Victorian Aspiring Principal Assessment assessors

The Victorian Academy of Teaching and Leadership (the Academy) is inviting Expression of Interest applications to become an Assessor for the Victorian Aspiring Principal Assessment (VAPA). 

Detail on the role of assessors and key selection criteria appears below.

Express your interest

Due date: 2pm on Friday, 29 August 2025 Melbourne time.

Express your interest in becoming an Assessor:

1. Review the Application Guide
2. Review the Expression of Interest Requirements
3. Complete the Expression of Interest Application Form
4. Complete the Pricing Template
5. Review the Short Form Agreement
6. Email your completed Expression of Interest Application Form and your completed Pricing Template to: academy.procurement@education.vic.gov.au

Note: It is recommended that Victorian Public Service employees working in a full-time capacity do not apply to undertake services as a VAPA Assessor due to the time required to undertake this role, the substantial nature of the assessment process and the standard of delivery required. 

The following documents are available to assist with the preparation of your expression of interest response:

• Application Guide (docx, 157 KB)
• Expression of Interest Requirements (docx, 78 KB)
• Expression of Interest Application Form (docx, 67 KB)
• Pricing Template (docx, 22 KB)
• Short Form Agreement (docx, 175 KB)
• Expression of Interest Bulletin 1 – Question and Answer (docx, 189 KB)
• Expression of Interest Bulletin 2 – Question and Answer (docx, 201 KB)
• Industry Briefing – Expression of Interest Process Victorian Aspiring Principal Assessment Presentation (5.6 MB)
• Expression of Interest Bulletin 3 – Question and Answer (docx, 206 KB)
• Expression of Interest Bulletin 4 – Question and Answer (docx, 207 KB)
• Expression of Interest Bulletin 5 – Question and Answer (docx, 209 KB)
• Expression of Interest Bulletin 6 – Question and Answer (docx, 212 KB)
• Important information about the Expression of Interest Application Form (docx, 140 KB)

Industry Briefing

An Industry Briefing session will be held that you can attend prior to submitting your expression of interest response.

• Date and time: 14 July 2025 from 10.00 – 11.00 am Melbourne time
• Location: Briefing will be held online via WebEx. Confirmed attendees will receive the link prior to the event.
• Attendance: optional.
• Confirm your attendance: If you wish to attend the industry briefing, please contact vapa@education.vic.gov.au to receive an online meeting invitation and link.

Assessor roles

Assessors play a critical role supporting aspiring principals on their pathway to principalship. Assessors are responsible for:

• onboarding VAPA candidates
• assessing, moderating and scoring candidate portfolios
• preparing and conducting candidate interviews
• moderating and finalising candidate scores
• attending meetings and training. 

We are seeking applications from people interested in undertaking assessor work as either a Lead or Partner Assessor:

• Lead Assessors are responsible for onboarding of their assigned candidates and the assessment of these candidates. They are the primary point of contact for assigned candidates throughout the assessment.
• Partner Assessors are responsible for the assessment of their assigned candidates. They also hold responsibility for supporting the lead to ensure bias is checked and there is adherence to process.

Length of appointment

Assessor roles are available for an initial 2-year period. The Academy may offer up to 2 additional agreements with terms of up to one year each, at the Academy's sole and absolute discretion, to be confirmed in writing at least one month prior to the completion date of each iterative Agreement. The total duration would be no longer than 4 years in total (2026-2029).

Assessment pool

The assessment pool will comprise a Lead Assessor and Partner Assessor trained in the VAPA and emotional intelligence frameworks and assessment methods.

The pool is responsible for:

• assessing candidate portfolios
• interviewing and moderating candidate performance scores
• making an overall ‘on-balance’ judgement of a candidate’s current level of competence. 

What is the VAPA? 

The Academy delivers the VAPA as part of a system-wide approach to identifying and preparing Victoria’s next generation of principals. The assessment enables aspiring and past principals to:  

• evaluate readiness for the principal role 
• identify targeted professional development needs 
• create an evidence base for professional recognition of performance.

The assessment entails a mixed-method approach to assessment and reporting that involves an interview, 360-degree assessment, and a portfolio. 

• Victorian Aspiring Principal Assessment