Principal | Tumuaki

Te Pākihi o Maru; Oamaru; On-site; NZD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Te Pākihi o Maru is seeking a principal to lead a Year 1–6 kura in Otago/Oamaru, with ~141 learners. The role focuses on maintaining student wellbeing, driving high-quality teaching, and sustaining strong whānau and community partnerships.

The successful candidate will continue the school’s progress, embrace its renewed identity, and lead with strategic vision and collaborative style for our size and context.

Qualifications

• Experience leading a school or large team.
• Commitment to high-quality teaching and learning.
• Ability to build strong relationships with whānau, staff and the Board.

Responsibilities

• Keep tamariki wellbeing at heart of decisions.
• Provide clear educational leadership and champion excellent teaching and learning.
• Build trusting relationships with staff, whānau and the Board.
• Champion an inclusive, culturally responsive kura and Te Tiriti o Waitangi commitments.
• Value progress made and lead collaboratively to shape the next chapter.
• Lead strategic vision with practical, hardworking leadership for a school of our size.

Skills

Educational leadership

Community engagement

Strategic planning

Te Tiriti o Waitangi

Education

Master's degree in Education Leadership

Job description

Together, growing hearts and minds.

Lead the next chapter of a school moving forward with renewed identity and purpose.

Te Pākihi o Maru is seeking a principal who will build on our progress and help every learner thrive. Over the past 6 years, under our current principal, our school has rebuilt its image, embraced a new name (formerly Oamaru North School), and regrown its student roll. With approximately 141 students, we are ready to continue that journey with a new permanent leader.

Our Years 1–6 kura offers a warm, supportive and inclusive environment, with a holistic approach to learning. We are proudly multicultural, value strong connections with whānau, and provide small classes and varied learning and sporting opportunities so children can realise their potential.

Our next leader

We are looking for a principal who will:

• keep tamariki, their learning and their wellbeing at the heart of decisions
• bring clear educational leadership and a commitment to excellent teaching and learning
• build trusting, respectful relationships with staff, whānau, the Board and our wider community
• champion an inclusive, culturally responsive kura and demonstrate a commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi
• value the progress already made while working collaboratively to shape our next chapter
• combine strategic vision with the practical skills to lead a school of our size.

Ideally, our new principal will commence as early in Term 1, 2027 as possible. However, we are flexible about the start date, as finding the best candidate for our kura is our priority. If you are ready to grow hearts and minds and lead Te Pākihi o Maru into its next chapter, we would love to hear from you.