Expand and share your school-based knowledge, skills and expertise to over 500 independent schools across NSW by joining the Association of Independent Schools of NSW (AISNSW) as an Education Consultant: School Counsellor/Psychologist.

A new position has become available in the Student Services Portfolio to commence in January 2024. We are seeking a full-time consultant in the role of school counsellor/psychologist focused on providing advice and support to schools about planning for individual student matters as well as facilitating professional learning.

Who are we?

AISNSW is the peak body supporting and representing independent schools in NSW and provides a range of services across NSW and ACT. With the core values of integrity, professionalism, respect and collegiality, AISNSW seeks to further the ideals of independent education: choice, diversity, quality, opportunity and excellence.

What will you do?

The broader role of the Education Consultant: School Counsellor/Psychologist at AISNSW typically involves a variety of face-to-face consultancies, tailored professional learning sessions, briefings, group presentations, conference facilitation and instructional coaching. The audience may be individuals or a large group and include principals, school executives, school counsellors, classroom teachers and professional support staff.  

The position will also involve responding to requests for advice from schools regarding individual student matters. Student needs may be related to academic, behavioural, social or emotional development, mental health difficulties, school refusal, gender identity, or a combination of the above. Supporting schools with the facilitation of meetings relating to individual planning, as well as school attendance matters, is a further component to the role.

The role also involves providing proactive, whole-school support related to longer term initiatives focused on: 

• mental health and wellbeing
• behaviour support and student engagement 

What qualifications will you need?

• Undergraduate qualifications in psychology/mental health. Post-graduate qualifications are desirable.
• Be a registered or provisionally registered psychologist, or eligible for registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) or a relevant regulatory body.
• Current experience in a school-based counsellor/psychologist role.

What will be your key responsibilities?

• Responding to a diverse and varied range of specific school and individual student matters via a dedicated intake service. Student matters may be related to academic, behavioural, social or emotional development, mental health difficulties, school refusal and/or gender identity.
• Advising and assisting schools with the development of Individual Plans and Safety Plans.
• Undertaking risk assessment planning in collaboration with schools. 
• Providing guidance and support to schools following a critical incident. 
• Facilitating attendance planning meetings including Compulsory Attendance Conferences.
• Designing and delivering effective professional learning both face-to-face and online for staff in independent schools as well as developing associated resources.
• Delivering components associated with the AISNSW Whole-school Wellbeing initiative
• Supporting schools to implement components of the AISNSW Behaviour Support and Student Engagement framework.
• Guiding schools in understanding and applying relevant processes associated with the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data (NCCD).
• Contributing to a range of strategic projects and priorities within Student Services and collaborating with other AISNSW Portfolios.
• Representing AISNSW and the independent school sector on committees and in a variety of forums in a professional manner.
• Other duties as required by the Chief Executive.

What skills and attributes will you have?

• Capacity to maintain confidentiality, discretion and deal respectfully with sensitive student matters and personal information.
• Sound understanding of, and extensive experience in providing, evidence-based supports and interventions for a broad range of mental health and developmental presentations in children and adolescents.
• Comprehensive knowledge and understanding of relevant legislation, including disability legislation.
• Confidence to deliver and ability to engage groups of adult learners in professional learning experiences via a range of modes.
• Capacity to fulfil an instructional leadership/coaching role when guiding and advising schools. 
• Desire to be open-minded, adaptable and solutions-focused when collaborating with schools around multifaceted student matters.

 What we need:

• Full-time availability, Sydney-based role. 
• Capacity to work within the office environment.
• Capacity to travel across metropolitan Sydney and beyond, including across NSW into regional areas, which involves being away overnight, at times consecutive nights.
• Flexibility with early starts and late finishes based on travel requirements.
• NSW Working with Children Check.
• A current NSW Driver’s Licence.

What we offer you:

• Structured induction processes. 
• Four weeks annual leave (additional leave for the office closure period between Christmas and New Year is determined by the Board each year).
• Additional leave opportunities (e.g., study leave, purchased leave, cultural leave).
• Motor vehicle option.
• Salary packaging.
• Flexible work arrangements including a combination of working away from the office as well as dedicated time for collaboration in the office.
• Internal and external professional learning opportunities, such as courses and conferences.
• Collegiality with a team of highly experienced Consultants with a range expertise and professional qualifications to collaborate with and learn from
• Dedicated, staff wellbeing initiatives to promote connectedness and self-care.  

Eager to join a dynamic team and work together to strengthen student outcomes? If so, please complete the AISNSW application form and include:

• Covering letter
• CV

Overview, including specific examples, that highlight your:

• Current role and recent experience related to supporting students with diverse needs within the school context and
• Skills and attributes aligned to the role of an AISNSW Education Consultant

You may like to refer back to the Key Responsibilities and Skills and Attributes sections of this position description. The overview is to be no longer than one page. 

Commencement date is ideally the beginning of Term 1 2024 or as negotiated. 

Applications close Monday 13 November 2023 

Invitations to interview for this role may occur upon receipt of the application prior to the closing date and may be extended beyond the closing date. AISNSW reserves the right to reduce the application period and/or remove the job advertisement early should a suitable applicant be found.

Please direct any questions to:
Margaret Molloy | HR Manager
AISNSW | Level 12, 99 York Street | SYDNEY NSW 2000