This is a twenty-four (24) month fixed term, full-time position commencing February 2025
The Department of Education’s strategic directions emphasise a commitment to ensuring every child, from Kindergarten to Year 12, has access to high-quality education supported by excellence in teaching and leadership. This approach aims to meet the diverse needs of learners and prepare them for future success. Statewide Services plays a crucial role in enabling student achievement by providing targeted services and support to schools that need it most. While the primary function is to assist schools, it also has a broader system-facing role in supporting strategy and policy development to enhance educational outcomes.
Service delivery is the key interface with schools. Its purpose is to plan, coordinate and deliver targeted services that support schools and regions to improve student achievement.
The Role
The Principal Consultant Contracts is a senior advisory role responsible for facilitating, developing, and managing complex and high-risk contracts to support the Department’s strategic objectives. This role oversees the entire contract lifecycle, including procurement planning, contract formation, documentation, and evaluation, while ensuring compliance with probity and quality assurance standards. By proactively managing contracts, the consultant minimises procurement risks and maximises value-for-money outcomes. Additionally, the role provides high-level professional and strategic support for the development, implementation, and coordination of key projects, programs, and initiatives that align with current and emerging needs within the education sector.
In this role, the Principal Consultant Contracts leads and facilitates coordinated support to regions and schools, aiming to enhance student achievement and educational outcomes. The Principal Consultant Contracts engages in extensive consultation and negotiation with internal and external stakeholders, fostering effective communication and collaboration across business units to ensure integrated service delivery. Responsibilities include researching and preparing briefing papers, correspondence, project budgets, and confidential reports while maintaining strong stakeholder relationships to access diverse specialist knowledge. With a culturally responsive and context-specific approach, the Principal Consultant Contracts ensures productive and respectful engagement with all stakeholders to drive continuous improvement and successful outcomes.
Professional Benefits
We are conveniently located in Padbury and our employees enjoy a range of benefits which include:
- 11.5% employer contributed superannuation, increasing to 12% by July 2025.
- 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)
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 Clint May, Manager Service Planning and Contracts on (08) 9402 6471 or emailing clint.may@education.wa.edu.au
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 National Criminal History Check with the Department's Screening Unit.
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 of up to three (3) pages outlining your employment history and professional learning summary relevant to this position
- A four (4) page statement addressing the following selection criteria as outlined in the attached JDF:
- Demonstrated substantial knowledge and understanding of the public sector contracting framework and experience in developing and managing complex, high-risk contracts.
- Demonstrated high-level planning and organisational skills with a proven ability to plan, coordinate and deliver outcomes, on schedule, in a demanding environment and under tight timeframes.
- Demonstrated highly developed communication and interpersonal skills to build effective relationships and networks, including experience in undertaking high-level consultations, collaborations and negotiations.
- Demonstrated highly developed written communication skills, including extensive experience in the preparation of correspondence, reports, Ministerial communication, briefing notes, and the preparation of complex procurement and technical contracting documents.
- Demonstrated highly developed conceptual and analytical skills with the ability to provide innovative solutions to complex problems and issues.
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: DOE947770
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 Friday, 31 January 2025
