Attendance Manager – Mercury Bay Area School – Whitianga

Job Summary

Job Description

Are you a bridge-builder, a problem-solver, and a champion for youth?

In education, we know that every day a student misses is a missed opportunity to thrive. But behind every attendance percentage is a real story.

We are looking for an extraordinary Attendance Manager to join our team. This isn’t a standard desk job or an administrative checklist. This is a high-impact, relational role where your strategic thinking, data insights, and deep empathy will directly change the trajectory of young people's lives.

As an Area School (Years 1–13), you will be the vital link connecting our primary and secondary teams, our pastoral staff, and external agencies to ensure every student remains on a pathway to success.

The Role: What You’ll Be Doing

No two days will look the same, but your mission remains constant: identify barriers to education and build the pathways to overcome them.

• Be the Strategic Lead: Own and implement our attendance strategies. You’ll champion the new 2026 legal guidelines for "Stepped Responses" (STAR process), using weekly KAMAR insights to spot early warning signs (like a student shifting from "Green" to "Amber") before they hit a crisis point.
• Lead with Whānau: You won’t do this alone. You will facilitate with Deans and SLT to arrange meaningful, restorative Attendance Hui—partnering directly with students and whānau to co-create Individual Attendance Improvement Plans that combine academic support with wellbeing.
• Coordinate the Village: For complex cases, you’ll lead the "deep dives." You will bring together internal support (Counsellors, Learning Support) and external agencies (RTLB, Oranga Tamariki, CAPS Hauraki) to build a culturally responsive, wraparound safety net.
• Get Creative & Practical: Whether it's helping design a flexible online learning pathway, organising transport solutions to get a student to school, or sourcing positive rewards to celebrate progress—you do what it takes to get students back to class.

Who We Are Looking For

You are a unique blend of a data-savvy strategist and a compassionate relationship-builder.

• Te Tiriti Centred: You have a strong, practical understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and a proven track record of engaging respectfully and effectively with Whānau.
• Trauma-Informed & Empathetic: You understand how mental health, anxiety, and family displacement impact school engagement. You listen first.
• A Restorative Communicator: You excel at navigating difficult, emotional conversations with a balance of warmth, empathy, and absolute firmness.
• Analytical: You aren't afraid of data. You can look at a KAMAR report, spot the trends, and advise Deans,SLT and the wellbeing team accordingly.

Why Join Our Team?

You will be joining a school that genuinely values holistic education. We don't just care about achievement; we care about the person. You will have the full backing of an active, supportive Senior Leadership Team and a dedicated Wellbeing/Pastoral Team who are ready to work alongside you.

How to Apply:

Please send a completed employment application form, your CV and a cover letter sharing why you are passionate about student engagement to Karin Farrelly Email: farrellyk@mbas.ac.nz by 15th June 12pm.

Mercury Bay ARea School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people.