Teachers Registration Board
Job reference: 846200
Location: 5000 - ADELAIDE
Job status: Ongoing
Eligibility: Open to Everyone

About the Teachers Registration Board:

The Teachers Registration Board (the TRB) is established under the Teachers Registration and Standards Act 2004 (the Act) and the Teachers Registration and Standards Regulations 2021 to regulate the teaching profession.  The object of the Act is, in the public interest, to maintain a teacher registration system and professional standards for teachers to ensure its members are competent, fit and proper to have the care of children.

The TRB is an independent statutory authority, with a dynamic, integrated operating environment of approximately 40 staff, with flexible leadership and a practical focus on day-to-day implementation, where advancing teacher suitability requires both a cross-agency and team approach. 

The TRB employs its own staff and is a public sector agency under the Public Sector Act 2009.The South Australian Public Sector Salaried Employees Interim Award and the South Australian Public Sector Enterprise Agreement: Salaried 2026 governs the employment conditions of employees of the Board.

The TRB has entered into an Administrative Agreement with the Commissioner for Public Sector Employment (the Commissioner) and complies with the Commissioner’s Determinations, Guidelines and the Code of Ethics for the South Australian Public Sector.  The TRB adheres to Work Health and Safety requirements, equal opportunity principles and public sector principles. The TRB are committed to creating a diverse workgroup.

The TRB will uphold public sector values through its decisions, actions and interactions. In addition, we are committed to our values:

• Respect: We embrace diversity and treat everyone with dignity.
• Integrity: We act honestly, fairly and ethically in all our dealings.
• Professionalism: We lead by example and demonstrate best practice.
• Accountability: We act lawfully, transparently and responsibly.

The TRB makes decisions that comply with legislation, are ethical and are consistent with approved policy and procedure.  The TRB is a self-funded statutory authority where financial planning, management and accountability of Teacher registration fees enables delivery of a broad range of agency functions.

In undertaking its functions, the TRB has the welfare and best interests of children as its paramount consideration.

To find out more about the TRB please visit https://www.trb.sa.edu.au

Role Description

The Principal Investigator (Team Lead) is accountable to the Manager, Investigations for providing leadership, oversight and expert investigative direction within the Investigations Unit. The role has responsibility for managing and leading complex and high-risk investigations of complaints made, or information received, about teachers and applicants for registration. This enables the provision of comprehensive, evidence-based recommendations to inform statutory decision-making by the Registrar and the Board, including matters relating to registration, conditions, disciplinary action and other regulatory outcomes pursuant to Parts 5 and 7 of the Act.

In addition to undertaking and overseeing complex investigations, the Principal Investigator (Team Lead) plays a critical leadership role in ensuring consistent, high-quality investigative practice across the team, supporting sound decision-making, and contributing to the integrity of the teacher registration system.

This role is offered on a full-time, ongoing basis at the ASO8 level - located in the heart of the Adelaide CBD.  

Role Summary

The Principal Investigator (Team Lead) is accountable to the Manager, Investigations for:

• Overseeing daily file allocation, monitoring workload distribution, and supporting the effective operation of the Investigations Unit.
• Providing leadership to Investigators through peer review, coaching, and technical guidance, particularly in relation to case strategy, letter drafting, and report preparation.
• Ensuring highly effective and accountable service provision in the management of complex and/or critical investigations and associated proceedings.
• Assist the Manager with higher-level strategic priorities, such as policy development, workforce planning, national collaboration, and operational planning, as needed.
• Contributing expert advice to the Registrar and the Board to facilitate compliance with legislative requirements and empower TRB decision-making processes.

Selection Criteria

Qualifications

• Appropriate qualifications and/or extensive experience in advanced investigation and regulatory compliance techniques and procedures.

Communication and Interpersonal Skills

• Proven high level ability to communicate effectively, succinctly and accurately both orally and written including the ability to conduct difficult negotiations, resolve conflict and to produce solutions within legislative frameworks across a diverse range of people.
• Experience in conducting interviews with victims/witnesses/respondents in a tribunal or criminal justice environment whilst ensuring impartiality, confidentiality, respectful behaviour and procedural fairness.
• Demonstrated ability to provide peer leadership, coaching, and constructive feedback to professional staff to support high-quality investigative practice.

Organisational Skills

• Proven ability to self-motivate and initiate lines of enquiry and investigation.
• Proven ability to develop and implement operational policy and strategies to support the TRB's goals and initiatives and unit operations.
• Demonstrated capacity to coordinate team workflows, manage competing priorities, and support colleagues in meeting deadlines.

Technical Skills

• Demonstrated investigations experience, including across child abuse/protection-related investigations, and experience in the use of forensic investigation procedures and techniques with the ability to analyse and determine essential elements of investigations.
• Extensive experience in the preparation and presentation of investigation reports capable of withstanding judicial review and meeting legislative and administrative requirements.
• Extensive experience in the evaluation, collection, preparation, and presentation of evidentiary material meeting administrative and legal requirements for presentation within legal proceedings.
• A sound knowledge and experience in the interpretation and application of legislation pertaining to the registration of teachers, policies, practices and legislative requirements relating to disciplinary procedures, compliance mechanisms, administrative inquiries and grievances.
• Extensive knowledge of the purpose and assessment of international and national criminal history records and the analysis and interpretation of intelligence/evidence.

Continuous Improvement and Organisational Safety

• Seek opportunities to improve organisational processes by contributing to improvement initiatives, fostering good customer service, and participating in professional development opportunities.
• A sound understanding of policies and principles relating to equal employment opportunity programs and work health and safety.

Application Instructions

All applications must be submitted online.

To be considered for an interview, applicants are requested to submit a curriculum vitae / resume and a cover letter addressing the essential minimum requirements as outlined in the role description (maximum two pages).

For further guidelines in relation to writing your job application, please refer to the attached TRB Job Applications Guidelines.

Please also complete and submit the TRB Application Cover Sheet and the Pre-Employment Declaration (see attachments).

For any further information, please contact Brett Dixon, Manager, Investigations via email: brett.dixon@trb.sa.edu.au or phone: 8226 5803.

Shortlisted applicants will be contacted within three weeks after the closing date. If you have not been contacted within three weeks of closing, then unfortunately your application has not been successful at this time.

The TRB promotes a workplace that actively seeks to include, welcome and value unique contributions of all people. The TRB encourages people with disability, Aboriginal Australians, young people, and people from culturally diverse backgrounds to apply for this role.

Special Conditions:

The successful applicant will be required to complete a Working with Children Check (WWCC), and a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check (NCCHC), the results of which the TRB finds satisfactory prior to being employed.

The TRB will seek a renewed WWCC and NCCHC every five years.

Applications close: 09/06/2026 11:45 PM

Attachments:
- Pre-Employment-Declaration_240522.pdf
- TRB - Job Application Cover Sheet.pdf
- TRB - Job Application Guidelines - Principal Investigator (Team Lead) ASO8 2026.pdf
- TRB - Role Description - Principal Investigator (Team Lead) ASO8 - May 2026.pdf

Flexibility Statement
The South Australian public sector promotes diversity and flexible ways of working including part-time. Applicants are encouraged to discuss the flexible working arrangements for this role.