Careers
Join the Team
At Southland Kindergartens Association, tamariki and their whānau are at the heart of everything we do. We are committed to forming supportive and respectful relationships with each family, recognising the unique strengths and needs of every child. Our approach is centred around creating a warm and inclusive environment where tamariki feel safe, valued, and supported to learn at their own pace.
Why work for SKA?
Being part of our SKA means you would be part of a community focussed organisation and actively involved in contributing to the well-being and development of our local tamariki. You will be supporting equitable access to quality education, fostering a strong sense of community and belonging.
We recognise the importance of growth through professional learning opportunities being supported on a regular basis. For our Kaiako this is further supported by way of the Kindergarten Teachers Collective Agreement, which can be found here.
With 24 locations throughout Southland we have many internal opportunities for change our support our staff to grow and evolve.
Our operational roles play a crucial part in delivering an excellent ECE service to our community and we have a strong focus on ensuring our staff are supported to carry these roles the best we can.
We welcome your enquiry to become part of our team and help us support our Southland Community.
Job Vacancies
We have the following vacancies available.
Ranui Kindergarten is seeking an experienced, confident, and enthusiastic Reliever Head Kaiako to lead our team while our Head Kaiako is on parental leave. This is a fantastic opportunity to step into a vibrant, well-established kindergarten and make a meaningful contribution throughout 2026.
🌱 About Ranui Kindergarten
Ranui is a busy, full-year kindergarten with a strong sense of community and a commitment to high-quality learning. We operate a 30-child all-day model and proudly provide daily lunches for our tamariki, supporting the wellbeing of our children and whānau.
You’ll be joining an amazing, collaborative, and supportive team who bring energy, creativity, and professionalism to their mahi every day.
✨ About the Role
- Reliever Head Kaiako (Parental Leave Cover)
- February – November 2026
- Lead a skilled and passionate team
- Support high-quality teaching and learning programmes
- Maintain strong relationships with tamariki, whānau, and the wider community
🌼 We’re Looking For Someone Who:
- Brings leadership experience or strong leadership capability
- Is confident, organised, and passionate about early childhood education
- Enjoys working in a dynamic, fast-paced kindergarten environment
- Values teamwork, communication, and high-quality practice
💛 Ready to Lead at Ranui?
If you’re excited by the opportunity to guide this incredible team and support tamariki in a warm, active, and inclusive setting, we’d love to hear from you.
To apply, you need:
- Hold a Bachelors Degree in ECE (or equivalent NZ recognised qualification)
- Registered with NZ Teaching Council
- Current First Aid Certificate.
If you would like to apply, please email through your CV and cover letter to jobs@ska.co.nz.
Please Note: To be considered, you MUST state which role/s you are applying for . If you do not, you may miss out.
Applications for this role closes Sunday 25 January 2026
If you are overseas, please do not apply as we are unable to support visas.
We are excited to let you know that as we move into 2026, we are growing our teaching teams! This means we have many new roles available across the region for qualified Kaiako.
Take a look at Our Kindergartens page to see the amazing work our Kaiako undertake with the tamariki. If you are keen to join one our teams, these permanent positions are now available!
1 FTE (full time – 40 hours/week) – Drummond
1 FTE (full time – 40 hours/week) – Glengarry
0.5FTE (part time – 20 hours/week) – Longbush
0.5FTE (part time – 20 hours/week) – Northern Southland (Lumsden)
0.5FTE (part time – 20 hours/week) – Otatara
0.25FTE (part time – 10 hours/week increasing to 0.5FTE 20 hours/week in the near future) – Riverton
0.16FTE (part time – 6.5 hours/week, Friday preferred) – Riverton
0.5FTE (part time – 20 hours/week) – Winton
To apply, you need:
- Hold a Bachelors Degree in ECE (or equivalent NZ recognised qualification)
- Registered with NZ Teaching Council
- Current First Aid Certificate.
Sound good? If you would like to apply, please email through your CV and cover letter to jobs@ska.co.nz.
Please Note: To be considered, you MUST state which role/s you are applying for . If you do not, you may miss out.
Applications for all roles close Sunday 25 January 2026
If you are overseas, please do not apply as we are unable to support visas.
- Invercargill
- Northern Southland
- Gore
- Fiordland
We have many opportunities for relievers! With our kindergartens moving to full year over 2026 (no term breaks) it means we have plenty of work available around the region to help cover various leave.
This is a role that might suit you to have flexibility to pick the shifts that work for you, rather than joining us on a permanent basis. Its also a great way to move into the amazing world of Kindergarten teaching and work along our experienced kaiako.
If you’re keen to apply, you need:
- Hold a Bachelors Degree in ECE (or equivalent NZ recognised qualification)
- Registered with NZ Teaching Council
- Current First Aid Certificate.
Pop through your CV and cover letter to apply at jobs@ska.co.nz.
If you are overseas, please do not apply as we are unable to support visas.
Relievers
We have opportunities for relievers too – it might suit you to have flexibility to pick the shifts that work for you, rather than joining us on a permanent basis.
We are always on the lookout for:
- Qualified Relievers
- Kindergarten Support – Untrained
If you’re interested, send your CV and cover letter to hr@ska.co.nz
Want to know more? Phone us on (03) 2140 237 or complete the contact form below.