Helensvale State High School is seeking an exceptional instructional leader with deep curriculum expertise and a passion for shaping whole-school teaching and learning excellence.

This Head of Department role offers the opportunity to lead significant strategic work in curriculum while driving high expectations, belonging, and engagement within one of our dynamic Learning Communities.

We are seeking a leader who is relentlessly focused on improving student learning outcomes, highly knowledgeable in curriculum design, assessment, and quality assurance, instructionally credible, visible, and influential, committed to building staff capability through coaching, collaboration, and clarity, and passionate about culture, belonging, and student success.

Job details

Strategic Portfolio Responsibilities

As a core member of the Teaching & Learning Team, the successful applicant will lead Helensvale SHS's whole-school curriculum agenda across Years 7–10, ensuring a guaranteed, viable, rigorous curriculum for every student.

As the Head of Department - Curriculum, your responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:  

Leading the Whole-School Curriculum Plan

• Ensuring full alignment to the K–12 Framework and a consistent pedagogical experience for students.
• Leading curriculum and assessment quality assurance processes across all faculties.
• Ensuring every unit, every assessment, and every learning sequence aligns with content descriptors, achievement standards, and departmental expectations.
• Strengthening continuity of learning at major junctures, including the Year 6–7 transition.
• Embedding the whole-school moderation policy with a strong focus on evidence, reflection, and consistency at all four stages of the moderation cycle.
• Building teacher and leader capability in assessment literacy, backward mapping, and curriculum design.
• Developing a proposal for embedding, tracking, and monitoring SEL dimensions, general capabilities, and cross-curriculum priorities across phases of learning.
• Leading the whole-school approach to reading, ensuring alignment to our pedagogical priorities and supporting universal, targeted, and intensive interventions.
• This portfolio requires a leader with deep curriculum knowledge, high precision, and the ability to influence practice at scale.

Learning Community Leadership Responsibilities

In addition to their strategic curriculum portfolio, the HOD will lead one Learning Community, fostering a culture of high expectations, belonging, engagement, and pride.

Key responsibilities include:

Culture, Connection & High Expectations

• Leading Learning Community activities that strengthen student culture, positive relationships, and school pride, including events, competitions, celebrations, and high-engagement activities.
• Working collaboratively with all Learning Community leaders to design and deliver high-impact, whole-school engagement programs.
• Driving staff culture and wellbeing initiatives within the Learning Community, ensuring strong relationships, connected teams, and consistency of practice.
• Actively supporting and developing Learning Community Student Leaders to strengthen student voice, strengthen participation, and promote a thriving student culture.
• Leading assemblies, communication, reward structures, and initiatives that build identity, connection, and a positive learning environment.
• Being a highly visible and relational leader, engaged with students and staff in Learning Community spaces, at break times, and during key moments across the school day.
• Setting and upholding high expectations for attendance, behaviour, engagement, and learning in close partnership with Student Success Teachers.
• This role requires a leader who balances strategic clarity with relational warmth—and who can influence both culture and practice.

We Are Seeking a Leader Who

• Has outstanding curriculum expertise and a deep understanding of high-quality teaching and learning
• Models instructional credibility and is committed to coaching others
• Strengthens systems, builds consistency, and brings clarity to complex curriculum work
• Thrives in a collaborative, high-expectation environment
• Is passionate about student growth, wellbeing, and connection
• Leads with positivity, integrity, presence, and compassion
• If you are an expert curriculum leader who wants to shape teaching and learning across a large, high-performing secondary

Interested? To Apply 

• Attach a brief resume including contact details for 2 referees (referees should be familiar with your relevant work history). 
• Attach a written statement (2-page maximum) addressing Key Capabilities 1-4 as per Role Description "How you will be assessed" section. 
• Attach a copy of the mandatory requirements outlined in the attached role description  

We welcome all applicants to share any support needed to ensure our recruitment process is inclusive. 

Applications remain current for 12 months from the closing date and may be considered for appointment to identical or similar vacancies within the Department. 

Applications from recruitment agencies will not be accepted. 

Further information

We are committed to building inclusive cultures in the Queensland public sector that respect and promote human rights and diversity.

For a full list of the position responsibilities and mandatory requirements, please ensure you download the attached Role Description and Applicant Information Package and follow the instructions.

Documents

Before applying for this vacancy please ensure you read the documents below.

• Applicant Information Package (PDF, 245KB)
  Information Package for Applicants
  
  SER671746_25T - Role Description (PDF, 179KB)
  Role Description