Learning Area Lead- Science

Fixed Term (through to 30 January 2026), full-time role
- Based in Wellington however flexible arrangements will be considered - if you want to work outside of Wellington, please indicate what area of New Zealand you intend to work from.

Help shape the future of Education
He mea tārai e mātou te mātauranga kia rangatira ai, kia mana taurite ai ōna huanga
We work to shape an education system that delivers equitable and excellent outcomes
At Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga | Ministry of Education, we work to provide services and support nationally, regionally and locally to the education sector, and in some cases, directly to ākonga and whānau.
We help shape the policies, settings and performance of the education system for early learning, schooling and tertiary. We do this by building relationships and understanding the needs of those who receive our services.
Are you passionate about achieving equitable outcomes for ākonga Māori in education along with secondary schooling and wharekura pathway?
Do you have skills and experiences that can contribute to making education more relevant to the realities of day-to-day society?
Are you a system-thinker who can turn ideas and principles into action?
About our group and team
The Secondary Tertiary team sits within the Te Poutāhū Group (the Curriculum Centre) and covers the transition from senior secondary through to tertiary and employment.
Te Poutāhū works to make learning and teaching relevant, real and valued. We deliver and maintain critical services for the education sector to support responsive learner pathways from early childhood into further education, training, the workforce and society. Te Poutāhū performs a crucial role working between the strategy and policy teams, and the sector facing functions. The Secondary Tertiary team is responsible for operational policy, curriculum and support programmes for Year 11-13 learners, the secondary-tertiary interface. This includes senior secondary curriculum, NCEA (including the ongoing NCEA Review and the Review of Achievement Standards) and secondary-tertiary programmes.
Mō tēnei tūranga | About this role (Learning Area Lead - Science)
The Learning Area Lead (LAL) provides leadership in the development of sector-facing material, sector support, and facilitates the delivery of the changes relating to the NCEA Review and Review of Achievement Standards (RAS) into the sector.
This vacancy focusses on the Science Learning Area.
The role works collaboratively with other Learning Area Leads, NCEA Implementation Facilitators, the Literacy and Numeracy Project Team, Lead Secondary Advisers, sector leaders, education agencies and providers on the NCEA change initiatives to support improvement by focusing on supporting teaching professionals to understand the NCEA Science products and to tailor and customise approaches to meet learners' needs.
The LAL supports the design of initiatives which help learners develop the competencies they need for study, work and life-long learning. The role provides advice on design for senior secondary learners by using knowledge from practical experience, research analysis and other relevant information.
A key aspect of the LAL role is to support the implementation of the NCEA changes and as such will partner closely with the NCEA Implementation Facilitators currently being established in the regional Ministry centres.
- Expertise in Science in the New Zealand Curriculum, with a particular focus on the secondary sector.
- Experience and expertise in leading effective Professional Learning and Development in the secondary sector.
- Experience in pedagogical practice within the secondary sector.
- Proven ability to gain trust and work closely with teachers and stakeholders to lead change in practice.
- Strong understanding of the importance of Mātauranga Māori in the context of your learning area focus.

Mōhou ake | About you
They will have sharp interpersonal skills, superior writing skills, and will be comfortable working with a diverse range of stakeholders and representing the Ministry.
Experience and qualifications
- A tertiary qualification in education, or in a field which privileges critical thinking and clear communication.
- Secondary teaching and leadership experience is critical
- Experience in leading change to improve student outcomes within the secondary sector.
- Experience in facilitating or leading professional learning and development in the education sector.

Kua rite koe mō tēnei mahi? | Are you ready to make a difference?
We provide flexible working environments where everyone feels relevant, valued and supported. So, if working from home and/or having a flexible start and finish to the day will help with this, we can usually make it happen. We'd love to hear what this might look like for you, so feel free to outline this in your Cover Letter.

**In your cover letter we'd like to know**:

- about you, your values, your whakapapa
- your interest and moti