Tumuaki Tuarua | Deputy Principal

Wesley Primary School; Auckland; On-site; NZD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Wesley Primary School in Auckland seeks a deputy principal who leads with heart, models vulnerability, and creates an environment of emotional safety and trust for staff and pupils. As a key partner to the tumuaki, you will help shape our culture, unite our team around a shared purpose, and bring structure and clarity to daily operations in a small-school setting.

Our SLT is committed to connecting with learning spaces in authentic and meaningful ways, supporting wellbeing through

Qualifications

• Genuine curiosity about people; prioritise wellbeing and emotional regulation; foster a safe environment.
• Systems-thinking to design and maintain effective operational systems.
• Growth-minded educator: develop leadership capability while empowering others.
• Impact-driven facilitator: use data to guide improvement and teacher growth.

Responsibilities

• Culture and relational practice: embed trauma-informed approaches and foster trust-based culture.
• Instructional leadership: lead teaching sprints and translate data into actionable steps.
• Operational systems and alignment: develop and maintain effective systems that streamline workloads and support daily operations.
• Strategic partnership: work with senior leaders to establish a clear direction for the school.

Skills

Relational leadership

Systems thinking

Growth mindset

Data-driven improvement

Job description

Primary and intermediate (Years 1–8) / kura tuatahi
English, Health and physical education, Learning languages, Mathematics and statistics, Science, Social sciences, Technology, Te reo Māori, The arts

Relational leadership | Trauma-informed practice | Systems excellence.

Are you a curious, courageous leader passionate about trauma-informed practice and relational neuroscience?

Our school is looking for a deputy principal who leads with heart, models vulnerability, and creates an environment of emotional safety and trust for both staff and pupils.

As a key partner to the tumuaki, you will help shape our culture, unite our team around a shared purpose, and bring structure and clarity to daily operations. Being a small school often requires all hands-on deck, whether supporting a hub when needed or adapting to unexpected challenges. Our SLT is committed to connecting with learning spaces in authentic and meaningful ways.

What we are looking for

• A relational leader: You are genuinely curious about people, prioritise wellbeing and emotional regulation, and foster a safe environment where vulnerability and risk-taking are welcomed.
• A systems thinker: You design and maintain effective operational systems that provide stability while enabling flexibility within a small-school setting.
• A growth-minded educator: You value continuous personal and professional growth, developing your own leadership capability while empowering others.
• An impact-driven facilitator: You use data purposefully to guide improvement and support teacher growth through structured approaches such as teaching sprints.

Key responsibilities

• Culture and relational practice: Embed trauma-informed approaches, support staff well-being, and foster an inclusive, trust-based culture.
• Instructional leadership: Lead teaching sprints, strengthen pedagogical practice, and translate data into actionable steps that improve pupil outcomes.
• Operational systems and alignment: Develop and maintain effective systems that streamline workloads and support smooth daily operations.
• Strategic partnership: Work alongside the Tumuaki and SLT to establish a clear, inspiring direction for the school's future.

What we offer

A clear shared purpose, opportunities for professional growth and leadership development, and a supportive environment where vulnerability is respected, learning is continuous, and well-being is genuinely prioritised.