Head Teacher of Conservation

Head Teacher of Conservation & Land Management & Horticulture

Coffs Harbour Campus (Travel will be required)

Permanent Full-Time

$153,047 package includes salary ($135,445), employer's superannuation and annual leave loading.

At TAFE NSW, we are dedicated to life-changing impact.

That's why we offer world-class training and education that delivers the skills needed for the jobs of today and tomorrow.

Life-changing impact starts with an incredible team that sees their career as an opportunity to transform someone's world. Whether that's inspiring students, supporting each other, or helping our communities and industries flourish.

We live by TAFE NSW values: Customer First, Integrity, Collaboration, and Excellence. They define who we are, how we work and inspire our performance.

We invest in our people

At TAFE NSW, you will discover a diverse, dynamic, and collaborative environment, where you can innovate, create value, and do meaningful work.

We provide you with tools and ongoing training and professional development, health and wellbeing programs, and depending on your role, a variety of flexible working options.

About the role

As a Head Teacher of Conservation and Land Management & Horticulture you will play a pivotal role in delivering high-quality education. Your responsibilities include effective teaching, maintaining educational standards, and recruiting and developing staff. You will ensure robust student assessment practices and foster strong connections with the community, industry, and various educational teams to enhance curriculum and resources.

Additionally, you will guide and support staff on educational and administrative matters, promoting a productive work environment. Your role involves planning and implementing educational programs, managing resources efficiently, and ensuring safety and compliance with legislation. You will also advise students on their educational programs and uphold principles of equal opportunity in education and employment.

This development opportunity is open to TAFE NSW employees only. Contractors and external applicants are not eligible to apply.

About You

You are an experienced leader and enjoy working in a collaborative and innovative way to lead and develop a team. You will be required to use your strong interpersonal skills when liaising with industry and community and will utilise your sound negotiation skills when problem solving and meeting deadlines.

To be successful in this role you must:

• Hold at minimum Certificate III of Conservation & Ecosystem Management, Horticulture or equivalent tertiary qualifications in related disciplines
• Appropriate subject knowledge, skills and vocational qualifications in the discipline and a commitment to maintain technical currency
• Hold (AQF) Level 5 or higher qualification in Vocational Education and Training (VET)/ Adult Education OR
• Hold a TAE 40116 or equivalent and commit to obtaining the AQF Level 5 or higher qualification within 18 months of employment
• Meets all the Essential Requirements in the Position Description below.

To find out more about the role, click to view the Position Description.

Our commitment to Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion

We are committed to creating a culturally safe and accessible workplace where dignity, trust, respect, and the promotion of diversity and inclusion are valued, so you can safely bring your whole self to work and connect with your community through our many diverse employee networks.

If you require an adjustment in the recruitment process, please let your Talent Acquisition Advisor know.

Together we can change lives Apply now

Applications close 11.55pm (AEST) Thursday 11 September 2025

To apply for this role, click on 'apply now' and provide:

• Your current resume (PDF).
• Certified copies of your qualifications (upload as one PDF file).
• Response to one targeted question when prompted in the application form (max 300 words per response).

Targeted Question: Building an effective, high-performing delivery team and demonstrating educational leadership are key responsibilities of the Head Teacher. Describe how you have developed and managed a high performing team, including how you monitored both good and poor performance?

Adjustment enquiries: contact David Galluccio, Talent Acquisition Advisor via email on or

Role-specific enquiries: Agata Mitchell, Statewide Team Leader Conservation & Land Management, , , Mobile –

For helpful insights into preparing your application, TAFE NSW's recruitment process, and getting interview ready, read through our Application Process

This is a child-related position. A Working with Children Check is a prerequisite for anyone in child-related work. It involves a national criminal history check and review of findings of workplace misconduct.

To be eligible for positions at TAFE NSW, you need to be an Australian Citizen or Permanent Resident of Australia or a New Zealand citizen with a current New Zealand passport.

A eligibility list, valid for 18 months, may be created for this position, and position(s) of the same classification that subsequently becomes vacant, may be filled via this recruitment.

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