Head Kaiako, McNaughton Kindergarten

at  Auckland Kindergarten Association

• Opportunity to demonstrate your operational leadership skill set
• Work in a fun and collaborative team environment
• Due to an internal promotion, we have a permanent, full-time role at our McNaughton Kindergarten
  Ngā Tamariki Puāwai o Tāmaki |Auckland Kindergarten Association (AKA) offers a competitive salary and benefits package, along with opportunities for professional development and career advancement. Join us and make a lasting impact on the lives of our tamariki as they embark on their learning journey.
  Are you an experienced ECE Head Kaiako with a passion for early childhood education? If so, we encourage you to apply for our Head Kaiako position at McNaughton Kindergarten and embark on a rewarding career as a Head Kaiako at Ngā Tamariki Puāwai o Tāmaki |Auckland Kindergarten Association (AKA).

THE ORGANISATION

Ngā Tamariki Puāwai ō Tāmaki |Auckland Kindergarten Association (AKA) has a long history in New Zealand in the Early Childhood Education sector, beginning in 1908 in Freemans Bay. We now have 107 kindergartens, four KiNZ centres five Playgroups, and support services staff forming our organisation.
Ours is a bicultural environment, where the learning framework of Te Whāriki underpins all we do, and where the good of our tamariki and their parents and whānau sits at the very heart of our organisation. At AKA, we provide a safe and enriching early childhood learning environment where children can develop as confident and competent learners. Our kindergartens offer quality Early Childhood Education (ECE) to a diverse range of children. Our Auckland-wide network of kindergartens are places where young Aucklanders get the very best start to prepare for school and beyond - building the foundations for a lifetime of learning.
The kindergarten
Our kindergarten has a professional, qualified teaching team with a passion for providing early childhood education in McNaughton. Kaiako work alongside the tamariki and develop their individual interests and strengths, providing evidence-based, quality learning programmes to encourage tamariki to begin their life and love of learning.
The indoor and outdoor environments at McNaughton Kindergarten are filled with resources and spaces for tamariki to utilise for exploring and learning. We are proud to be an enviroschool and are passionate about nature and a commitment to sustainability. Our kindergarten provides an open, inviting place of learning for all
The kindergarten’s philosophy emphasises teachers’ commitment to having responsive relationships with parents and whānau, encouraging tuakana/teina and collaborative approaches, and offering opportunities for exploration in an inclusive environment.
The role
McNaughton Kindergarten is currently looking for a permanent, full time Head Kaiako to join and lead our teaching team, and help us contribute to the high level of service that we are proud to provide our local community. If you are a registered and fully certificated ECE Kaiako, and experienced ECE Head Kaiako with proven leadership experience, this is a fantastic opportunity to be part of the AKA!
We’re looking for an experienced Head Kaiako who really enjoys being a great example to your team as an exceptional leader. Through your open communication style, collaborative approach and focus on strengthening relationships; you will value the past whilst bringing to life a vision for the future that is shared by the team, kindergarten whānau and local community are on the journey together; and ensures that all key stakeholders are on the journey together.
Balancing professional leadership with management of the day-to-day kindergarten operations and teaching duties means variety and intrinsic reward. You need to be energetic and enthusiastic about providing excellent learning experiences to our tamariki, driven by our play-based philosophy and focus on dispositional learning; and have the resilience to meet the compliance and operational targets that the management component of the role requires.

Our ideal candidate will also:

• have 5+ years’ experience in an ECE environment, and hold a current practicing certificate
• experience working with diverse communities
• have demonstrable skills in Pedagogical leadership
• experience in leading a team, where collaboration and development is key
• experience in leading small teams
• strength in leading the Internal Evaluation cycle
• operational leadership perhaps having managed an early childhood centre.
• share the organisation’s commitment to the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi, informing and leading bicultural practice
• share our kindergarten’s philosophy of care and respect for the natural environment and sustainability and incorporate this in to learning experiences for children
• value the use of ICT as a teaching tool, utilising a range of available technological resources to extend children’s learning and improve teaching practice
• have a strong focus on inclusiveness, recognising and valuing the rich diversity of the tamariki, whānau and local community

Ultimately, everything you do will be focused on achieving the best learning outcomes for children.
If this is you, then please click Apply. We look forward to hearing from you.
Applications close on 1st December 2024 at 12.00 pm (unless filled prior)
We encourage anyone interested in applying to visit our Kindergarten (please call ahead to check). To find out more about McNaughton Kindergarten, please visit the AKA website.
For information on the terms and conditions of this position, please review the newly negotiated Kindergarten Teachers, Head Teachers, and Senior Teachers’ Collective Agreement 2023-2026.
Applicants must have the legal right to live and work in New Zealand to be considered for this position
Though it is no longer mandatory, the AKA continues to encourage its people to be fully vaccinated from the COVID-19 virus.

Please refer the Job description for details