Team Leader - Inclusion Specialists
Job No:
TCE3000
Location:
Townsville Catholic Education Office, Kirwan
Position: Team Leader - Inclusion Specialists
Commencing Date: 13 January 2025
Salary Range: $149,001 - $167,701 per annum pro rata
Tenure: Full Time, Permanent
Closing Date: Monday, 9 December 2024 unless filled prior
Townsville Catholic Education supports a diverse region extending from Townsville to the Burdekin and Whitsunday regions in the South, North to Ingham and Halifax, South-West to Winton, and West to the border with the Northern Territory, encompassing Mount Isa and several small, isolated western towns and east to Palm Island.
Townsville Catholic Education provides a supportive, flexible working environment where care for the individual is an important part of our ethos. We employ motivated people who want to work together to produce excellent outcomes for our students. Our staff are recognised as being central to achieving our mission.
About the Role
Townsville Catholic Education is currently seeking a committed and enthusiastic Team Leader - Inclusion Specialists to provide support to our schools in Townsville. This position is a Full Time, Permanent role commencing on 13 January 2025.
The purpose of the Team Leader, Inclusion Specialists role is to manage, advise and support a team of professionals dedicated to providing specialist services in support of inclusive education. This role oversees the delivery of Occupational Therapy and Speech Pathology services to schools and works collaboratively with peers to develop consistent approaches and standards to service provision whilst considering the unique context and needs of each school. The Team Leader, Inclusion Specialists will provide support to their direct reports to carry out their roles in alignment with relevant government and TCE requirements. This role acts as the point of contact for their team of specialists to support the development, implementation, and evaluation of services to assist in achieving inclusive learning environments in which all students can thrive, irrespective of their abilities, disabilities, or backgrounds.
Key Accountabilities
Strategic Direction and Planning:
Leadership, Team Management and Development:
- Supervise and coordinate the work and priorities of a designated team of Specialists to ensure the highest quality delivery of services, working alongside TCE school Principals, school leaders and staff to achieve sustainable improvements in embedding inclusive education in learning and teaching.
- Collaborate with Inclusive Education Manager and Team Leader, Inclusion and Capability to ensure consistent and effective coordination and management of the Inclusive Education function as a whole.
- Provide professional development and coaching support to team members to continuously improve team operations, services, performance, and capability.
- Assist the Inclusive Education Manager with the development of procedures and processes required for support, supervision and professional development of Specialists.
- Collaborate with the Inclusive Education Manager to identify professional development, learning and best practice needs and assist in the acquisition of resources and provision of training to support the team of Specialists.
- In conjunction with the Inclusive Education Manager, Team Leader, Inclusion and Capability and the Director, Mission and Learning, actively create an inclusive, productive and collegiate work environment that encourages professional growth and excellence.
- Promote an inclusive and collaborative environment within the Inclusive Education team, encouraging team members to share ideas, experiences, knowledge, and best practices.
Operations and Service Coordination:
- Oversee the delivery of Specialist services to schools, including speech pathology and occupational therapy support.
- Foster positive relationships with parents, families, and community organisations to promote understanding and support for inclusive education initiatives.
- Collaborate with Team Leader, Inclusion and Capability to develop ways of working to ensure consistency, efficiency and equity of service delivery and workload across the whole Inclusive Education function, with particular focus on school allocation processes, service delivery quality, communication, and professional development.
- Provide assistance to Inclusive Education team members and School Leaders where required e.g., induction of new staff, the introduction of new processes, addressing performance issues and professional relationship issues.
- Collaborate in the development of procedures and guidelines to facilitate effective service delivery to school leaders, teachers, and students.
- Provide additional support across schools during critical incidents, including at time leading case management
- Collaborate with schools to identify and provide support for students with diverse learning needs, supporting schools to cater for all students.
- Coordinate the deployment of inclusion specialists to schools, ensuring that services are aligned with the needs of each school and its students.
Quality Assurance, Review and Compliance:
- Collect and analyse data related to the impact of inclusion specialist services on student outcomes, using this information to guide improvements and adjustments to ensure services are of high quality.
- Provide regular updates and reports to the Inclusive Education Manager on team performance, challenges, and achievements.
- Ensure that the inclusion specialists' practices adhere to all relevant legislation, regulations, and standards.
- In collaboration with the Inclusive Education Manager, develop policies and procedures compliant with relevant legislative requirements, ensuring schools adopt these appropriately.
- Maintain currency with changes in standards and legislative requirements and communicate relevant updates to specialists.
- Engage with schools and other stakeholders to build positive relationships and promote the value of inclusion specialist services.
- Provide/facilitate clinical supervision support ensuring team members are fulfilling supervision responsibilities as required by SPA/AHPRA guidelines, including observations, coaching and mentoring as required.
- Review reports for new Speech Pathologists where review and co-signing of reports is required, providing feedback on accuracy, interpretation and recommendations. [dependent on incumbent]
About You
- Demonstrated experience leading and supervising a multi-disciplinary team that provides support to students and teachers.
- Highly developed interpersonal communication and human relations skills in dealing with a range of professionals including from other agencies and organisations.
- Staff/team management experience with the ability to recruit and develop staff, negotiate work priorities, and plan and coordinate work to meet multiple objectives.
- Highly developed understanding of allied health service provision in the education sector
- Proven capacity to develop and implement inclusive education programs and associated strategies and services to support the diverse needs of students.
- Demonstrated experience in forward planning and coordination to ensure work plans and agreed goals are met in a timely manner.
- Demonstrated capacity to effectively respond to sensitive and complex student issues within an ethical framework.
- Proven capability to provide professional supervision.
Mandatory Criteria
- Relevant Allied Health Qualification (e.g. Degree in Speech Pathology, Occupational Therapy or Physiotherapy)
- Professional registration with recognised professional body (SPA or AHPRA)
- Current Working with Children Suitability Card - The successful candidate will require a paid Blue Card before commencement as per the No Card, No Start policy developed by Queensland Government – exemption for AHPRA or QCT Registration.
- Current Driver’s Licence.
- Ability to travel from time to time within the Catholic Diocese of Townsville.
- Ability to perform the physical requirements of the role in a safe manner.
- Solid demonstrated experience providing leadership to, managing and coordinating a team.
Desirable Criteria
- Professional registration with recognised professional body (SPA or AHPRA)
- Post-graduate qualifications in special education and/or Inclusive Education and/or Education Leadership.
Please see the Position Description for more information.
What we offer
- Competitive Salary
- Annual Leave with 17.5% leave loading
- Salary packaging options
- Modern facilities, equipment and resources
- Access to long service leave after 7 years of continuous service
- 14 Weeks’ paid parental leave
- Deferred Salary Scheme
- Corporate health insurance
- Induction, professional development and learning opportunities
- Well-being programs and initiatives
How to apply
- Complete the application form including contact details (phone and email) of two professional referees
- Upload a cover letter addressing the experience, knowledge and skills to support the key accountabilities of the role identified in the position description
- Upload a current resume
Applications during the shortlisting phase will be kept confidential.
Applications close 3pm Monday 9 December 2024 unless filled prior.
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