Eligibility requirements
Applicants must hold a tertiary qualification in Speech Pathology and be eligible for membership with Speech Pathology Australia.
The Speech Pathologists in Schools (SPiS) Program plays a key role in strengthening speech, language and literacy practices across Western Australian public schools through a Response to Intervention (RtI) approach.
We are seeking to establish a pool of Team Leaders for the SPiS Program for permanent and fixed term, full-time and part-time vacancies that may arise during 2026 and 2027 school years. Appointments may be offered at any time for vacancies that commence during this period.
This pool provides opportunities for experienced Speech Pathologists with expertise working in school settings and supporting tiered approaches to speech, language and literacy instruction and intervention. SPiS Team Leaders support Speech Pathologists and participating public schools across the Perth metropolitan area and regional Western Australia. Schools supported by the SPiS Program are primarily mainstream primary schools, with some positions also supporting education support centres (primary and secondary) and mainstream secondary schools.
Find out more about the Speech Pathologists in Schools Program here.
Role responsibilities
This role requires highly experienced Speech Pathologists who are confident providing mentoring, consultation and professional guidance to colleagues working in schools, and advising school principals. The SPiS Team Leader plays a key role in building capability across the SPiS team and strengthening speech, language and literacy practices in schools.
Key responsibilities include:
- providing line management, mentoring and clinical support to SPiS team members
- supporting team members to deliver services within a tiered service delivery model
- planning and delivering professional learning for SPiS team members and school staff
- developing resources and support materials to strengthen speech, language and literacy practices in schools
- providing consultation and strategic support to participating schools and school leaders
- liaising with participating schools and building strong relationships with external stakeholders
- supporting the Program Manager with recruitment and operational management of the SPiS team
Who this role may suit
This role may suit Speech Pathologists with substantial experience working in school settings within a Response to Intervention framework who enjoy mentoring colleagues, providing professional learning and working collaboratively with school leaders. It would be particularly suited to practitioners who have experience supporting the implementation of change across cohorts or whole-school approaches, and who are confident working consultatively with speech pathologists and school principals to strengthen tiered approaches to speech, language and literacy and improve outcomes for students.
Workload expectations
- SPiS Team Leaders support an average of at least 14 schools and six team members per 0.2 FTE (0.2 FTE equates to approximately 7.5 hours per week, or around one full workday). Workload arrangements are planned in consultation with the Program Manager to support team needs, effective service delivery, and the professional needs of the Team Leader. Typically, team members receive support approximately every 2–3 weeks, while school consultation generally occurs once per term.
- Start and finish times are flexible to accommodate the needs of team members and schools. To ensure accessibility for Speech Pathologists working in schools, Team Leaders are expected to provide after-school support on average twice per week per 0.2 FTE. This support typically occurs within the 2.30pm – 4.30pm period, for approximately 1.5 hours per session.In practice, this usually involves online meetings or consultation sessions with team members after the school day.
- Depending on school and team member availability, Team Leaders also provide support during the school day (between 8.30am and 3.30pm). Specific hours will be negotiated with the Program Manager.
- Team Leaders can nominate preferred days of availability, however some flexibility to vary days and times across the year is required to meet service needs.
- SPiS operates on the principle that required professional duties are completed within allocated work hours through effective workload planning. While flexibility in working arrangements is required, Team Leaders are not expected to undertake unpaid work.
Location
Most team member and school support occurs remotely (online), with some support provided in person, requiring travel as part of the role. During the school term, Team Leaders are based at Brabham Primary School, unless otherwise negotiated with the Program Manager. During school holidays, Team Leaders work alongside the broader SPiS team from a SPiS host school in the North Metropolitan region.
Remote work is available during both periods by agreement with the Program Manager.
Professional support
Team Leaders are line managed by the SPiS Program Manager and have access to ongoing professional learning and development.
Placement
Where permanency is offered, Team Leaders are appointed permanently to Brabham Primary School, which currently acts as the SPiS Management Partner (host school for the SPiS Program and SPiS Team Leaders). Permanent team members are based at the SPiS Management Partner wherever possible. If the SPiS Management Partner changes in the future, permanent positions may transfer with the program to the new host school. If this occurs, Team Leaders will be consulted wherever possible. While the SPiS Management Partner (employing school) may change, working arrangements will be agreed to ensure that the Team Leader’s primary working location remains within the North Metropolitan region and within a maximum travel time of 45 minutes from their home.
Want to know more?
Full details of the role, selection criteria and training requirements are listed in the attached Job Description Form (JDF).
This role is a rewarding opportunity to apply your speech pathology expertise in a school setting while contributing to system-level improvements in speech, language and literacy outcomes for students.
For more information about this opportunity, please contact Julie Woodhouse, Brabham PS (SPiS Management Partner) Principal, on (08) 9561 7700 or emailing julie.woodhouse@education.wa.edu.au.
Equity and Diversity
We are committed to an inclusive and culturally responsive workforce reflecting the diversity in our schools 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:
- hold a Bachelor of Science (Speech Pathology) or equivalent Bachelor/Masters of Speech Pathology qualification and eligibility for membership of Speech Pathology Australia
- be an Australian or New Zealand citizen, permanent resident or have a valid visa with relevant work rights for the term of the appointment.
- obtain a valid Working With Children Check before you start; and
- 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.
- undertake travel to regional areas, including overnight stays
- hold a current and valid ‘C’ driver’s licence
- own a personal vehicle for travel to metropolitan schools
Additional eligibility and training requirements are outlined 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 (1) 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 statement up to six (6) pages addressing the following selection criteria as outlined in the attached JDF.
- Demonstrated substantial knowledge and experience in speech, language and literacy (tier 1 and 2 instruction/intervention) within the context of Western Australia’s public education system and operations at a school level.
- Demonstrated ability to work in a self-directed manner to provide specialised speech, language and literacy support to educators.
- Demonstrated experience in developing, implementing and reviewing speech, language and literacy programs for students across grade levels in a school context.
- Demonstrated skills and experience in providing effective leadership and managing change in educational or other organisational settings.
- Demonstrated highly developed oral and written communication skills, including considerable experience in developing and effectively facilitating professional learning.
- Demonstrated highly developed negotiation, consultation and interpersonal skills with a proven ability to build collaborative partnerships with a range of people across settings.
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: IPS/SS1034489
The Department applies a four (4) day breach period to this selection process.
Applications close: 4.30pm (AWST) on Thursday, 30 April 2026
