Head of People and Culture

Queensland's Leading Regional School

Whitsunday Anglican School is an independent, co-educational day and Boarding School from K - 12, situated in the beautiful surroundings of tropical Mackay and the Whitsunday region. The School provides a balanced education that is focused on academic excellence and personal growth through cocurricular, spirituality, and community service.

The School offers a first-class education with a proven history of outstanding student outcomes and staff development.

About the role

Join a dynamic and values-driven independent school community as our next Head of People and Culture. Reporting direct to the Principal, this executive leadership position plays a pivotal role in shaping a positive, inclusive, and high-performing workplace culture that supports excellence in teaching and learning.

As a key member of the Executive Leadership Team, you will lead the strategic direction of all people functions across the school, including recruitment and retention, professional learning, performance development, wellbeing, human resource compliance, and workplace relations. You will work collaboratively with leaders across the school to foster an engaging environment where staff feel valued, supported, and empowered.

We are seeking an experienced Human Resources professional who brings strategic insight, emotional intelligence, and a genuine passion for people and education. You will be adept at building trusted internal and external relationships, guiding change, and embedding best-practice Human Resources systems that align with the School's Mission, Vision and Values.

This is an outstanding opportunity for a people-focused leader to make a meaningful impact within a progressive educational setting.

Qualifications

• Current Working with Children Blue Card or ability to obtain one
• Diploma or a Bachelor degree in Business Management, Leadership or Human Resources (highly desirable)

Key Accountabilities

• Provide strategic leadership of the People and Culture function as part of the Executive Leadership Team.
• Drive initiatives that enhance staff engagement, wellbeing, and professional growth.
• Lead workforce planning, recruitment, onboarding, and retention strategies.
• Oversee performance development, Human Resources compliance, and employee relations matters.
• Advise on and further develop Human Resources policies, industrial relations matters, and best-practice workplace processes.
• Build leadership capability and support a culture of collaboration, respect, and continuous improvement.
• Partner with external stakeholders and universities to attract high-quality candidates.
• Prepare workforce and culture reports for the Principal and Board to inform decision-making.

Candidate Profile:

You are an experienced and strategic Human Resources professional or a professional ready to take the next step into a Head of People and Culture role. You bring a proven track record in contemporary Human Resources practices and driving positive workplace culture within a complex organisation. Experience in the educational sector will be highly regarded.

Your experience enables you to provide confident advice on all aspects of people management — from recruitment and performance development to employee relations and wellbeing.

You are collaborative, values-driven, and able to build trusted relationships at every level of the organisation.

You will have excellent verbal and written communication skills, a warm friendly manner and an ability to build repoire.

You will thrive in a busy fast-paced environment, be able to multitask and meet deadlines while working as a calm and effective team member.

Importantly, you will have the capacity to maintain confidentiality, show discretion and use initiative with an eye for detail, and a staff service focus.

If you are ambitious this Head of People and Culture role is for you.

Expressions of interestshould be addressed to the Principal, Mr Andrew Wheaton through the SEEK website or direct to

Position required: December 2025 or negotiable at time of appointment

Applications Close:  23 November 2025

The School reserves the right to appoint prior to applications closing.

Employee Benefits

• Competitive salary structure, salary packaging and additional superannuation contributions.

• A collegial environment that values collaboration, where staff are empowered to contribute meaningfully to student learning and the School's values.

• A strong culture of learning, with outstanding students.
• Staff concession on fees for children attending Whitsunday Anglican School.
• Relevant and engaging professional learning opportunities to support career growth.
• First Aid and CPR training.
• Access to Employee Assistance Programme.
• Health and Wellbeing – access to a range of initiatives to promote health and well-being.

Whitsunday Anglican School takes child protection seriously. All candidates for roles at the School are subject to screening and assessment against child safety standards as part of our thorough recruitment process.