POSITION TITLE:
Early Childhood Teacher (Emergency)
POSITION NUMBER:
2412
CLASSIFICATION/BAND:
Early Childhood Teacher Emergency
$30.75 per hour, plus casual loading, applicable
allowances and superannuation where earnings
exceed $450 per month.
STATUS:
Casual Position
DIVISION:
Community Services
DEPARTMENT:
Family Services
APPROVED BY:
Megan Holbrook
DATE APPROVED:
13 January 2015
POSITION OBJECTIVE:
To plan, implement and evaluate a high quality innovative and culturally responsive educational
program that supports a holistic approach to the care and development of individual children
preschool age children.
To provide pedagogical leadership within the team of educators at the service.
To effectively assist children to develop their social, emotional, cognitive, language, fine-motor and
gross-motor competencies that are needed for a successful transition to school and provide
information, guidance and support to families regarding school readiness of their children.
To develop a program that reflects individual children, family and community needs and meets the
requirements of the City of Greater Geelong, State and Commonwealth Government Guidelines,
Education and Care Services National Law, Education and Care Services Regulations and
National Quality Standards.
To work co-operatively with leadership and ancillary staff, educators and allied professionals to
provide a safe, caring and stimulating environment for children attending the service.
THE CITY OF GREATER GEELONG:
The City of Greater Geelong is one of the largest local government areas in Victoria. The City
provides more than 120 services to the municipality which has a population of more than 200,000.
The City has an annual budget of $229 million and employs over 2000 staff. It also utilises a large
number of volunteers.
The city of Greater Geelong has a large and increasing population of young children with over
13,000 children aged 0-4 years and over 10,000 children aged between 5-8 years. There are over
400 local services for young children and families located within the municipality.
The organisation has five divisions: Community Services; Corporate Services; Economic
Development, Planning and Tourism; City Services and Projects, Recreation and Central
Geelong.
Geelong:
Located 75 kilometres from Melbourne, Geelong is Victoria’s second largest city and is renowned
for its stunning north facing waterfront which overlooks Corio Bay. Geelong is a vibrant
cosmopolitan city with a relaxed coastal flavour. It is recognised as offering one of the best
lifestyles in Australia. Geelong has all the modern amenities of larger cities, combined with a clean
and healthy environment.
Just minutes away from the city centre are kilometres of pristine beaches, charming seaside
townships and unspoilt rural hinterland.
Geelong is also the gateway to the famous Great Ocean Road and some of the best surf beaches
in the world.
The City offers excellent educational opportunities. Geelong Grammar, Geelong College, The
Gordon and Deakin University are just some of the schools and tertiary institutions in the region.
ORGANISATION ENVIRONMENT:
Geelong is among the largest of 79 Councils which collectively represent approximately 5 million
Victorians. While each Council is independent, there are common rules, mainly in the form of
State Legislation, which provide the framework in which Councils operate.
Our Vision:
Greater Geelong: building our community through enterprise, opportunity and innovation in a
quality environment.
Our Mission:
We will focus on developing and maintaining effective working relationships to deliver Council's
strategic directions and high quality services that meet the changing needs of our community.
Values and Behaviours:
Values form the basis of our behaviour; they add meaning to work and they provide a basis for
consistent planning and decision making across the organisation. The City of Greater Geelong
aims to foster a culture that embraces the organisation values being Integrity, Responsibility,
Innovation and Respect. All employees should demonstrate the behaviours that come from
these values when carrying out their work.
ORGANISATION RELATIONSHIP:
This position is part of the Community Services Division which comprises the following
Departments:
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Family Services
Community Development
Arts and Culture
Health and Local Laws
Aged and Disability Services
Reports To:
Coordinator Early Childhood Education and Care / Centre Director or
Coordinator Integrated Children’s Centres / Centre Manager
Directly Manages:
Educators’, Ancillary Support Staff
Students
Volunteers
Internal Liaisons:
Family Services Team Leaders
Early Childhood Educators and other Kindergarten Teachers
Other Council departments
External Liaisons:
Clients, relevant Commonwealth and State Government Departments,
other Early Childhood services, professional networks, community groups
and local agencies
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
Provision of Education and Care
1. Provide support to the Coordinator Early Childhood Education and Care and Centre Director in
the operations of the Children’s Centre and delivery of education and care programs.
2. Support the development of a centre culture and service systems that actively promote multidisciplinary practice, integration and professional learning amongst staff.
3. Ensure a safe, caring and stimulating environment exists for all children and that the health
and well being of each child is a priority.
4. Provide, implement and evaluate programs for all children, individually and in the group
situation in line with the EYLF learning outcomes, practice principles and National Quality
Standards.
5. Establish a holistic service model which enhances the development and well-being of children
including liaising with relevant support and professional services, facilitate parent engagement,
and delivers an innovative program that responds to the specific needs of local children and
the community.
6. Maintain detailed developmental observations and records for each child to be used as a basis
for individual and group programming in line with the EYLF learning outcomes and practice
principles.
7. Provide programs which assist children with additional needs to integrate into the program,
and ensure the program is flexible to cater for their needs. Participate in, consultations with
relevant referral agencies and specialists working with children with special needs.
8. Assist in identifying and addressing emerging needs and service gaps for the early childhood
education and care service.
9. Structure the indoor and outdoor environments and activities with a balance of active and
passive learning areas to guide children to participate constructively, to explore, to learn and
interact positively with other children in the group through play
10. Ensure supervision of children is active, adequate and efficient at all times and implement and
maintain clear expectations for children when establishing limits for appropriate behaviour.
11. Support and assist Centre Director and Early Childhood Educators on the ongoing
implementation of the National Quality reforms and monitor compliance of the Education and
Care Services National Regulations, Education and Care Services National Law Act 2010 and
National Quality Standards.
Liaison and Resourcing
1. Assist with, and participate in, consultations with relevant referral agencies and specialists
working with children with additional needs.
2. Actively support and communicate with parent(s) and families through a broad range of
mediums and measures regarding their children’s progress and development in ways which
are meaningful, and appropriate; conduct parent teacher interviews on a six monthly basis or
as individual needs require it and ensure collaboration and relationships among children,
families, staff and the broader community.
3. Develop and maintain strong links to 3 Year old playgroup(s), schools, neighborhood houses,
and family support services to facilitate families and children to progress to school and access
services as required.
4. Respond promptly to enquiries relating to the programs, procedures and activities within the
Centre and undertake general promotion of the Centre through professional conduct, inquiries
via telephone and feedback from parents.
5. Liaise with the Centre Director, Early Childhood Education and Care Team Leaders, staff and
resource agencies in regard to the development of individual children.
6. Act as resource to parents and the community through maintaining an awareness of
community and support agencies.
Team Building
1. Maintain a co-operative and flexible attitude towards the development of a motivated,
professional team in a multi-disciplinary culture.
2. Assist in establishment of daily procedures, policies, objectives and philosophies for the
Centre.
3. Act as resource to other staff in sharing of program ideas, support and information exchange.
4. Ensure confidentiality, professionalism and discretion is maintained at all times.
5. Be a supportive and active member of the Family Services team, attending meetings,
committee meetings, and professional development and participate in project teams as
required.
Administrative Support
1.
Assist in the implementation of the unit Business Plan and Marketing Strategy.
2. Support and assist the Centre Director in the general administration of the Centre.
3. Support the early childhood education and care services with data collection and financial
reporting.
4. Carry out other duties deemed reasonable and appropriate to the role as directed from time to
time.
Professional Development
1. To maintain professional knowledge, resources and skills through in-service education,
sharing ideas and professional reading.
2. To maintain necessary qualifications essential for the role.
3. Adherence to all Council’s policies and procedures as relevant to this position.
KEY SELECTION CRITERIA:
Essential:
1. Tertiary qualifications (Bachelor of Early Childhood Education or equivalent) and practical
experience in the care of pre-school children is essential.
2. Sound knowledge of the development of children in the 0-6 years age group and proven ability
to plan appropriate programs in relation to the Early Years Learning and Development
Frameworks.
3. Sound understanding of the principles of integrated service delivery.
4. Demonstrated flexibility, innovation, and ability to work with a range of professionals from
diverse disciplines.
5. Ability to identify and develop relationships with key stakeholders.
6. Willingness to take a lead and active role in the implementation of the integrated children’s
services model.
7. Well developed skills in observing and interpreting children’s behaviour and demonstrated
ability to relate effectively to young children.
8. Proven ability to establish, promote and develop open communication channels with staff,
parents and the community.
9. Demonstrated ability to promote teamwork and foster the exchange of ideas and participation
of staff members in problem solving and the development of service improvements.
10. Ability to ensure confidentiality, professionalism and discretion is maintained.
11. Ability to plan and efficiently organise time and prioritise tasks and undertake service
administration.
12. Demonstrated ability to show care and responsibility and have no criminal history of neglect,
abuse or violence towards children. Current National Police Check and Working with Children
Checks.
13. Current Victorian Driver’s Licence.
14. All candidates should display integrity, responsibility, respect for others and the ability to be
innovative.
ACCOUNTABILITY AND EXTENT OF AUTHORITY:
In addition to those listed under the Key Selection criteria.
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Responsible for the effective planning, development and implementation of a Kindergarten
program within the Centre.
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Responsible for informing of any service developments, difficulties and opportunities.
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Assist the team by supporting the Centre goals and objectives, to promote the growth and
development of the children on a daily and long term basis.
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Be responsible for keeping comprehensive records regarding children’s records, pay/leave
records, routine updates and other information as required by the Centre, Council or regulatory
bodies.
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Responsible for ensuring that the Children’s Centre building, grounds and equipment are
maintained to a high standard of hygiene, safety, cleanliness and repair and that any
maintenance or safety related issues are reported in a timely manner in accordance with OHS
regulations.
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Accountable for creating and capturing accurate and complete records of the business
activities related to this position, in accordance with approved policy and procedures. This is
applicable to both hardcopy and electronic information, including email.
JUDGEMENT AND DECISION MAKING:
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Make recommendations to the on planning and implementation of Kindergarten programs
within the Centre and the associated needs of the program.
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Bring to the attention of the Coordinator Early Childhood Education and Care or Centre
Director any Health and Safety or operational issues pertaining to their work environment.
SPECIALIST SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE:
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Sound knowledge of the development of children in the 0-6 years age group and proven ability
to plan appropriate programs in line with the Early Years Learning and Development
Frameworks.
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Well developed skills and experience in observing and interpreting children’s behaviour and
demonstrated ability to relate effectively to young children.
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Proven ability to establish, promote and develop open communication channels with staff,
parents and the community.
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An understanding of the needs of the local community.
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Understand and implement Government, Council and Centre policies, Education and Care
Services National Law and Regulations and assist with recommendations of policy and/or
operational changes to the Centre.
MANAGEMENT SKILLS:
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Ability to manage workload, including set priorities and deliver requisite outcomes in a timely
manner.
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Strong administrative and organisational skills.
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Capacity to successfully meet agreed performance targets and reporting measures.
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Familiarity with basic budgeting techniques in the purchasing of suitable kindergarten
resources and requirements.
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Ability to work with minimal supervision and as part of a team.
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Ability to manage change and be innovative.
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Supervise and support students and participate in assessment and consultation with relevant
collegial staff.
INTERPERSONAL SKILLS:
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Ability to demonstrate the organisational Values and Behaviours and represent Council in a
positive and professional manner.
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Ability to demonstrate enthusiasm, self-motivation and innovation within self and in the staff
team.
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Demonstrated ability to be flexible, responsive to a range of situations and to show initiative
and creativity.
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Employ effective negotiation and conflict resolution skills to resolve issues with families and
staff.
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High level communication skills including oral and written skills.
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Ability to contribute to and work effectively as part of a multi-disciplinary team.
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Ability to work effectively with community groups, organisations and peak networks.
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Demonstrate integrity, responsibility, respect and innovation in all aspects of the position.
QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE:
In addition to those listed in the key selection criteria.
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Tertiary qualifications (Bachelor of Early Childhood Education or equivalent) together with
practical experience in the care of pre-school children is essential.
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Current Victorian Driver’s Licence.
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Current Working with Children Check.
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Current Police check (must be less than 6 months form date of issue).
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Current Level 2 First Aid.
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Current Management of Anaphylaxis, Asthma and CPR.
SPECIFIC HEALTH AND SAFETY REQUIREMENTS:
• A pre-employment medical examination may be required.
• Participate, where required, in the reporting of health, safety and wellbeing issues.
• Long / short distance travel between sites as necessary.
• Dealing with difficult clients and situations.
• Manual handling tasks may be involved.
SPECIAL CONDITIONS:
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Employment is subject to the presentation of documentary evidence of the right to work in
Australia.
A National Police Records and Working with Children’s check may be required throughout
your employment with Council.
Current Victorian Drivers Licence is essential where the need to drive a Council vehicle is
required.
This position requires work outside normal rostered hours from time to time, subject to the
conditions of Council’s EBA.
RISK MANAGEMENT, EQUAL OPPORTUNITY AND CHARTER OF HUMAN RIGHTS:
Observe policies and procedures to minimise injury and damage to assets and property.
Adhere to Council’s OH&S, equal opportunity and risk management policies, as well as act in
accordance with the Charter of Human Rights.
Ensure behaviour in the workplace does not discriminate, bully or harass others.
Take reasonable care of self and others who may be affected by your actions.
OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION:
Employment may be subject to a three-month probationary period (please note that following
consultation, this period may be extended by up to a further three months).
Internal candidates may be subject to a three-month trial period.
Conditions of employment are as per your contract of employment.
The City of Greater Geelong is an Equal Opportunity Employer and has a no smoking in the
workplace practise and is also committed to Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) in the
workplace and therefore all employees adherence to all OH&S Policies and Procedures is
mandatory.
HOW TO APPLY
Applications for this position close at 5.00pm Friday 30 January 2015 and should be submitted through
the on-line facility at www.geelongaustralia.com.au (for internal candidates, please refer to CityWeb).
Should you not have access to the on-line facility,
applications may be directed to:
Recruitment Administration Officer
Organisation Development Department
City of Greater Geelong
PO Box 104
GEELONG VIC 3220
Phone:
5272 4273
Fax:
5272 4292
For details on the recruitment process
If you require further information regarding this position, please contact:
Lisa Demajo, Coordinator Early Childhood Education and Care on 5272 4797.
Privacy Statement
Making an application for this position requires that you consent to the collection, use, storage and destruction of
personal information, including details of your referees. This information will assist us to select the best applicant for the
vacant position.
At all times during the recruitment and selection process, personal data will be treated in a highly confidential manner.
Documents will only be available to members of the selection committee for the purposes of selecting the best person
for the position.
All unsuccessful applicants’ documentation will be destroyed three months after the end of the recruitment process.
Please do not send originals of documentation with your application, as they will be destroyed.
In addition the applicant understands that they may apply to Council for access and/or amendment of the information.
Successful applicant details become employment-related information and will be placed on the successful applicant’s
Personal File. The City of Greater Geelong may release this personal information to third parties such as Vision Super
Fund Pty Ltd., Victorian Workcover and Centrelink for employment related purposes.