Principal Consultant Measurement (English, OLNA)

About the role

The School Curriculum and Standards Division's Examinations, Certification and Testing (ECT) Directorate is recruiting a Principal Consultant Measurement for English (OLNA). The role is permanent and full-time, starting as soon as possible, and sits within the Directorate's work on literacy and numeracy testing, including the Online Literacy and Numeracy Assessment (OLNA) and NAPLAN.

Key responsibilities

• Collaborate in producing NAPLAN and OLNA support publications and review literacy assessment instruments developed by external agencies and contractors.
• Plan and design suites of reading tests that work robustly as independent, equivalent forms for multiple attempts, applying psychometric advice to link design.
• Use knowledge of the Australian Core Skills Framework together with English and General Capabilities in the Australian Curriculum to inform test content.
• Plan the item development process, assemble and train a team of qualified item writers, and develop tools and reference documents for them.
• Collaborate in marking operations for all literacy assessments for NAPLAN and OLNA, including training and monitoring specialist markers to maintain high standards.

Required profile

• Australian or New Zealand citizenship, permanent residency, or a valid visa with work rights for the term of appointment.
• Consent to a nationally coordinated criminal history check and a current Screening Clearance Number from the Department of Education's Screening Unit.
• A current Working with Children Check.

Required skills

• Ability to design and develop sophisticated assessment tools for online reading and writing assessment.
• Project coordination, including planning, monitoring, reviewing, evaluating and reporting on complex projects.
• Conceptual and analytical skills in student assessment, including analysing achievement data with Rasch methodology.
• Interpersonal and negotiation skills, working with professional organisations and peak bodies.
• Excellent written and oral communication and presentation skills.
• Understanding of contemporary issues in assessment, measurement and reporting of student performance, especially in English.

What we offer

• 12% employer-contributed superannuation.
• Flexible working arrangements considered to support work-life balance.
• Generous leave entitlements including annual, personal, long service and parental leave.
• Professional development opportunities and study leave/assistance.
• Access to salary packaging.

Applications close on 3 November 2026 at 4:30pm AWST. Applicants submit an online application with a two-page CV and a four-page statement addressing the selection criteria, along with two work-related referees.