The University of Notre Dame Australia Careers

National Lead of Professional Experience, School of Education

Sydney Campus
Full-time opportunity, Continuing contract

• Join a collaborative national team and influence the quality and future direction of teacher education placements.
• Join the university that takes a personalised approach to education.
• $162,401 (Level 10) + 15% superannuation

About the university

We believe in the power of education to transform lives, strengthen communities and help people become the best version of themselves. The University of Notre Dame Australia is a modern, national Catholic university that serves more than 12,000 students across its campuses in Fremantle, Broome and Sydney.

With a community of over 1,000 academic and professional staff, Notre Dame is recognised for its personalised learning environment, strong graduate outcomes and holistic educational philosophy rooted in critical thinking, ethics and the Catholic intellectual tradition.

About the office

The School of Education (Fremantle and Sydney) offers undergraduate and postgraduate teacher education programs across early childhood, primary, secondary, leadership, curriculum, special learning needs and religious education. Professional Experience is a core component, supported by strong partnerships across Australia and internationally, providing diverse placement opportunities. This high-quality program contributes to UNDA graduates being profession-ready and highly regarded by employers.

About the role

Lead the delivery and continuous improvement of Professional Experience programs across Sydney and Fremantle. Working closely with academic leaders and Professional Experience teams, this role ensures high-quality placements, supports operational excellence, and strengthens partnerships with schools and early learning centres to enhance student outcomes and graduate readiness.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for Professional Experience across Early Years, Primary and Secondary Teacher Education Programs in partnership with Senior Leadership and aligned with University priorities.
• Build and maintain strong cross sectorial partnerships with schools, prior to school centres and industry stakeholders locally, nationally and internationally.
• Ensure delivery of high-quality national and international Professional Experience aligned with University priorities and policy, and external accreditation and regulation bodies.
• Lead the development and continuous improvement of Professional Experience policies, processes and compliance frameworks.
• Oversee budgets, resource planning and operational activities related to Professional Experience placements, partners and projects.
• Represent the School of Education in sector forums and contribute to innovation in Professional Experience.
• Collaborate with academic and Teacher Performance Assessment Leads to ensure alignment between placement experiences and assessment.
• Maintain compliance with University policies, procedures and professional responsibilities.

Qualifications, skills & experience

• PhD and/or significant leadership experience in the education sector.
• Experience in primary, secondary or early childhood education (tertiary education experience desirable).
• Experience managing Professional Experience placements including the use of placement management systems such as Sonia.
• Leadership capacity to identify, build and maintain partnerships with relevant stakeholders nationally and internationally in partnership with Senior Leadership.
• Excellent leadership, communication and stakeholder engagement skills across diverse educational settings.
• Proven ability to lead multi-site teams, manage competing priorities and deliver outcomes in a fast-paced environment.

Benefits

• Ongoing training and development opportunities to help you grow and succeed in your career.
• Discounted study at the University.

How to apply

Please apply online with a resume and cover letter outlining your suitability for the role.

Applications closing date: 5 August 2026

For further information on how to apply, please visit: How to apply | Notre Dame

Applicants are expected to have current and valid work rights in Australia.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are encouraged to apply.      

The University of Notre Dame Australia seeks to increase the diversity of our workforce to better meet the different needs of the University and its stakeholders and to improve equal opportunity outcomes for our staff.

The University is committed to providing a safe, respectful and inclusive working and learning environment.

The successful candidate will be required to complete a self-declaration regarding Gender-Based Violence (as required by the National Code) as part of the pre-employment process. For more information on this please refer to our website.

Contact us

Please direct your general queries regarding this role to Marcia Rodrigues, [email protected]

Unsolicited contact from recruitment agencies will not be entertained.