Occupational Therapist

At Sommerville, our staff are our superpower. In 2026, we were honoured with the New Zealand Education Excellence Award for Quality Teaching & Instruction, recognising our commitment to outstanding education and student outcomes.

If you’re passionate about supporting learners with diverse needs and want to be part of a collaborative, purpose-driven team, we’d love to hear from you.

Occupational Therapist | SPECIALIST SCHOOL - Permanent Position

About the role

Sommerville School is a leading specialist school based in Panmure, with satellite classrooms across 16 mainstream schools, a community programme for young adults aged 18–21, and a dedicated Outreach Service. We support over 400 students aged 5 to 21 with complex communication, learning, physical, and behavioural needs.

Watch a video about us here.

What you'll be doing:

• Providing direct intervention to learners with a range of needs and profiles
• Working alongside teachers, support staff, and whānau
• Building strong relationships across our school and community-based settings
• Contributing your expertise within a highly collaborative, values-driven team
• Enjoying flexible holiday work options and genuine work-life balance

What we’re looking for:

We are seeking an exceptional Occupational Therapist who will bring clinical expertise, critical thinking, and a collaborative spirit to our multidisciplinary setting. The successful applicant will:

• Hold a degree in Occupational Therapy or equivalent qualification. Eligibility for membership with the OTBNZ and a current practicing certificate is required.
• Have previous experience with special education.
• Have experience developing and implementing occupational therapy programmes that work across the school day to support access to the school curriculum for individuals and groups.
• Have current (or working towards) equipment accreditation and have the ability to apply for equipment to support student needs either through the Ministry of Education or the Ministry of Health.
• Be a relationship builder, demonstrating the ability to work with other specialists and colleagues.
• Have an understanding of Aotearoa New Zealand’s cultural heritage using Te Tiriti o Waitangi as the foundation.
• Be passionate about your own professional development and wellbeing.

Why join Sommerville?

You’ll enjoy a varied caseload while working alongside a skilled multidisciplinary team of therapists, educators, and support professionals in a supportive and inclusive environment.

We offer:

• Term-time hours (8am–4pm) with flexible school holiday arrangements
• Ongoing professional development in neurodiversity and inclusive practice
• Clinical supervision (internal and external)
• Support from a passionate, multi-disciplinary team
• The position is covered by the NZEI Therapist Collective Agreement, meaning that salary will be dependent on the experience and qualifications you bring to the role.
• Laptop provided
• Opportunities to make a lasting impact on students, whānau, and the wider community

The final salary will be determined in accordance with the relevant collective agreement.

We may appoint someone prior to the deadline so get your CV in now!

View of a copy of the job description here.