Vacancy Number: #343
Position Title: Lead Educator Horticulture
Employment Type: Ongoing
FTE / Hours: Full-Time – 1.0 (38.0 hrs per week)
Department: Food, Fibre and Animal Industries (FFAI)
Location: Multi-Campus (as directed by the Manager)
Award / Agreement: Victorian TAFE Teaching Staff Agreement 2024
Classification Level: EM1
Salary: $132,781 per annum, plus superannuation
Applications Close: Sunday, 28 June 2026
Lead and coordinate high-quality horticulture programs that inspire learner success, support teaching excellence and strengthen industry engagement.
Melbourne Polytechnic has delivered hands-on, future-focused education for more than 110 years. Our people play a vital role in supporting students, industries and communities across Victoria.
In this role, you’ll enjoy:
- Meaningful work that supports education, training, innovation and student success
- A supportive and collaborative team environment
- Flexible work arrangements, where applicable
- Exposure to diverse programs, systems and continuous improvement initiatives
- A values-driven organisation committed to inclusion, wellbeing and quality
Reporting to the Education Manager Horticulture, the Lead Educator Horticulture is responsible for delivering, coordinating and continuously improving high-quality vocational education and training programs. The role combines teaching excellence with program coordination, staff mentoring and industry engagement to ensure learners receive relevant, contemporary and industry-aligned training.
You will play a key role in supporting teaching staff, enhancing student outcomes and maintaining compliance with VET quality standards while contributing to the ongoing growth and success of the Horticulture program area.
What You'll Do
- Plan, deliver and assess horticulture training programs that meet learner, industry and compliance requirements
- Design, develop and continuously improve learning resources, assessment tools and curriculum materials
- Coordinate program operations including timetabling, resource planning and student progression activities
- Mentor and support teaching staff, including Teachers Under Supervision and early career educators
- Provide specialist educational guidance to students and colleagues across horticulture programs
- Facilitate student inductions, information sessions, interviews and ongoing learner support activities
- Lead moderation and validation activities to ensure quality, consistency and compliance
- Maintain accurate training, assessment and compliance records in line with regulatory requirements
- Build and maintain relationships with industry partners, professional bodies and community stakeholders
- Promote horticulture programs through expos, information sessions and engagement activities that support program growth
- Relevant vocational qualifications and current industry expertise in horticulture or a related discipline
- Extensive teaching experience with demonstrated ability to deliver, assess and contextualise VET programs
- Strong understanding of learner-centred teaching methodologies and inclusive education practices
- Experience mentoring, supporting and guiding teaching staff
- Sound knowledge of VET quality standards, compliance requirements and assessment practices
- Strong organisational skills with the ability to coordinate programs and manage competing priorities
- Excellent communication, stakeholder engagement and relationship-building skills
- Demonstrated commitment to continuous improvement, innovation and student success
- Knowledge of current issues, trends and innovations within horticulture and vocational education
- Experience developing industry partnerships and student pathways
- Experience supporting online, blended or technology-enhanced learning environments
Qualifications & Mandatory Checks
Appointment to this position is subject to meeting the qualification requirements (where applicable) and the successful completion of all mandatory employment checks.
Teaching Qualifications
To be considered for this role, you must meet the qualification requirements under the Victorian TAFE Teaching Staff Agreement 2024 and relevant regulatory standards.
You will have:
- Relevant qualifications in your discipline area
- Recent and relevant industry and/or teaching experience
In addition, depending on the role:
- Vocational Education and Training (VET) roles:
Certificate IV in Training and Assessment (TAE40122 or equivalent), or a diploma or higher qualification in adult or vocational education
- Non-Vocational Education roles (e.g. EAL, AMEP, SEE, Foundation, VCE):
A recognised teaching qualification appropriate to the program (e.g. postgraduate TESOL or equivalent), and demonstrated teaching capability through relevant experience
Applicants who can demonstrate equivalent teaching capability through a combination of qualifications and experience may also be considered.
Mandatory Checks
- A valid Victorian Working with Children Check (Employee)
- A National Police Check
How To Apply
through Melbourne Polytechnic’s careers portal. You will be able to view the full Position Description and upload your documents online.
Please ensure you:
- Complete all pre-screening questions
- Upload your CV and a brief cover letter (maximum 2 pages) outlining how your skills and experience align with the role
If you are applying for a teaching role, you will also be required to:
- Upload copies of your relevant qualifications in the Qualifications section of the application
- Provide your USI VET Transcript (if available) by:
- Including the USI transcript link (from your USI Student Portal) in your cover letter , and
- Uploading the USI transcript PDF in the Qualifications section
Please ensure qualification documents are current and clearly labelled.
File Requirements:
- Maximum file size: 2MB per document
- Preferred format: PDF (Word .doc or .docx accepted)
- Avoid special characters in file names (e.g. ! @ # % *)
Our selection process may include:
- An interview (in person or via Microsoft Teams)
- Reference checks
- Employment and qualification verification
We aim to provide a respectful and timely recruitment experience for all applicants.
For further information, please contact the Recruitment Team via [email protected]
Melbourne Polytechnic is an equal opportunity and child-safe employer. We strongly encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people with disability, people from diverse cultural backgrounds, and people of all gender identities.
Melbourne Polytechnic manages all recruitment directly. We do not accept unsolicited applications from agencies unless engaged through the State Purchasing Contract and with prior written approval.
