Department of Education

The Victorian Department of Education and Training is regularly recruiting Executive Class Principals in schools across the state. Please check this page regularly for opportunities to be a part of an ambitious and future-focused education system. 

Differentiated Support for School Improvement (DSSI)

The Differentiated Support for School Improvement (DSSI) program is an innovative and exciting program comprising four initiatives that are each tailored to meet the specific improvement needs of Victorian schools. The initiative forms part of a state-wide reform to lift Victorian government schools that require a boost in support to take Victorian government schooling from good to great. The initiatives provide school-based support to build teacher and school leadership capability, and contribute to building a system that provides every student with the knowledge, capabilities and attributes that will see the thrive throughout their lives. 

Executive Class Principals 

DSSI Executive Class Principals are highly experienced school principals with a track record of working in challenging schools and having a strong and positive impact on school structures and performance. There are two types of Executive Class Principals funded by the DSSI program. These roles are: 

• as part of a Leadership Partners team
• as a school-based Executive Class Principal 

Leadership Partners

Leadership Partners is an initiative that leads the provision of appropriately targeted support for participating schools to accelerate their improvement practices. Each Leadership Partner team consists of two leading teachers and an Executive Class Principal. The Leadership Partners team works flexibly across a limited number of schools to meet each school’s unique improvement needs.

Led by the Executive Class Principal, Leadership Partners take a collaborative, capability building approach to working with the leadership teams and teachers in schools to enable improvement that is sustainable and ensures school ownership of improvement.

A Community of Practice and DSSI professional learning will support the Executive Class Principal and their Leadership Partners team in:  

• change management 
• the Department’s school improvement framework 
• providing opportunities for participants to self-determine their professional learning.

School-based Executive Class Principals 

School-based Executive Class Principals lead and manage the planning, delivery, evaluation and improvement of the education of all students in the school community. A key aspect of this role is to build the capability of teaching staff to become leaders within the school and engage in best practice teaching and learning. A Community of Practice and any school-based professional learning will support the school-based Executive Class Principal to develop a culture of outstanding teaching and learning.   

The role

The DSSI Executive Class Principal role is an opportunity for the successful candidate to lead strategic and practice change within schools and across the Victorian government school system by: 

• strengthening schools’ Annual Implementation Plans (AIPs) by modelling evidence-based, best practice planning processes
• developing relational trust with school leaders and teachers to support cultures of challenge, collaboration and continuous improvement
• building the capability of the schools’ leadership teams through observations and feedback, mentoring and coaching, and data-driven enquiry in areas aligned to each school’s improvement goals
• demonstrating system leadership through mentoring and developing future leaders, strategic planing, communities of practice with other school leaders and strong technical leadership. 

The ideal candidates

The Department is looking for experienced principals who: 

• have a comprehensive understanding of contemporary issues and challenges faced by schools and school systems  
• can demonstrate the ability to manage and improve teaching quality and create positive learning cultures at all levels of a school 
• can lead innovation in schools and share this innovation with other school leaders to contribute to wider system improvement 
• have implemented successful change management processes in schools with challenges or unique needs
• establish strong teams and partnerships and work well with others