Senior Manager People & Culture

Six weeks annual leave

15 days personal leave

12% super contribution

Long-service leave pro-rata after five years

Tuition discounts for staff children*

Salary sacrificing and health care corporate rates*

humanresources@ntchristianschools.com.au

ntchristianschools.com.au

Relocation assistance*

Ongoing professional development

ELC fee discount of 80% for your own children

Additional paid maternity leave

Access to staff wellbeing program

Apply now

Lead strategy. Shape culture. Build capability. Drive a People & Culture vision grounded in excellence, integrity, and Christian faith.

NT Christian Schools is seeking an experienced and detail-driven People & Culture leader to join our System Office in Berrimah, supporting schools and early learning centres across the Northern Territory.

If you are passionate about people, culture, and purpose and ready to bring both strategic vision and operational excellence, this is your opportunity to shape the future of Christian education in the NT.

Our next Senior Manager – People & Culture will be a visionary and hands-on leader who brings people strategy to life. You’ll shape a contemporary, future-focused People & Culture strategy that empowers leaders, grows capability, and strengthens our Christ-centred community. From strategic workforce design and talent development to culture and engagement — you’ll drive transformation with insight, integrity, and heart.

If you’re ready to step into a role where your leadership directly supports staff who are making a difference every day, apply today. Adventure awaits!

Senior Manager

People & Culture

Why work with us

Conditions apply

Full time | Immediate start

Job description

Job title: Senior Manager – People and Culture

Job type: Fulltime 1.0FTE

Salary classification: AO7.3 – SAO1.2.5

2025 salary range: $132,625 - $151,070 depending on qualifications and experience

Plus, superannuation contribution of 12% of your annual salary

Annual leave: 6 weeks AL pa

Location: NT Christian Schools System Office

Reporting to: Director of Business Services

Date advertised: October 2025

Introduction

NT Christian Schools is a Christian organisation. It exists to advance the Christian religion through the provision of education and religious instruction. Accordingly, in furtherance of the religious ethos of NT Christian Schools all staff will be required to deliver or contribute to religious education, to lead or otherwise assist in the conduct of religious services and otherwise engage in religious practices and observances (including, but not limited to, leading prayers or devotions and sharing testimonies), either with fellow staff or students. As representatives of NT Christian Schools, it is a genuine occupational qualification of such roles that applicants hold and act consistently with the religious beliefs of NT Christian Schools, including as articulated in the Policies and Procedures of NT Christian Schools.

NT Christian Schools exists to provide a thoroughly Christian education and to give effective witness to the biblically based religious beliefs of the company. As such, holding the religious beliefs of NT Christian Schools as articulated in the Policies and Procedures of NT Christian Schools is a genuine occupational qualification of this role.

You are expected to have a clear understanding of, and unqualified commitment to the biblical basis, including as articulated in the Policies and Procedures of NT Christian Schools, and to act both in the workplace and in other contexts in ways that are consistent with those beliefs, in order to provide an authentic Christian witness.

This role is required to practice, deliver and contribute to religious education in a manner that is consistent with the Policies and Procedures of NT Christian Schools and to model a life consistent with those beliefs. As such, this role requires the highest commitment to the Lord, the Bible and to schooling from a distinctively Christian perspective, consistent with the Policies and Procedures of NT Christian Schools.

This will be evident in supporting the teaching of the Australian curriculum from a biblical worldview, participating in and leading staff devotions and leading student devotions and prayer time and through the sharing of your personal testimony. In addition, staff offer a reflection of their own growing relationship with Christ, which is itself affirmed by living a life consistent with the teaching of the word of God. Accordingly, the modelling of an authentic Christian life is a core requirement of the position, reflecting the foundational contribution the position makes to the maintenance of the religious ethos of the school.

With a mutual commitment to God through Jesus Christ, staff members ought to serve and love one another as Christ loves them. This also means an acknowledgement that all people are fallible and need to be entirely reliant upon God. NT Christian Schools has expectations of mutual love, service, trust, acceptance, patience, forgiveness and support.

All employees for NT Christian Schools are to be committed to ensuring child safety, health and wellbeing practices are followed and upheld. These practices are embedded in NT Christian Schools policy and culture as guided under current legislation.

General expectations

NT Christian Schools is a recognised school system and the System Office plays a key role in ensuring that teaching and learning and corporate services are all managed for our school system as efficiently and effectively as possible.

The relationship between our staff and students is nevertheless uppermost in our minds, as we endeavour to provide the best corporate services possible to allow that relationship to flourish and for school communities to live out our mission and values.

The system office also plays a key role in relationship building and promotion to government departments, members of parliament and national associations such as CEN.

These responsibilities and duties are underpinned by expectations of generosity, openness, teamwork, effectiveness, efficiency, attention to detail, pleasant working relationships and maintenance of an effective, Christ-centred and safe work environment.

Purpose of the role

The Senior Manager – People & Culture provides strategic leadership and operational oversight of all People & Culture functions across NT Christian Schools (NTCS). This role ensures that NTCS attracts, develops, and retains high-quality Christian staff aligned with the organisation’s mission to provide authentic Christian education and care across its network of schools and early learning centres.

Working closely with the Executive Team, Principals, and campus leaders, the Senior Manager builds a strong organisational culture that is Christ-centred, compliant, and future-focused — supporting the strategic goals of NTCS through innovative best-practice people management, leadership development, and meticulous operational excellence.

Key duties and responsibilities

Strategic leadership

• To effectively witness to the beliefs articulated in the company’s policies of NT Christian Schools by modelling an authentic life of faith lived in accordance with those beliefs, and with general Christian principles.

• To contribute to the spiritual life of the school by leading or otherwise assisting in the conduct of religious services and otherwise engaging in religious practices and observances (including, but not limited to, leading prayers or devotions and sharing testimonies).

• Develop and implement a contemporary and futures-focused NTCS People & Culture strategy aligned with the organisation’s mission, vision and strategic plan.

• Provide high-level advice to the Director and CEO on workforce capability, employee relations, and organisational design.

• Establishing and developing successful human resource functions, driving process improvements and key initiatives.

• Lead change management initiatives supporting growth, innovation, and cultural alignment across NTCS.

• Ensure documentation, planning, and reporting are delivered with accuracy, consistency, and professionalism.

Workforce planning and development

• Oversee recruitment, onboarding, induction, and retention programs for all NTCS schools and system staff.

• Lead workforce analysis, forecasting, and staffing models to address teacher and support staff shortages across the Northern Territory.

• Develop career pathways and professional growth frameworks for all staff categories.

• Partner with tertiary institutions and training providers to strengthen the NTCS recruitment pipeline.

• Maintain meticulous and compliant staff records, ensuring accuracy across HR systems and data reporting.

Employee relations, payroll and compliance

• Ensure NTCS meets all legislative, industrial, and policy obligations.

• Provide expert guidance on complex employee relations matters including performance management, grievance handling, and investigations.

• Oversee payroll administration in partnership with Finance, ensuring accuracy, confidentiality, and compliance with taxation, superannuation, and leave legislation.

• Monitor and manage WorkCover claims, return-to-work processes, and related workplace injury compliance.

• Develop and maintain up-to-date HR policies and procedures within the NTCS Policy Advisory Library (PAL).

• Exercise high attention to detail and sound judgement in drafting, interpreting, and applying policy and employment documentation.

Culture, engagement, and wellbeing

• Foster a Christ-centred organisational culture that reflects NTCS’s faith, vision, and values.

• Lead the implementation of wellbeing and engagement programs that prioritise mental health, work-life balance, and personal development, ensuring employees feel supported and valued in all aspects of their lives.

• Lead staff satisfaction surveys and drive continuous improvement through data-driven insights.

• Contribute to the existing performance management system to be agile and continuous, focusing on feedback loops and employee recognition that drive engagement and performance.

• Promote respectful and positive workplace relationships grounded in Christian principles.

• Ensure all culture-building initiatives are implemented with clarity, consistency, and careful execution.

Governance and reporting

• Prepare Board and Executive reports on workforce metrics, risks, and initiatives.

• Maintain oversight of HR risk management including Positive Duty, representative complaints, and industrial compliance.

• Contribute to system audits, accreditation reviews, and enterprise risk frameworks.

• Manage People & Culture budget allocations and ensure effective use of resources.

• Uphold the highest standards of data integrity, confidentiality, and precision in all reporting.

Selection criteria

Essential:

• A committed Christian actively involved in your local church.

• Prove an ability to effectively model Christian values as expressed in the Policies and Procedures of NT Christian Schools and to give an authentic witness to those values.

• Demonstrate or be willing to develop, the ability to draw upon the beliefs articulated in the Policies and Procedures of NT Christian Schools to prepare an environment and culture of biblical perspective enhancing significant outcomes for staff and student community.

• Tertiary qualifications in human resources, business administration, law, or education.

• Minimum 7-10 years of progressive HR generalist experience with at least 3 years in a senior People and Culture or HR management role.

• Thorough understanding of Australian employment legislation, awards, and industrial relations frameworks.

Desirable:

• Experience working in education, not-for-profit, or complex multi-site organisations.

• Familiarity with the Northern Territory context and regional workforce challenges.

Role specific attributes

• Proven capacity to lead strategic workforce initiatives and organisational change.

• Strong interpersonal, coaching, and influencing skills with the ability to build trust across diverse teams.

• Exceptional attention to detail, accuracy, and confidentiality in all aspects of work.

• High-level analytical, policy, and reporting skills.

• Excellent communication, negotiation, and conflict resolution abilities.

Further requirements:

• Must hold a valid Working with Children (Ochre) Card.

• Must have a valid NT police check within the last 12 months, or invoice of order for one.

• Must hold a current NT driver’s license.