This is a permanent full-time position commencing November 2026

The Department’s Work Health Safety and Wellbeing Directorate comprises two branches: Safety and Staff Wellbeing and Employee Support Services. The Directorate is responsible for ensuring that legislative frameworks are complied with and that employees’ mental health and wellbeing are supported. It provides strategic and operational advice to the Minister, Director General, school leaders and line managers on a range of matters including:

• work health and safety (WHS)
• staff wellbeing
• employee assistance and mediation programs
• workers’ compensation
• injury management

The Role

Lead strategic workplace health safety and wellbeing initiatives that make a meaningful difference across the Department.  As Principal Consultant – Employee Support you will lead a specialist team providing strategic advice, support and services to principals, line managers and senior leaders.  You will play a key role in strengthening workplace health safety and wellbeing performance, improving injury management outcomes and building organisation capability.

Working as part of the Directorate leadership team, you will contribute to strategic planning and continuous improvement across work health safety and wellbeing. You will identify and analyse trends, strengthen reporting and inform evidence-based decision-making, using these insights to support targeted organisational improvement strategies and manage injury-related costs.

You will lead the development and continuous improvement of systems, governance and strategies that support effective injury management, workers’ compensation and WHSW service delivery. The role provides high-level advice to senior leaders, and requires the ability to lead complex projects, investigate WHS risks, develop practical risk management strategies and establish systems and processes that strengthen organisation performance.

A key part of the role is providing expert advice to senior management, schools and communities on complex and broad WHSW matters. You will build strong relationships, negotiate effective outcomes and ensure services and practices comply with relevant legislation, policies and governance requirements.

This is an opportunity to influence WHSW performance at an organisational level, combining strategic leadership, specialist expertise, data and continuous improvement to support  safer and healthier workplaces across the Department.  The successful candidate will bring strong leadership capability, sound judgement and the ability to translate complex information and risk into practical strategies, advice and sustainable improvement.

Professional Benefits

We are conveniently located in East Perth and our employees enjoy a range of benefits which include: 

• 12% employer contributed superannuation.
• Flexible working arrangements are genuinely considered to create healthy work life balance including; working from home or remote, flexible working hours and part-time arrangements
• Generous leave entitlements including annual, personal, long service and parental leave
• Professional development opportunities and study leave/assistance
• Access to salary packaging (in accordance with relevant industrial instruments) 
• Enjoy easy access to public transport with the Claisebrook train station just a 5-minute walk away or, take advantage of the free Yellow Cat bus service that stops outside our building entrance. Additionally, various CPP parking locations are within walking distance.

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 Sean Ashton Manager - Work Health Safety and Wellbeing on (08) 9264 4623 or by emailing sean.ashton@education.wa.edu.au  

Agency Referrals: Public sector agencies seeking to refer surplus employees should contact Recruitment at centralservices.recruitment@education.wa.edu.au during the advertising period. 

We are committed to building the leadership capability of our people (Building Leadership Impact).

Equity and Diversity

We are committed to an inclusive and culturally responsive workforce reflecting the diversity in our workplaces 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.
• 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.
• hold a valid ‘C’ class Western Australian Driver’s Licence
• undertake travel to metropolitan and regional schools

More information about employment eligibility can be found on our website and 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 being your current line manager.

Step 2: Attach your documents

Your application should include: 

• A CV outlining your employment history and professional learning summary relevant to this position
• A two (2) page statement addressing the following selection criteria as outlined in the attached JDF:

1. Demonstrated highly developed written, oral and interpersonal communication skills, including the ability to communicate effectively with individuals at all levels and build high-level cross-sectoral relationships.
2. Demonstrated substantial skills and experience in providing high-level advice, management, professional development and strategic direction in the management of WHS risks and effectively dealing with change
3. Demonstrated highly developed conceptual and analytical skills, with the ability to provide innovative thinking in problems solving.
4. Demonstrated highly developed policy development and project management skills.

Shortlisted applicants will have their skills and experiences in relation to the remaining selection criteria assessed in the further stages of the recruitment process.

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 4127 for assistance.

Advertised Vacancy Number: DOE1066046

Applicants assessed as suitable may be considered for similar vacancies that arise in our branch within the next 12 months. This includes circumstances where this position becomes subsequently vacant should the successful applicant decline or vacate the advertised position.

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

Applications close: 4.30pm (AWST) on Monday, 19 October 2026