General Manager Academic

Benefits at Primary ITO

• Wellbeing Package (2 Health and Wellbeing days off, Cash benefit, and Southern Cross Medical Insurance)
• Community Volunteer Day
• Paid leave between Christmas and New Year's
• Flexible working arrangements to support a work-life balance including flexible start and finish times and working from home
• 5 weeks’ annual leave after the completion of 3 years continuous employment

About the role

This is one of three executive leadership positions that manage the functions of Primary ITO and is also a member of the Senior Management Team.

 This role requires a deep understanding of learning systems, is able to provide pedagogical oversight for programme design and development, understands the requirements of the Industry Skills Boards, New Zealand Qualifications Authority and the Tertiary Education Commission and can work with these agencies to develop and deliver quality programmes for the primary sector. The General Manager Academic chairs the Academic Committee and has strategic and operational management responsibility for the following functions:

•  Programme development and design;

•  Product development and design;

•  Academic Quality;

•  Academic Services and Enrolments;

This is a permanent, full-time role (40 hours per week, Monday to Friday with an ideal based location in Te Aro, Wellington, but the location can be flexible within New Zealand for the right candidate.

About You:

Ideally, we are looking for someone with:

• Experience working at Senior level to provide strategic and operational management to deliver academic and customer services and identify and realise opportunities for continuous improvement and business growth.
• Strong understanding of the Education framework, NZQA, MoE and TEC requirements from extended periods working in the education industry.
• Extensive experience within the education sector preferably in New Zealand. Experience working in the primary sector would also be desirable.
• Sound financial management, business planning and commercial business skills.
• Proven experience in managing organisational change and transformation to achieve cultural change and business improvement.

About Us

Primary ITO, a business division under the new Food & Fibre Industry Skills Board, is New Zealand’s largest industry training organisation and only organisation in New Zealand dedicated to providing training and qualifications to over 30 primary industries.

We work with employers and others in our industry to identify, manage and promote training opportunities and to make sure our qualifications are up-to-date and deliver the skills the industry needs.

How To Apply

Click 'apply now’ to go to our Primary ITO Career Portal to apply or view the job description. Please contact maxine.okeeffe@primaryito.ac.nz for more information about this role.

*Please note we will only consider applications with the permanent legal rights to work in New Zealand.

Applications close on Monday 28 September 2026.

Position description Apply now

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