Principal

Glendowie College; Auckland; On-site; NZD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Glendowie College, a leading state co-educational secondary school in Auckland’s Eastern Suburbs, is seeking an experienced principal. The role focuses on confidently guiding the school through substantial curriculum change while maintaining high standards in academics and co-curricular achievement.

The successful candidate will lead with a collaborative approach, ensure strong engagement with students, staff and the community, and manage property, assets and budgets effectively.

Qualifications

• Experience leading positive change in a state secondary school.
• Strong collaboration and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Strategic vision for curriculum development and IC incorporation.
• Experience with budget and property/asset management.

Responsibilities

• Lead the college through significant curriculum change, including AI impacts on teaching and learning.
• Strengthen academic and co-curricular excellence across the school.
• Oversee property, assets and resources with astute management.

Skills

Collaborative leadership

Commercial acumen

Asset management

Te Tiriti partnership

Job description

Secondary (Years 7–15) / wharekura, Principal
English, Health and physical education, Learning languages, Mathematics and statistics, Science, Social sciences, Technology, Te reo Māori, The arts

Glendowie College is a leading state co-educational secondary school, located in Auckland’s Eastern Suburbs. It caters to around 1,200 students in Years 9 to 13 and has an enviable reputation for academic success. It offers the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme at Years 9 and 10 as a genuine point of difference.

Glendowie's vision is to be “a community empowering ākonga to experience success, ready to embrace their future” and has an inclusive culture, strong pastoral care and a collegial staff culture grounded in whānau, manaaki, hiranga and kaha.

This is an exciting opportunity to lead a school that is already performing extremely well, with a very capable senior leadership team, a highly engaged Board and a strong sense of community and pride among staff and students.

The focus will be on leading the college confidently through a period of significant curriculum change. This includes the evolving impact of AI on teaching and learning, while strengthening the school's commitment to academic and co-curricular excellence. The role also calls for astute management of the college's property, assets and resources.

The board is seeking an experienced, values-led principal with a strong track record of leading positive change in a state secondary school and, ideally, in a co-educational setting. Genuine strengths in engaging students, staff and the wider community will be key to success.

Exceptional emerging principals will be considered, particularly experienced deputy or associate principals from larger schools with a strong leadership track record in similar contexts.

Candidates will bring:

• a collaborative, visible and approachable leadership style, with strengths in leading and developing high-performing teams


• sound commercial and business acumen, including experience with property, asset management and budgets


• a commitment to inclusion, diversity of learners and Te Tiriti o Waitangi partnership in the learning environment


• IB experience is advantageous but not essential.