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The role of the TAFE head teacher has changed since the position was established to provide educational leadership within a particular discipline area in a college. TAFE is now part of a vocational education and training (VET) system operating in a competitive market where managers are expected to have business, marketing and performance management skills as well as their traditional educational leadership skills. This paper draws on the accounts of 33 TAFE head teachers who were interviewed as part of an ongoing research project into the changing world of work of TAFE managers. It raises issues about how the head teachers perceive their role and how they deal with the tensions between the different demands of this role. The findings indicate that head teachers are still preoccupied with routine administration and have little time for either effective business management or the leadership of quality educational delivery.