Head of Technology

Come shape the future of education with us.

At Compass, we’re on a mission to transform the school day for everyone - from staff and students to families and administrators, we build smart, seamless technology that empowers schools to focus on what really matters: learning, growing, and thriving.

That mission has fuelled our growth into a global scale-up, now supporting over 5,000+ schools across three countries, backed by a team of 300+ people. Our all-in-one school management platform is redefining how education communities connect, communicate, and operate.

We’re now looking for a Head of Technology to lead our Platform & Tech function and play a critical role in scaling Compass safely, reliably and sustainably.

About the Role & Team

As Head of Technology, you’ll be responsible for the reliability, security and evolution of Compass’ core platform infrastructure and internal IT systems. You’ll ensure business-as-usual operations run smoothly while driving strategic initiatives that strengthen our platform foundations, reduce technical debt, and support continued growth at scale.

This is a rare opportunity to step into a senior technology leadership role that balances operational excellence, technical depth, and people leadership, where your decisions directly impact schools, educators and students every day.

What you'll do:

Leadership and Team Development

• Build and lead a high-performing technology operations team aligned to Compass values.
• Coach and develop DevOps, Infrastructure and Release Management roles.
• Set clear expectations and foster a culture of quality, accountability and continuous improvement.

Platform Operations and Reliability

• Own internal IT systems and platform business-as-usual operations.
• Ensure the availability, performance and reliability of the Compass platform.
• Act as the escalation point for major incidents and reliability issues.

Infrastructure, Architecture and Technical Debt

• Own platform infrastructure, architecture and operational resilience.
• Reduce technical debt and improve long-term maintainability.
• Establish best practice across monitoring, incident, change and release management.

Strategy and Delivery

• Lead migration initiatives and cloud transformation.
• Define and execute a roadmap for cloud adoption, optimisation and cost management.
• Ensure infrastructure supports scale, security and compliance.

Security and Compliance

• Own platform and internal IT security and risk management.
• Ensure compliance with ISO, PCI DSS and other relevant standards.
• Lead audits, security reviews and continuous improvement of controls.

Cross-functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Product, Engineering and Support to resolve platform issues efficiently and sustainably.
• Provide clear, structured communication during incidents, changes, or major initiatives.
• Contribute technical insight to broader business planning and decision making.

Requirements

About You

You’re a calm, capable technology leader who thrives in complex environments and takes pride in building resilient systems and strong teams.

You bring:

• Experience working in a technology-led business.
• Several years of hands-on technical experience across infrastructure, systems or platform engineering.
• A minimum of two years’ people management experience.
• A strong background in platform infrastructure, reliability and operations.
• Experience leading or contributing significantly to migration initiatives.
• Solid knowledge of security and compliance frameworks, including ISO and PCI DSS.
• Confidence acting as an escalation point during high-impact incidents.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• High standards for quality, with a detail-oriented mindset.
• An ambitious, growth-oriented approach and openness to coaching and development.

Benefits

What’s in it for you?

You’ll join a purpose-driven company at a genuinely exciting stage of growth, with the opportunity to make a real impact on education at scale.

What we offer:

• A hybrid working environment, with teams spending three days a week in our Melbourne or Sydney office.
• Learning and development opportunities, including a dedicated PD budget.
• 24/7 access to our Employee Assistance Program (EAP), including face-to-face, phone and live chat support.
• A parental leave program for both primary and secondary carers.
• A supportive, inclusive culture where your voice is valued and heard.
• The chance to grow alongside a fast-moving, ambitious organisation.

Compass is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We embrace and celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

Prior to commencing employment, you’ll need:

• A valid Employee Working With Children Check
• A satisfactory National Police Check
• Verification of unrestricted work rights in Australia (e.g. citizenship, passport or birth certificate)

Ready to make a difference?

If you’re excited by the challenge of scaling a critical platform, leading strong teams, and shaping the future of education technology, we’d love to hear from you.

Apply now and help us build the foundations that empower schools to focus on what matters most: teaching and learning.

Find out more about Compass on our website - https://www.compass.education/.