Director of Pastoral Care

Overview

Be among the first 25 applicants. Job Type: Permanent - Full Time. Location: Emmanuel College. Job Category: Teacher. Join a community where faith forms the foundation of everything that we do — nurturing hearts, inspiring minds and shaping people of good character. Emmanuel College is seeking an exceptional Director of Pastoral Care (Years 3-6) to join our amazing Community from 01 January, 2026.

About Emmanuel College
Emmanuel College is a co-educational, multi-denominational school with just over 1,600 students, valued by the Gold Coast community for our strong commitment to achieving educational excellence within a framework of thoughtful, intelligent and vibrant Christian faith. Located in the suburb of Carrara on the Gold Coast, Australia; Emmanuel College is situated on a beautiful nine hectare campus, providing state of the art facilities for our College curriculum, programs and community life.

Why Join Us?
Emmanuel College is a warm, welcoming community of talented, purpose-driven educators and support staff. We are committed to hiring new team members who demonstrate excellence in their chosen field, who are prepared to commit wholeheartedly to the values and ethos of our College and who confess to a personal Christian faith. We believe in the transformative power of education, and the importance of fostering a caring, faith-based community. Many of our staff have been a part of the Emmanuel team for three decades, demonstrating a deep commitment to creating a sense of belonging and inspiring thoughtful engagement with the world.

What We Offer

• Supportive and collaborative work environment
• Career development and continuous learning opportunities
• Be part of a caring faith-based community and make a meaningful impact
• A focus on well-being - Employee Assistance and Wellbeing Programs available
• A commitment to excellence – academic, sporting, arts and culture
• World-class facilities and learning spaces
• Onsite cafe serving barista coffee and food
• Staff access to gym and fitness facilities
• Live and work on the Gold Coast

Position

Director of Pastoral Care (Years 3–6) is responsible for leading the holistic wellbeing strategy for students and staff in the Junior School, fostering a culture of care and connection. This role oversees pastoral programs aligned with the College's values, supports staff in effective student management, and responds to wellbeing concerns with compassion. Key responsibilities include guiding student development, partnering with families, collaborating with staff, and liaising with external agencies to ensure a safe and supportive school environment.

Accountability & Reporting Lines

The Director of Pastoral Care (Years 3–6) is directly responsible to the Head of Junior School and ultimately to the College Principal. The role involves close collaboration with the Director of Pastoral Care (Prep–Year 2), active participation in the Junior School Leadership Team, and regular liaison with the Directors of Pastoral Care in the Senior School to ensure a consistent and aligned approach to student wellbeing across the College.

Occupational Requirements & Qualifications

• Be a registered teacher in Queensland
• Have a breadth of experience in primary schools
• Have a high level of knowledge relating to the legislative requirements around Child Safety and Wellbeing
• Have demonstrated excellence and experience in pastoral care and leadership

Personal Attributes

Every College employee must demonstrate a personal faith and commitment to Jesus Christ and are to be regularly involved with a local Christian Church. Traditional Christian values must be lived out and exhibited daily, showing consistency with our College Statement of Faith.

Education

The Director of Pastoral Care (Years 3–6) is a highly experienced educator and leader who brings deep expertise in student wellbeing, behaviour management, and Christian education. They are expected to model excellence in leadership and teaching, and to:

• Exhibit a natural ability to connect with students, building trust and rapport through genuine care and presence.
• Approach challenges with a growth mindset and a solutions-focused attitude.
• Display a strong work ethic, with a willingness to go above and beyond while maintaining a healthy balance between work, personal, and family life.
• Show a deep commitment to independent Christian education, articulating and living out a clear philosophy of Christian teaching and learning.
• Be an inspiring leader—capable of guiding, supporting staff, students, and parents with wisdom and compassion.
• Have a high level of interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills with adults and students, including the ability to listen non-judgmentally.
• Demonstrate an understanding of current and future educational trends in character education, pastoral care and behaviour management within the context of restorative practices.
• Exhibit diligence and commitment to all aspects of employment including areas such as professional presentation and behaviour, observing confidentiality expectations, approach to and completion of tasks within required timeframes.

Skills & Competencies

• Pastoral Expertise: Demonstrated understanding of contemporary research and best practice in pastoral care, with the ability to support students facing social, emotional, or behavioural challenges with compassion and insight.
• Christian Educational Philosophy: A strong grasp of Christian education principles, with the ability to integrate faith into daily practice and promote a Christ-centred culture of care.
• Leadership & Collaboration: Proven ability to lead staff, inspire students, and work collaboratively with families, colleagues, and external agencies to support student wellbeing.
• Communication & Interpersonal Skills: Highly developed communication skills, with the ability to build trust and connection across a diverse school community.
• Strategic Wellbeing Leadership: Capacity to design, implement, and evaluate innovative wellbeing programs, including contributions to a whole-of-College Strategic Wellbeing Framework.
• Behaviour Support & Restorative Practice: Skilled in guiding staff through restorative approaches to behaviour management and supporting classroom engagement.
• Administrative & Operational Support: Assists in the day-to-day running of the Junior School, including student conduct, uniform standards, and campus presentation.
• Program Development: Leads social-emotional learning initiatives, student leadership programs, and contributes to the Faith and Culture and Compass Learning programs.
• Transition & Continuity: Works closely with the Deans of Year 6 and 7 to ensure smooth student transitions from Junior to Senior School.
• Technology & Data-Informed Practice: Competent in Microsoft tools and College systems, with the ability to use data effectively to inform pastoral care strategies, monitor student wellbeing trends, and support evidence-based decision-making.
• Policy & Compliance: Familiar with College policies and Workplace Health & Safety procedures and committed to upholding them.
• Event Coordination & Child Protection: Plays a key role in organising major school events and serves as a Child Protection Officer within the Junior School, leading and informing staff in matters relating to Child Safety and Wellbeing.

Duties And ResponsibilitiesCulture and Pastoral Care

• Maintain an active and frequent presence in the Junior School including classrooms, playground, camps, carnivals, special events and the day-to-day life of the Junior School.
• Lead and empower the Junior School teachers to provide high quality pastoral care and behaviour management of the Junior School students.
• Ensure the implementation of appropriate pastoral care and effective measures for ensuring student behaviour (e.g. uniforms, hair, personal presentation, language, litter-free and graffiti-free environment).
• Participate in the student leadership processes and support the growth of student leaders in the implementation of their portfolios.

Operations

• Be willing to teach for up to 0.2 of their FTE.
• Be willing to coach a sports team throughout the year.
• Implement and maintain pastoral care frameworks, including the College Compass and Community Focus programs, to support student wellbeing.
• Manage and monitor the School Pastoral Records system to track and respond to wellbeing concerns.
• Coordinate referral pathways for student support, working closely with teachers, chaplains, learning support staff, and external agencies.
• Lead and oversee year-level camps, excursions and incursions relating to wellbeing, ensuring they align with pastoral and developmental goals.
• Use the Class Creator database to support balanced class placements for the upcoming school year.
• Collaborate with the Director of Pastoral Care (Prep–Year 2) to plan and deliver whole Junior School events and assemblies.
• Manage the Junior School Captain selection process and provide ongoing mentoring and leadership development for student leaders.

Development – Professional And Other

• Demonstrate a willingness to contribute to the spiritual growth and fellowship of the Emmanuel community
• Comply with all College policies and QCT/AITSL Professional Standards
• Demonstrate a commitment to ongoing personal growth and professional development, including in information technology, by diligently undertaking courses and learning opportunities provided or required by the College, as well as through personal initiative.

Other Responsibilities

• Regularly attend Staff Devotions, Worship and Chapel Services, including the Principal's Briefings
• Attend staff meetings, Parent/Teacher Meetings and interviews
• Maintain confidentiality of school matters
• Be aware of and adhere to the requirements of the Child Protection Policy, College Work Health & Safety and other College policies and procedures as found on Schoolbox (the College intranet)
• Perform all other reasonable duties in line with this role as directed from time to time.

The employment pack for the role can be found here.

Seniorities

• Director

Employment type

• Full-time

Job function

• Other
• Industries: Primary and Secondary Education

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