Organisational Background

Australian Schools Plus is a national non-profit that believes every child has the right to the same opportunities to thrive in school and beyond. We enable opportunities for all young Australians to reach their potential through tackling the most pressing challenges in education across five key programs: Learning Gaps, Wellbeing, First Nations, Rural, Regional and Remote and Crisis & Climate Resilience. We partner with schools, education sectors, philanthropy and government to address education inequity and improve the outcomes of tens of thousands of students in disadvantaged communities every year.

• Hybrid work model (open to candidates across Australia, with a preference for Sydney)
• Full-time or 0.8 FTE (flexible working arrangements considered)
• Additional time off for wellbeing and birthdays

Position Summary

The National Program Manager is responsible for the strategic and operational leadership of a national school partnership portfolio and Schools Plus’ Teaching Awards program.

This role requires a highly capable program and project management professional who can oversee complex, multi-year initiatives across multiple stakeholders, ensure strong governance and reporting discipline, and embed structured systems and processes that enable high-quality delivery and measurable impact.

The role combines education sector insights with strong program management capability to ensure partnerships are delivered with rigour, consistency and strategic alignment.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the management of a national portfolio of school partnerships, overseeing projects from selection and onboarding through to implementation and reporting
• Establish strong program governance including milestones, risk management, budget oversight and reporting frameworks
• Monitor delivery of multi-year partnerships to ensure projects meet agreed outcomes and impact targets.
• Embed data-informed monitoring and evaluation processes and support high-quality reporting to partners, leadership and the Board
• Lead delivery of the annual Schools Plus Teaching Awards, including screening, independent assessment panels and finalist processes
• Build strong relationships with school leaders, coaches, donors and key education stakeholders
• Provide program insights and updates to support donor reporting and funding proposals
• Drive continuous improvement of systems, processes and reporting tools, including Salesforce and internal grant management systems

Skills & Experience

Essential

• Demonstrated experience managing complex, multi-year programs or portfolios
• Strong project management expertise
• Advanced stakeholder management capability across diverse groups
• Strong analytical and data literacy skills
• Exceptional written communication skills for high-level reporting
• Ability to balance strategic oversight with operational detail
• Experience in CRM or project management platforms

Desirable

• Experience in NFP environment
• Experience in Salesforce
• Experience in education or school improvement contexts
• Formal Project Management qualifications

next steps

To submit your application, please click 'Apply Now' by the closing date.

Australian Schools Plus is committed to diversity and inclusivity and encourages applications from all qualified individuals.

For any questions relating to the role, please contact Lucy Timms, email: [email protected] using the subject line: National Program Manager enquiry via EthicalJobs.

Applications will be reviewed as they are received. Applications close at 5pm on the closing date.