Learning Alliance Leader - Multiple Positions Available

About the Department

The Department leads the delivery of education and development services to children, young people and adults both directly through government schools and indirectly through the regulation and funding of early childhood services, non-government schools and training programs.
Information about the structure of the Department, including details about each of our Ministers, key staff, regional offices, strategy and annual reports are available at: http://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/department/Pages/default.aspx
 

Role Context

Schools and Regional Services comprises 17 Areas within four regions across the state, as well as 5 central Divisions. The responsibilities of Schools and Regional Services include:

•  service delivery including performance, contract management, funding delivery and acquittal
• program implementation including detailed implementation planning and delivery
•  local area engagement, advice, support and partnerships
• workforce capability development, professional practice leadership and delivery
•  emergency management including critical incident response
• supporting strong regional partnerships with early childhood services, schools and other education providers to deliver high-quality services and outcomes with a 0-18 focus.

The regional model is designed to: 

• connect between central government policy and the delivery of high quality services to Victorians
• drive outcomes across all stages of learning through expert advice and support
• connect with families, service providers, schools and communities
• lead, collaborate and partner at a local level to overcome social and economic challenges facing our communities, towns and cities
• deliver health, wellbeing and support services to children, young people and their families to assist them in their learning and development
•  improve connectedness and transitions between important points in a child¿s life - such as between early childhood, kindergarten, school and tertiary education
•  assist and support children and young people who are vulnerable, disengaged, and those with disabilities or challenging behaviour.

Career Start

High quality graduate induction can accelerate the development of graduate teachers¿ professional practice and support their wellbeing. This supports graduate teacher retention and stronger student outcomes. 

Career Start is a structured program for graduate teachers which aims to improve their experience as they are inducted into the teaching profession. Between 2021 and 2023, Career Start was successfully piloted in primary and specialist school settings in three department areas. The Victorian government has invested $95.7 million to expand the program to the majority of the 17 department Areas by 2025. 

Career Start is designed to give Victorian graduate teachers an early career experience that reflects international best practice. The program helps graduate teachers flourish in their first years in the classroom through:

• time release from face-to-face teaching to engage with induction supports
•  a dedicated mentor to accelerate the development of their teaching practice
•  networking opportunities within local Learning Alliances led by a dedicated Learning Alliance Leader
• professional learning to develop professional practice, professional identity and support wellbeing. 

Career Start is delivered through a partnership between central and regional teams. A central team holds the overall policy and program design, while regional teams implement the program with a focus on contextual responsiveness.    
 

KSC 1 - Victorian Public Sector Values as detailed in Organisational Values section above
KSC 2 - Demonstrated understanding of high-quality teaching, mentoring and coaching practice, and ability to apply mentoring and coaching skills to build the capabilities of graduate teachers¿ mentors
KSC 3 - Demonstrated ability to lead the design, facilitation and continuous improvement of high-quality professional learning
KSC 4 - Highly effective stakeholder engagement and influencing skills
KSC 5 - Demonstrated ability to contribute to a high-performing team
 

As a Career Start Learning Alliance Leader (LAL) you will draw on your own teaching expertise, your ability to build relationships and your skills in developing others to support schools to effectively induct graduate teachers into the profession. 

You will work with a group of school-based mentors, across one or more schools, building their capability and providing them with evidence-informed guidance to improve their support to graduate teachers. You will use the insights from this work to inform the design of Learning Alliance meetings, which you will facilitate for a group of graduate teachers. You will also facilitate area-wide professional learning workshops.  

Reporting to the region's Career Start Manager, LALs responsibilities include: 

•  building the capability of mentor teachers to mentor graduate teachers, including through observation, feedback and advice
• facilitating professional learning workshops to graduate teachers and their mentors to build graduate and mentor capability
•  preparing and facilitating alliance meetings for graduate teachers and their mentors
• visiting schools to provide additional support/resources for graduate teacher induction, including supporting the implementation of graduate time release
•  project management, monitoring and reporting to support program delivery
   

After completing this role, Learning Alliance Leaders return to schools and continue to build capability and system understanding. 
Travel is a requirement of this role.

Travel is a requirement of this role.

Capability building

Support schools leaders and mentor teachers to effectively induct graduate teachers 
Deliver online and face-to-face professional learning workshops to graduate teachers and their mentors
Lead the delivery of a Learning Alliance
Build the capability of mentor teachers to effectively mentor and support graduate teachers
Build the capability of graduate teachers¿ professional practice and wellbeing

Stakeholder communication and engagement

Build effective relationships with schools to initiative and implement the Career Start program 
Support and foster change within an Area, including through the exchange of information, and through proactive advocacy for the importance of high quality graduate teacher induction for teacher retention and student outcomes
Collaborate with other Central, Regional and Area staff to support schools to effectively implement Career Start

Specialisation - Planning for the learning and development system (Prioritise, plan and manage for results)

Maintain accurate records, and monitor and report on program delivery
Capture and document lessons learned to support continuous improvement
Act on opportunities for continuous improvement to ensure high-quality program delivery
Problem solve effectively to maximise the program¿s impact

Required Qualifications:

• Relevant qualification in education 
• Current VIT registration

Desirable Qualifications:

• Current Driver's License

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.

The Department of Education is committed to the principles of equal opportunity, and diversity and inclusion for all. We value diversity and inclusion in all forms - gender, religion, ethnicity, LGBTIQ+, 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 family friendly, supportive, safe and harassment free workplaces is essential to high performance and promotes flexible work, diversity and safety across all schools and Department workplaces. It is our policy to provide reasonable adjustments for persons with a disability (see Workplace adjustment guidelines).

Additional support and advice on the recruitment process is available to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islanders from the Koorie Outcomes Division (KOD) via *******@education.vic.gov.au

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

• Multiple positions are available
• Applicants should keep a copy of the position description as it cannot be accessed once the job has closed.
•  Applicants are required to submit a CV and a cover letter (Selection Criteria no more than 2 pages).
•  Visit http://www.careers.vic.gov.au/vacancies/tips-for-applying for guidelines and tips for applying for government positions and addressing key selection criteria.
• The Department of Education (DE) is committed to diversity. The Department places considerable effort and resources into responding to the needs of employees with a disability. People from disadvantaged groups are encouraged to apply for this position.
• Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander applicants can contact Brett West, Yamatji man, in the Koorie Outcomes Division to talk about the recruitment process, the Department and supports for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people in the department. Mobile: 0477 726 *** or email on: **********@education.vic.gov.au.  
• Successful applicants are subject to a satisfactory criminal record check prior to employment. New DE employees are required to meet the cost of the criminal record check.
• If appointed from outside DE, successful applicants will be required to complete a pre-employment health declaration.
• A probationary period of up to 6 months may apply for a person appointed to an ongoing position from outside the Public Service or the Teaching Service.
• All DE employees are required to comply with relevant legislation, including legislation regarding the management of Departmental records, the Code of Conduct for Victorian public sector employees and Departmental policies and procedures in the conduct of their employment.
•  Standard public service terms and conditions apply. Information about DE's operations and employment conditions can be obtained from the following websites: www.education.vic.gov.au and www.education.vic.gov.au/hrweb.
• This position functions as a temporary transfer of staff from schools to regions at the leading teacher level working under corporate conditions (i.e. four weeks annual leave pro rata).
• To support DE's commitment to its Environmental Management System, DE employees are expected to act in an environmentally responsible manner at all times.

• 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 at http://www.education.vic.gov.au/hrweb/Pages/default.aspx