Deputy Executive Director, Catholic Education, Diocese of Cairns, NQ

Catholic Education Services, Diocese of Cairns

Under the leadership of the Bishop of Cairns, James Foley, the 29 Catholic schools and colleges of the Diocese educate almost 11,000 students. The Cairns Diocese encompasses 377,000 km2 from Cardwell in the south, west to the Northern Territory Border including the Atherton Tablelands, and north to the Torres Strait Islands and Gulf of Carpentaria.

Schools are clustered around the populous centres of Cairns, the Atherton Tablelands to the west and the Cassowary Coast district to the south. All schools, except the most remote school on Thursday Island and its campus on Hammond Island, are within a few hours driving time of Cairns.

Catholic Education Services

Catholic Education Services Cairns consists of twenty-nine schools including twenty primary schools, two prep to Year 12 schools and seven secondary colleges, one of which is a Special Assistance School with campuses in Cairns and Cooktown. There have been two new schools opened in 2016: a primary school in Weipa and a Prep to Year 12 School in the Mount Peter region of Southern Cairns.

The CES is committed to building communities of learning that provide a safe, nurturing and academically challenging environment for all students.

Leadership and strategic management of the system of schools is the responsibility of the Executive Director of Catholic Education. Through a team of professionals the Executive Director manages and facilitates a number of significant and particular delegations which include:

• Support of the mission of the Church as delivered through Catholic education;
• Support of schools by providing services that strengthen school capacity;
• Provision of leadership and forward planning to develop organisational capability;
• Distribution to schools of government allocated funds and their accountability;
• Monitoring of quality of schools and compliance/accountability with requirements of governments, Church and parents;
• Within limits, provision of some centralised, specialised student services, where this is the most effective and efficient approach.

Further Information

Additional information can be viewed by visiting the Catholic Education Services website at http://www.cns.catholic.edu.au/

Position Overview

Position Title:  Deputy Executive Director

Reports to:      Executive Director

Purpose of Role

The gospel imperatives are the guiding principles for all dimensions of the role and consciously living out the gospel is at the heart of the role. In this context the Deputy Executive Director:

• Strengthens school capacity to provide a quality Catholic education by leading the School Improvement Team to provide support and guidance to school leadership teams to develop and implement contemporary models and practice of effective school management.
• Supports the professional and spiritual needs of school Principals through managing the School Improvement Unit to provide mentoring, leadership, encouragement and supervision.
• As a member of the Executive Leadership Team works with Catholic Education Services personnel to build the capacity of schools to develop innovative approaches to engaging students in learning that prepares them for a fulfilled life.

These activities will be undertaken in response to policy direction from the Board of Governance (through the Executive Director), and in alignment with the Strategic Framework and the Defining Features of Catholic Schools.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

Lead the School Improvement Unit to:

• Provide leadership support.
• Provide management support.
• Actively participate in the CES leadership team.
• Support the Executive Director in reporting to Board of Governance and other authorities.
• Ensure ongoing school compliance with Legislative, Statutory and Diocesan Policy.
• Provide community engagement support
• Oversee the School Renewal process.

Location

Catholic Education Services is located at 130 Lake St (Cnr Minnie St), Cairns, Qld. While mostly based in the CES office, the position will also require time to be spent in schools.

Commencement Date

The commencement date is negotiable, but ideally for the start of the 2017 school year.

Conditions of Employment

• The salary package will be discussed as we progress through the process
• A motor vehicle is provided and able to be used for business and private purposes. A current motor vehicle driver’s license is required to travel within the diocese
• Five weeks of annual leave
• As a full time executive position, this position involves extended hours, evening meetings, overnight absence and interstate travel.
• Appointment: a five-year contract with annual review. The precise nature and range of duties will similarly evolve and develop during the course of the contract and be determined in consultation with the Executive Director
• The Diocese has a relocation policy to assist, if required
• The Working with Children (Risk Management & Screening) Act 2000 requires the preferred applicant to be subject to “working with children check” as part of the employment screening process. Further details regarding this check may be obtained by accessing the web site of the Public Safety Business Agency at the following internet address: https://www.bluecard.qld.gov.au
• A non-smoking policy is effective in CES buildings, offices, and motor vehicles.

Selection Criteria

To be successful in this role it is anticipated you will be able to demonstrate:

• The faith criteria for senior leadership positions within Catholic Education
• A strong commitment to the objectives, vision, and ethos of Catholic Education
• A minimum of 5 years of experience as a Principal within Catholic education (either primary or secondary), ideally having also operated in a leadership role within a Diocesan Education office
• Participation, innovation and research in the disciplines of school organisation and leadership development
• Registration as Teacher with Post Graduate qualifications in education or related discipline, together with a record of continuing professional development

In addition to specific knowledge and skills required for the position, all employees within the Diocese will demonstrate the following personal and interpersonal skills in the course of their duties:

• Quality Service
• Capacity to accept responsibility for own work
• Capacity to work effectively in a team
• Demonstrate excellent relational skills
• Capacity to manage change in self and others

Are you Interested in this Opportunity?

If you are interested in this role, there are two options for you to proceed:

1. If interested, but have questions requiring a response before deciding whether to progress, then either (a) telephone our Director John Chesher (0417 068 220) or (b) email our office via mail@traksearch.com or from this page of our website with your questions.
2. If and when you have enough information to start this process, then simply email us at mail@traksearch.com or from this page of our website stating your interest in this role and nominating ref number TS1346; also providing a contact telephone number.

At this stage we do NOT ask for you to labour over selection criteria or any application document – just a one-line email to Trak Search to indicate your interest in ‘Cairns Deputy Executive Director TS1346’ and providing your contact telephone number. The timeline and details for this project are outlined below. All emails and applications are acknowledged within 48 hours.

The Selection Process

Key dates are as follows:

Trak Search has been instructed to provide a process that is welcoming for people interested in this role. Significant aspects include:

• Throughout the process, Trak Search is available for confidential discussions and to provide information to allow you to explore this opportunity and determine your interest in the role.
• A range of additional information will be provided to you as we progress through this process.
• At the outset you will not be required to: complete an application form; provide a resume or lengthy, comprehensive document to address the selection criteria; or any referee details. However, you will be invited to supply us with additional information (verbally and in writing) as you progress through the process.
• A late application could be accepted, providing it does not adversely impact other applications or the schedule. Please be aware however that any application received after close of business on the date noted above is more likely to be returned to you.
• At the appropriate time (refer above) we will seek written consent to speak with referees – listing referees on your resume does not signify consent.
• We expect to contact one work related referee and a Priest referee prior to short listing, with additional references completed later in the process.  You should always expect that prior to reaching the final stage of the project, we will ask to speak with at least one person who has: directly managed you; recently; and for a significant time period.
• All information provided to Trak Search will be made available prior to short listing, in confidence, to the Executive Director unless you instruct Trak Search otherwise.

You are also encouraged to view our Collection Statement which provides details on the manner in which we collect and use information obtained from you during your engagement with Trak Search.