Research on leadership in education often focuses on school management, educational change or curriculum development. There is little research however, in the area of curriculum leadership. With the introduction of seven new curriculum documents in the last eight years in New Zealand, I believe it has become increasingly important to consider who our curriculum leaders are, what it is they are leading, and the characteristics these people have that influence the practices and activities of others. In this article I have explored the roles of those people who might be considered to be curriculum leaders (Ministry of Education, School Support Services, Principals, Teachers, Consultants and Parents), in an attempt to define some of their leadership characteristics. I conclude the article with a summary of these characteristics.