Tauranga Museum - Learning Lead

Tauranga; Tauranga; On-site; NZD 72,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

5 weeks’ annual leave

Flexible hours

Career development opportunities

Job summary

Tauranga City Council is embarking on an exciting project to build Tauranga’s new museum. The Learning Lead will shape learning programmes that connect tamariki, rangatahi and tertiary students with the museum’s stories and collections as the venue prepares for its July 2028 opening.

The successful candidate will lead the learning team, collaborate with curators and education partners, and design hands-on experiences leveraging the learning spaces and collection.

Qualifications

• Recognised education or teaching qualification.
• At least five years' experience creating and delivering learning programmes in a museum, gallery or similar cultural setting.
• Strong understanding of the New Zealand education system and relevant curriculum frameworks.
• Ability to build trusted relationships and work collaboratively with diverse groups.
• Experience leading, coaching or supporting a team.

Responsibilities

• Shape and lead learning programmes for early learning, school and tertiary audiences.
• Integrate learning into exhibitions from the start with curators and other museum teams.
• Lead and support the learning team.
• Build relationships with schools, learning centres, education agencies and community stakeholders.
• Create engaging resources and hands-on experiences using learning spaces and collections.
• Bring fresh ideas from education and museum sectors to the learning offer.
• Support proposals for Enriching Local Curriculum programmes.
• Manage programme plans, budgets, resources and day-to-day delivery risks.

Skills

Curriculum design

Stakeholder engagement

Team leadership

Facilitation

Planning & organisation

Education

Teaching qualification

Education degree

Job description

Select how often (in days) to receive an alert:

Te Tūranga | About the role

This is a rare opportunity to build the learning experience for Tauranga’s new museum from the ground up. The museum is currently under construction in the heart of the city’s CBD, an anchor project of Te Manawataki o te Papa, a new civic precinct that includes the upgraded Tauranga Art Gallery, Baycourt performing arts theatre and a new Library & Community hub. The Museum is on track to open in July 2028 and this position is an important early appointment as the team prepares for the opening.

As our Learning Lead, you’ll turn the museum’s dynamic stories, collections and exhibitions into experiences that spark curiosity and help tamariki, rangatahi and tertiary students connect with the ideas explored within the museum.

You’ll have freedom to establish the museum’s learning offer—developing programmes, resources and hands‑on activities that make full use of our long-term and temporary exhibition programme, heritage collection and dedicated learning spaces. You’ll work alongside museum teams and education partners to make learning part of the visitor experience from the beginning.

This isn’t a traditional classroom teaching role. It’s a chance to combine your teaching experience, creativity and understanding of how people learn to build and deliver something new in a museum setting.

In this role, you’ll:

• Shape and lead learning programmes for early learning, school and tertiary audiences
• Work with curators, exhibition designers and other museum teams to build learning into exhibitions from the beginning
• Lead and support the learning team
• Build strong relationships with schools, early learning centres, education agencies, cultural precinct partners and community stakeholders
• Create engaging resources and hands‑on experiences using the museum’s learning spaces and hands‑on collection
• Bring fresh ideas and current thinking from across the education and museum sectors into the museum’s learning offer
• Support proposals and agreements for Enriching Local Curriculum programmes
• Manage programme plans, budgets, resources and day‑to‑day delivery risks

Ngā Pukenga | What you’ll need to succeed

You’ll have:

• A recognised education or teaching qualification
• At least five years experience creating and delivering learning programmes in a museum, gallery or similar cultural setting
• A strong understanding of the New Zealand education system and relevant curriculum frameworks
• An understanding of how different audiences learn and engage in museum or cultural environments
• Experience leading, coaching or supporting a team
• The ability to build trusted relationships and work collaboratively with a wide range of people
• Strong planning, communication, facilitation and organisational skills
• An interest in cultural and social history

You’ll be comfortable balancing creative programme development with the practical side of delivery and know how to turn collections, exhibitions and stories into memorable learning experiences. If you’re excited about building the learning offer for Tauranga’s new museum and bringing people, ideas and organisations together, we’d love to hear from you.

At Tauranga City Council, our work has a direct impact on the city and the people who call it home. From planning for growth to delivering everyday services, our teams contribute to a city we can all be proud of.

If you’re collaborative, forward‑thinking, and community minded, you’ll find meaningful work and opportunity here.

We offer a supportive and flexible workplace, with benefits including 5 weeks’ annual leave, flexible hours and career development opportunities.

Applications will close Tuesday 3rd November

We’re committed to building a diverse team that reflects the communities we serve. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, including those living with disabilities.
If you need any support or adjustments to take part in our recruitment process, please contact our Talent Acquisition team at [e-mail]

• You must have the legal right to live and work in New Zealand to apply for this role.
• In addition to our standard pre‑employment checks, the successful candidate will be required to successfully pass police vetting checks.
• Tauranga City Council does not accept unsolicited contact or applications from recruitment agencies. We will not pay fees or commissions related to unsolicited contact.