Flexible Work for School Leaders initiative (Reference 151)
Brief description of the program
The Flexible Work for School Leaders initiative is available in the 2024–25 and 2025–26 financial years. Up to 300 grants are available to support school leaders in a job-share or part-time arrangement. The funding will allow participating school leaders to have a cross-over day with their job-share partner or will support a new or increased part-time arrangement within a school’s leadership team.
This initiative aims to reduce administrative burden on school leaders by providing additional leadership support and promoting work-life balance.
Educational leaders eligible for funding include principals, assistant principals, learning specialists and leading teachers.
Under this initiative, the Department of Education will provide funding of 0.2 FTE of a salary of a school leader in an eligible flexible work arrangement for up to 12 months. Schools that wish to continue flexible work arrangements for school leaders after this time will need to fund this from their existing budget and may require school council approval.
Eligibility
The following arrangements are eligible for funding:
- new part time leadership role
- increased time fraction for an existing part time role
- job-share, where a substantive leader reduces to part time with a higher-duties backfill
- co-principal job-share, where 2 substantive principals are appointed through a merit-based selection process to share a role.
Please note that funding under this initiative is only available for 12 months and school council agreement will be required if you wish to fund a co-principal arrangement for the balance of the principal contract.
Schools can apply and receive funding for multiple eligible flexible work arrangements.
Calculation
Funding will be allocated as credit (100%).
Schools will receive a grant of 0.2 FTE of a salary (including on-costs) of a school leader with an approved flexible work arrangement in place.
Rate
Schools will receive a grant of 0.2 FTE of a salary (including on-costs) of a school leader with an approved flexible work arrangement in place.
The initiative has tailored rates, depending on the leadership position with the approved flexible work arrangement in place, and the step* and range of the position.
| Leadership position | Range 1 | Range 2 | Range 3 | Range 4 | Range 5 | Range 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Principal | n/a | $36,588 | $40,581 | $44,156 | $48,628 | $52,637 |
| Assistant principal | $31,834 | $34,846 | $38,648 | $42,053 | n/a | n/a |
| Leading teacher | n/a | n/a | $29,013 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Learning specialist | n/a | n/a | $29,013 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
*Note: the default step is step 1 in each range.
Funding for arrangements commencing in Term 1 and 2, 2025 will be allocated in the revised Student Resource Package (SRP). Arrangements commencing from Term 3, 2025 onwards will be funded in subsequent SRP cycles.
Participants can choose to discontinue their flexible working arrangement. If this is the case, or if there are any other changes in your flexible work arrangement, please advise the Schools Workforce Initiatives and Support team (swg_policy.initiatives@education.vic.gov.au) to update your details and adjust payments received via future SRP cycles.
Relevant information
- Equal Opportunity – Employees
- Flexible Work for Principals
- Flexible work for school leaders funding
- Flexible Work
- Gender Equality Action Plan for
- Higher Duties – Teaching Service
- Human Rights Charter
- Inclusive Workplaces
- Parental Absence – Teaching Service
- Respectful Workplaces
Contact for school queries
Email: swg_policy.initiatives@education.vic.gov.au
Phone: 03 7022 5555
Reviewed 02 July 2025