Central Kids | Hamilton or Rotorua | Permanent Full-Time

Mō mātou | About Us

Central Kids is a not-for-profit organisation operating 47 early learning services across 27 towns in the North Island. Alongside our early learning services we also operate wrap-around whānau support services

Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About this role

Lead people strategy, culture development, and health and safety as part of our senior leadership transformation. You’ll lead Strategic Pou 4: Ngā Kaihoe – ensuring our people move in strength and unity.

Position Central Kids as an employer of choice while building bicultural culture across dispersed teams (657 permanent and casual staff.)

Key responsibilities:

• Develop people strategy: workforce planning, succession, capability
• Lead teacher recruitment and retention
• Champion bicultural culture and values-driven leadership
• Manage remuneration, employment relations, collective agreements
• Build health, safety, wellbeing systems across 47 sites
• Design professional development and leadership programmes

Ko wai koe| About you

• Tertiary qualification in Human Resources or Organisational Development
• 5+ years senior HR/People leadership with board reporting
• Expertise in HR strategy, workforce planning, organisational development
• Experience leading people functions (500+ employees) across dispersed teams
• Employment relations expertise including unions and collective agreements
• Health and safety leadership with WorkSafe compliance
• Understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and bicultural culture leadership

Highly desirable: Education experience, teacher recruitment, people analytics, te reo

Me pēhea te tuku tono | How to apply

To receive the position description and related collateral or to book a confidential discussion with Raewyn Brown, email info@amytea.co.nz.

To apply, please email your cover letter and CV to apply@amytea.co.nz

Applications close Friday 23 January 2026

You must have the right to live and work in Aotearoa New Zealand to apply for this job.