Chief Operating Officer

About the Company:

King's College in Auckland, New Zealand, is a prestigious independent secondary school renowned for its academic excellence and holistic approach to education.

Established in 1896, the school offers a diverse curriculum and a strong emphasis on character development, leadership, and extracurricular activities, encapsulated in the motto “Providing the best all round education it is possible to obtain.”

Set on a picturesque campus with state-of-the-art facilities, King's College provides a nurturing environment where students are encouraged to explore their talents and pursue their passions and with 300 students boarding in the College, this is a vibrant and positive campus.  

The school's rich history and tradition, combined with a forward-thinking approach, make it a leading institution in the New Zealand education system.


About the Role:

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) is pivotal in overseeing the financial and business performance of the College and its affiliates, reporting to the Headmaster and Board.

This role leads the College’s commercial functions, including Finance, Marketing, Property, and Facilities, and is crucial in steering the overall strategic direction of the institution.

The COO manages the Commercial/Professional and Support functions and ensures that they operate to best-in-class levels to support College educational operations. These areas are Finance, Information Services, Marketing, Property, Facilities management, Catering, King’s Institute and Risk (including health, safety, wellbeing & security). 

There are also dotted line relationships with Development (donor investment) and the People & Culture Director (in respect of the Commercial/Professional and Support staff).

The role has responsibility, in collaboration with the Headmaster, for developing the financial sustainability of the College and implementing the College's Total Property Plan as approved by the Board.

The role supports the College’s governance function by ensuring compliance with the secretarial and administrative requirements of the College’s Board of Governors, Trusts and operations. In doing so, the role attends all Board of Governor meetings (at the Chair’s direction) and acts as Secretary for the Board of Governors and the Board of Trustees.

The COO supports all the College’s affiliate trusts and organisations to achieve their commercial goals (with support from the Finance Director on affiliate accounting needs).

Key Responsibilities:

• Financial Responsibility: Ensures the College’s financial sustainability and performance, both currently and long-term.
• Leadership and Coaching: Leads, motivates, and coaches staff within the College’s commercial functions to foster a high-performance culture.
• Risk Management: Identifies and addresses commercial risks and liabilities to safeguard the College’s operations.
• Operational Management: Oversees key operational areas such as Finance, Marketing, Property, Facilities, and more, ensuring they support educational functions effectively.
• Governance and Compliance: Supports the governance function by ensuring compliance with Board requirements and acting as Secretary for the Board of Governors and Trustees.

Overall, the COO’s role is essential in maintaining the operational integrity and strategic direction of the institution, allowing the educational leadership to focus on academic and student-related matters, as well as engagement with the King’s community.


About You:
 

• You will be an accomplished COO, or senior executive, with a proven history in complex organisations.
• You should demonstrate expertise in diverse areas including finance, revenue generation, operational efficiency, property management, strategy development, and risk mitigation.
• Strategic thinker, who has operated effectively in a  property or an asset based organisation, and is adept at determining how to allocate capital
• Excellent leadership and mentoring skills
• You will have a collaborative approach, who can support the Headmaster and have credibility presenting to the Board of Governors
• You will be adept at taking on new responsibilities, and will show a strong ability to collaborate with peers, academic staff, and other stakeholders. A successful track record of delivering results is essential.
• We seek an individual with integrity, resilience, and a warm, approachable style, who is passionate about education and committed to fostering an environment where students can thrive and excel in a rapidly evolving world.

Apply Now!

To find out more, please get in touch with David Ziebart on +64 27 206 3801 or Mia Mrsic in the Research team for a confidential chat.

To apply for this vacancy you MUST be a New Zealand citizen, resident, or have already secured the right to work in New Zealand and therefore hold a valid visa.

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