appointed on a five-year Executive Contract commencing January 2027.

About the role

The Head of Secondary School provides strategic, educational, cultural, pastoral and operational leadership across Years 7 to 12. As a member of the Executive Leadership Team, you will work closely with the Principal and senior leaders to translate the College's mission, vision, values and strategic priorities into an exceptional and distinctly Immanuel Secondary School experience.

You will provide executive leadership across:

- strategy, educational direction and continuous improvement
- learning, teaching and academic excellence
- student wellbeing, pastoral care, behaviour and safeguarding
- Secondary School culture, identity and student experience
- leadership, performance and development of Secondary staff
- development of high-performing and capable leadership teams
- student engagement, pathways, leadership and co-curricular experience
- operational effectiveness, resourcing, governance and risk
- relationships with students, families and the wider College community
- the authentic expression of the College's Christian and Lutheran identity.

You will be a visible and influential leader who combines strategic thinking with a genuine understanding of students, staff and community. You will lead with purpose, care and courage, establishing high expectations while building a culture in which people are known, valued, supported and challenged to flourish.

About you

You are an accomplished educational leader with the credibility, judgement and relational capability to lead a complex Secondary School environment. You bring a strategic and contemporary perspective to education while remaining deeply connected to the day-to-day experience of students and staff. You can translate vision into action, lead meaningful improvement and build alignment and accountability across leadership teams.

You are confident using evidence and data to inform decisions, comfortable navigating complex people and student matters, and able to communicate with clarity, empathy and conviction.

Importantly, you are a leader who develops others. You build trust, strengthen leadership capability,



create clarity and hold yourself and others accountable for high standards of professional practice.

You will also demonstrate an authentic commitment to the Christian ethos of Immanuel Lutheran College and contribute actively to the faith, formation and Lutheran identity of the College.

Essential

- Current registration, or eligibility for registration, with the Queensland College of Teachers.
- Appropriate teaching qualifications and significant teaching experience.
- Demonstrated leadership experience within a secondary educational setting.
- Strong contemporary knowledge of teaching, learning, student wellbeing and adolescent development.
- Demonstrated capacity to lead people, culture, organisational improvement and educational change.
- Highly developed strategic, interpersonal, communication and influencing capability.
- Demonstrated commitment to child safety, safeguarding and high professional standards.
- Demonstrated commitment to the Christian ethos and Lutheran identity of Immanuel Lutheran College.

Desirable

- Postgraduate qualifications in educational leadership, administration or a related field.
- Significant leadership experience across Years 7 to 12.
- Experience leading strategic planning, implementation and measurable organisational improvement.
- Experience within Lutheran (or faith based education institutions) education and/or Lutheran leadership formation.
- Lutheran Education Australia leadership accreditation, or a willingness to work towards appropriate accreditation.

Our College

Welcome to Immanuel Lutheran College, where every individual is empowered to thrive on their unique journey. We don't believe in a one-size-fits-all approach to learning. Instead, we focus on understanding and embracing the unique qualities of each student, striving to provide a differentiated education where the whole person is the whole point. Our goal is not just to educate but to ignite a spark of joy and confidence in every child, instilling in them a lifelong love for learning. With our College situated in a modern, bright, and airy space, we provide the perfect environment for learners to flourish. Child safety is paramount, and we actively contribute to each student's social, emotional, and spiritual growth, fostering an environment of compassion and support.





Explore more about Immanuel at www.immanuel.qld.edu.au and be part of our inspiring journey, making a lasting impact on the lives of our students every day.

Why Immanuel?

Joining Immanuel means becoming part of a values-led community that recognises the person behind the position and invests in the people who lead it.

We offer

- A competitive executive remuneration package.
- Additional employer superannuation.
- Additional leave yearly.
- Additional financial benefits.
- Apple devices provided.
- Discounted school fees.
- 14 weeks, gender-neutral paid parental leave
- A collaborative, experienced and supportive Executive Leadership Team.
- Personalised professional learning, leadership development and career growth.
- Free 24/7 Employee Assistance Program support for you and your family.
- The opportunity to play a significant role in shaping the future of the Sunshine Coast’s oldest independent school during an exciting period of growth and strategic development.

Applications

Applicants are asked to include the following in their submission through Seek:

- Covering letter outlining interest in the role and the College and a response the the below selection criteria being no longer than two pages.
- A resume clearly detailing previous roles and achievements, relevant qualifications/training and any other noteworthy projects or positions

Selection Criteria

1. Faith, leadership and culture How has your Christian faith shaped your leadership, particularly in the way you make difficult decisions, build culture and lead others? Provide an example of a difficult leadership decision that you've had to make, what you considered prior to making that decision and what you would have done differently next time.

2. Leadership, culture and accountability How do you build a culture of high support, high expectations and genuine accountability? Provide an example of where you have lifted performance at scale, including how you established expectations, developed capability and addressed underperformance.

3. Vision into reality Describe an creative idea or significant improvement you have led from concept through to implementation. What problem or opportunity were you responding to, how did you engage relevant stakeholders, and how did you translate the vision into sustained, practical action that improved outcomes for students or the broader school community?

Applications close 9am, Friday 11th of September 2026

For a confidential discussion or to learn more, please contact Cassie Collins, Director of People and Culture, at [email protected].

📌 Head of Secondary School (Buderim)
🏢 Immanuel Lutheran College
📍 Buderim