From Term 3: Accommodation, Remote Allowance, Flights, Courses.
A Central Desert school is seeking an experienced and culturally responsive educational leader to join its school leadership team as Senior Teacher - Learning in Country. This fixed term 12-month contract is a rare opportunity to lead a program built on genuine partnership with Warlpiri elders and staff, taking students out on Country to learn language and culture, while driving real gains in engagement and outcomes back at school. You will lead and grow a team of around seven - including senior Warlpiri educators, LinC coordinators and casual support staff - and take on the trust of managing a significant community grant that funds the program. This is a unique opportunity to be part of the school leadership team, at the heart of one of Central Australia's most significant bilingual and bicultural education programs.
The school caters for students from Preschool to Year 12 across two adjacent sites, including a Child and Family Centre for children from birth to school age. The school works in genuine partnership with Warlpiri elders and the Yuendumu community, using bilingual approaches and Warlpiri knowledge, language and culture as the cornerstone of teaching and learning. The Learning in Country (LinC) Program takes this further, running regular bush trips on Warlpiri Country where students learn language, culture and Country directly from elders, guided by the NT Indigenous Languages and Culture Curriculum and the Warlpiri Theme Cycle.
As Senior Teacher - Learning in Country, you will be a member of the school leadership team, leading the development, implementation and monitoring of the LinC program across the school. You will guide teaching teams in planning, delivering, assessing and reporting on the program, and apply strong coaching skills to build whole-school capability in using data and sound pedagogy in LinC classrooms. You will lead a team of around seven - two senior Warlpiri educators, two full-time LinC coordinators, and four to five casual staff supporting teaching, learning, logistics and procurement for bush trips. A core part of the role is managing the expenditure of a substantial grant the school receives from the community to fund the program, and reporting to funders to demonstrate the money is spent in line with grant requirements. You will need a strong working knowledge of school and departmental WHS procedures, and the judgement to apply them practically in a remote, on-Country context. As a member of the leadership team, you will also commit to the whole school improvement plan and help build the skills and practice of staff across the school.
The community is a Warlpiri community around 300km from Alice Springs, on the edge of the Tanami Desert. This is a role for someone who genuinely loves being out bush - real camping and time spent on Country are part of the job, not a break from it. It calls for physical resilience as well as professional strength, and a deep respect for Warlpiri culture, language and ways of teaching and learning.
This is a full-time, fixed-term position starting as soon as possible and running through to 18 June 2027 (covering a period of approved study leave), with the possibility of extension by mutual agreement.
Benefits
The school will provide the following benefits -