Express an Interest

Targeting:
Youth/Students

ABOUT NEWMARK PRIMARY - Making Education Meaningful

At Newmark Primary we equip our children with the emotional strength and practical know-how to contribute to and change their community for the better. So they can make a meaningful mark on today, and tomorrow.

We inspire children to be curious learners, empathetic thinkers and courageous doers through authentic learning grounded in real-life experiences. We immerse children in the world around them, showing them the problems and opportunities in it.

We encourage our children to be bold – to question the status quo, to get stuck in and make their mark. Giving them the emotional strength and practical know-how to find solutions that propel positive change in their communities and beyond.

Find out more about our unique approach to education by visiting our website or listening to this podcast.

THE ROLE

The board of Newmark Primary plays a critical role providing governance oversight for the running of the school and supporting the schools future strategy. As the school continues to evolve and strengthen for the future, we are now seeking to appoint a number of new directors to ensure continuity and a strong and effective board.

If you are an experienced director with a passion for making a difference in education and the lives of children, we’d love to hear from you!

• Title: Board Director
• Duration: 3 years (with possibility of extended appointment)
• Remuneration: Voluntary role
• Commencement: Immediate start

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERTISE

To complement the skills of the existing board, we are looking for individuals with the following qualifications and expertise:  

• Legal: Ideally with experience in identification and management of legal matters, understanding of industrial relations matters, and exposure to legal requirements and frameworks for Australian businesses. Capable of reviewing business initiatives and providing oversight on legal and risk considerations.
• Finance: Ideally with expertise in budgeting, forecasting, risk management, compliance and strategic resource allocation, and new modes of financing.
• Property Development: Ideally with knowledge of real estate market trends and regulations, property acquisition, understanding of construction and design principles, and experience in council engagement and planning.
• Marketing: Ideally with skills in brand positioning, marketing and content strategy, thought leadership and  stakeholder communications.
• Fundraising: Ideally with experience  philanthropic strategy, donor relations, campaign development and partnerships to support a sustainable funding base that enables long-term school growth.
• Strategy & Growth: Ideally with  expertise in strategic planning, impact measurement, governance and innovation scaling.
• Board Chair, Deputy Chair and Company Secretary:  We will be looking to appoint new directors in each of these positions over the next 12 months. If you have experience in any of these roles, we encourage you to express interest in joining our board. 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Board directors are responsible for school governance, which includes but is not limited to:

• Appointing, reviewing and providing ongoing support for the Principal
• Recruiting and onboarding board directors
• Supporting the school’s philosophy, values and culture
• Approving the strategic plans and major directions for the school
• Determining and reviewing the board’s policies and practices
• Ensuring compliance with legal obligations
• Monitoring and assessing adherence to systems of risk management
• Approving and monitoring the school budget
• Approving expenditure outside the school budget
• Approving and monitoring the school’s Child Safe approach
• Reviewing the school’s performance
• Undertaking self-assessment review of board performance (including the chair)
• Interfacing with the school community
• Handling escalated complaints about the school and/or principal

Board directors are expected to:

• Attend all board meetings (there are a minimum of 8 meetings a year)
• Be a member of a board committee and attend the committee meetings (there are a minimum of 4 meetings a year)
• Attend emergency meetings to address urgent matters, when required
• Respond to board communications within a reasonable time frame
• Review all supporting documents in preparation for meetings
• Attend professional development opportunities to strengthen understanding of effective school governance
• Have a current Working With Children Check card

ADDITIONAL SKILLS and EXPERIENCE

We are looking for individuals who recognise the need for change in education and have a strong belief in our school’s philosophy, vision and culture. Individuals who demonstrate the following are encouraged to apply:

• A commitment to ethical, fair and sustainable practice
• A commitment to continual improvement in school governance
• The ability to think strategically and communicate clearly
• The ability to work collaboratively to meet deadlines
• The ability to find solutions to complex problems
• A willingness to seek feedback and use it to improve performance
• The ability to turn ideas into actions  

The board is committed to diversity and inclusion. We encourage individuals with diverse backgrounds, abilities, gender identities, professions and life experience to express interest. 

APPLY

Please email your expression of interest and resume to board@newmark.vic.edu.au In your expression of interest please tell us about yourself, and the skills and expertise you would bring to the board. 

Duty Statement: Australia