Specialist School Deputy Principal

Hamilton North School; Waikato; On-site; NZD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Hamilton North School seeks a senior leader to provide shared strategic leadership alongside the principal and deputy principal, ensuring inclusive outcomes for students with diverse needs. The role guides growth, improvement, and system-wide change within a supportive, collaborative culture.

The successful candidate will bring proven senior leadership experience in a school setting and a capacity to lead a community through transformational change, using a strengths-based portfolio to align

Qualifications

• Proven senior leadership experience in a school setting.
• Vision and relational strength to lead a diverse community through growth.
• Experience implementing school-wide frameworks and change management.
• Ability to oversee multidisciplinary teams including teachers and therapists.

Responsibilities

• Provide shared strategic leadership with the principal and deputy principal.
• Oversee curriculum, policy development and resource management.
• Lead school improvement initiatives and Teaching to the North East framework.
• Deputise for the principal as needed.
• Support staff development, coaching and capability building.

Skills

Senior leadership

Strategic leadership

Team leadership

Coaching and mentoring

Job description

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About the role

Working in close collaboration with the principal and the existing deputy principal, this role provides shared strategic leadership and oversight across key areas of school life, making sure every student with diverse and complex needs can succeed.

We are seeking a leader who is flexible, adaptive, and enthusiastic about leading through growth. Our school is actively growing and changing while embarking on a journey of continued improvement, centered on Russell Bishop’s Teaching to the North East framework to guide our pedagogy, processes, and systems. While prior expertise in this framework is not required, the successful candidate must bring proven senior leadership experience in a school setting along with the vision, relational strength and capability to lead our community through this transformative journey.

Tailored responsibilities and strengths-based portfolio

We recognise that great leadership is built on strength. The exact portfolio will be tailored to align with the successful candidate’s unique background, talents, and professional expertise.

Areas of leadership will likely encompass:

• multidisciplinary team leadership and practice – managing, supporting, and working collaboratively alongside both teachers and therapists to foster cohesive, integrated multi-disciplinary teams centered on student well-being and achievement
• coaching, mentoring and capability building – leading staff development through coaching and mentoring to grow pedagogical practice, support professional learning, and embed school-wide systems
• specialist educational leadership – guiding personalised curriculum design, specialist pedagogy, IEP processes, and evidence-based interventions for learners with complex needs
• school-wide systems and change leadership – leading staff capability building and system integration as we implement Teaching to the North East.
• strategic leadership and school operations – contributing to overall school vision, policy development, resource management, staffing needs and daily operational excellence alongside the senior leadership team – deputise for the principal as needed
• curriculum leadership – providing leadership in developing, coordinating, implementing and evaluating a highly personalised curriculum and specialist pedagogy.

Sector Other education organisation, Primary and intermediate (Years 1–8) / kura tuatahi