This study aims to conduct a comprehensive assessment of school heads' instructional leadership and its relationship to teachers’ professional competence and career fulfillment. Specifically, it determined the level of school heads’ instructional leadership, teachers’ professional competence, and teachers’ career fulfillment. It examined significant relationships between instructional leadership and teachers’ professional and career competence. It also proposed a professional training plan based on the study's results.

          This research used a descriptive and correlational design, employing a validated self-developed questionnaire with a 7-point Likert scale and three corresponding parts for each construct. Respondents were all 260 Junior High School teachers in the Schools Division of Sto. Tomas City, with data collected during the 2025-2026 school year.

          Findings revealed that instructional leadership indicators and professional competence dimensions were all rated extremely competent, while career fulfillment factors ranged from highly competent (workload) to extremely competent for the rest. Significant positive relationships were identified between the variables. A professional training plan covering nine focus areas is proposed for implementation from June 2026 to March 2027, targeting school heads, teachers, and administrative staff.

          Instructional leadership of school heads significantly relates to the teachers’ professional and career competence. Hence, both hypotheses stated were rejected. Therefore, it is concluded that effective instructional leadership is crucial for enhancing teachers’ professional skills, instructional performance, classroom practices, and career satisfaction, motivation, and overall fulfillment.

          Based on the findings, key recommendations include maintaining and strengthening instructional leadership across all dimensions to boost teachers’ professional competence and fulfillment; encouraging teachers to actively engage in professional development, collaborate with school leaders, and provide constructive feedback to enhance growth and effectiveness; and providing additional division-wide training and workshops to ensure sustainable improvement across all schools.