Associate Principal

This is a 5 month fixed term, full-time position commencing Term 4, 2026 with possible extension (9 months) and/or permanency

The School of Special Educational Needs: Sensory (SSEN: S) provides educational support for children with hearing loss, vision impairment or dual sensory loss. The staff strive to meet the individual needs of learners by providing educational support for children and students while supporting schools to provide fully accessible learning environments, curriculum, and school communities. Educational support is available across the public school and non-government system, from birth to Year 12. As a state-wide specialist service, SSEN: S is part of a network of specialist schools which operate under the Statewide Services pillar of Service Delivery.

Find out more about our school by visiting SSENS - School of Special Educational Needs: Sensory or Schools Online

The Role

The Associate Principal would play a pivotal role in supporting the SSEN:S leadership team to enact and drive system priorities and ensure the delivery of high-quality, inclusive teaching and learning. This includes leading with agility in a complex statewide context, empowering staff, facilitating targeted professional learning, and fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, and professional excellence.

Working in partnership with the Principal and leadership team, the Associate Principal should provide strong educational leadership that builds shared ownership of the SSEN:S vision, values, and goals. The role calls for a leader with a proven ability to develop and sustain effective educational partnerships and professional relationships across diverse contexts, ensuring responsive and coordinated support to schools, students and statewide educational stakeholders.

The successful applicant will ideally display expertise in leading improvement through evidence-informed decision-making and adaptive change strategies. A key component of the role involves leading a team of specialist staff delivering quality teaching and learning. Experience working with students with disability, hearing loss, vision impairment, or dual sensory loss is highly desirable.

This position is based at Padbury Statewide Services, with service hubs located across the metropolitan area and regional Western Australia. The successful applicant may be required to travel as needed and should hold and maintain a current WA driver’s licence.

Want to know more?

Full details of the role, selection criteria and training requirements are listed in the attached Job Description Form (JDF).

For more information about this opportunity, please contact Samantha Branch, Associate Principal on (08) 9402 64***or ***************@education.wa.edu.au

Equity and Diversity

We are committed to an inclusive and culturally responsive workforce reflecting the diversity in our schools and the Western Australian community. We welcome and encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, young people, people of diverse sexualities and genders, people with disability, and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. 

Explore our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Plan 2021-2025 for more details.

Eligibility

To work with us, you must:

• be an Australian or New Zealand citizen, permanent resident or have a valid visa with relevant work rights for the term of the appointment.
• obtain a valid Working With Children Check before you start; and
• consent to a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check and obtain a current Screening Clearance Number issued by the Department of Education’s Screening Unit before you start.

Additional eligibility and training requirements are outlined in the attached Job Description Form (JDF).

Application Instructions

Apply online in two easy steps:

Step 1: Select Apply for Job

Complete the online application form, including details of two (2) work related referees, preferably one (1) being your current line manager.

Step 2: Attach your documents

Your application should include:

• A CV of up to three (3) pages outlining your employment history and professional learning summary relevant to this position; and
• A four (4) page statement addressing the selection criteria as outlined in the attached JDF
  • Demonstrated capacity to manage physical and financial resources and to contribute to the delivery of high quality services and initiatives in an educational environment.
  • Demonstrated knowledge of current policy and highly developed skills and experience related to children with special educational needs, evidence-based pedagogy, unified and responsive service, change management, staff development and school improvement initiatives.
  • Demonstrated highly developed organisational, conceptual and analytical skills with capacity to apply complex concepts in support of service improvement and policy and program development.
  • Demonstrated highly developed communication, networking, teamwork and interpersonal skills, including the ability to liaise effectively with a wide range of people within the education community and a variety of other contexts.

It is recommended you have your attachments ready before selecting Apply for Job.

Your application must be received before the closing date and time. Late applications will not be accepted.

For technical support submitting your application, you can call the Department of Education’s Recruitment team on (08) 9264 41***for assistance.

Advertised Vacancy Number: SS/DP1062440

Suitable applicants may be considered for similar vacancies arising within the next 12 months following this selection process. This may include circumstances where the successful applicant declines or vacates the position.

The Department applies a four (4) day breach period to this selection process.

Applications close: 4.30pm (AWST) on Wednesday, 2 September 2026.