Cluster Manager
Appointment
The cluster manager is appointed by the lead school principal, kura tumuaki. The cluster manager must be a New Zealand registered teacher, kaiako with a current practising certificate. The position is a full-time role.
The cluster manager and the principal work together as a strategic leadership and management team for the RTLB service.
Responsibilities
The cluster manager has the following responsibilities:
Service planning and review
- Facilitate a robust service planning and review cycle incorporating self and peer reviews.
- On behalf of the board and in collaboration with the principal and key stakeholders, lead the development of, and prepare a three to five year RTLB strategic plan and annual action plan that ensures the ongoing development and improvement of the RTLB service.
Financial and resource management
- Manage the day-to-day funding and resourcing obligations of the RTLB service.
- In collaboration with the principal, draft an annual budget for approval by the lead school, kura board.
- Develop rigorous systems for needs-based allocation of learning support funding, and the reimbursement of RTLB travel.
- In collaboration with the lead school, maintain accurate financial records, and an RTLB asset register.
- Manage RTLB staffing so that the annual RTLB staffing entitlement is fully utilised but not exceeded.
Personnel management
- In collaboration with the principal, recruit and induct RTLB staff.
- Through the principal, advise the board on the allocation of RTLB leadership payments.
- Work closely with the practice leaders to ensure RTLB performance management tasks - including the provision of professional learning and development, performance supervision, performance management, and appraisal processes - are actioned.
- Ensure RTLB in training are supported, mentored, and supervised.
Systems, processes and policies
- Develop and maintain a cluster operational document, detailing cluster policies, procedures, and systems.
- In collaboration with the local Ministry Learning Support team, develop and maintain a seamless and simple request for support process and ensure it is understood and followed by RTLB and by all cluster schools, kura.
Meeting cluster needs
- Ensure there is an effective process to identify and analyse cluster needs.
- Ensure the RTLB team has the specialist knowledge and skills to meet identified cluster needs, for example, RTLB able to support Māori students and Pasifika students, students in Māori-medium settings, and students in secondary schools, kura.
- Manage the RTLB workforce so that RTLB are assigned to best meet student and school needs.
Data and reporting
Gather, collate, and report on RTLB outcomes data for all case types: individual students, groups of students, individual schools, groups of schools, and Kāhui Ako.
Prepare financial and service provision reports, at least quarterly, for presentation at the regular meetings of the lead school and kura board.
On behalf of the board and in collaboration with the principal prepare reports, twice yearly, for cluster school boards showing service patterns, service outputs and outcomes, allocation of learning support funds across cluster schools, and the level of RTLB staffing against the cluster’s RTLB staffing entitlement.
On behalf of the board and in collaboration with the principal prepare the RTLB annual report, financial report and quarterly reports for the Ministry according to the Ministry’s reporting requirements detailed in Schedule D of the RTLB Funding Agreement.
Relationships
- Develop and support a respectful and professional RTLB workforce and maintain collaborative, open communication with the practice leaders and the RTLB team.
- Manage and support the practice leaders.
- Maintain respectful and trusting relationships with key cluster stakeholders including Kāhui Ako, local Ministry Learning Support, representatives from early childhood education, , local iwi and Māori and Pasific whānau, parents, and other relevant services and agencies.
- Develop strong networks across cluster schools, kura and with other RTLB clusters.
Content last updated: March 2018