Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to present an organizational engagement model that highlights the design process of the homeroom teacher (HRT) role in Israeli high schools. Design/methodology/approach: The model was constructed as a grounded theory during a qualitative research work conducted during 2007-2011. Findings: The model is based on Maslow's and Schein's frameworks of personal needs and organizational culture, respectively, as well as on the principal's role. Originality/value: The authors propose that the model contributes to the literature on organizational behavior and leadership in general and to the study of educational organizations in particular, in three ways: first, it stresses the principal's role in the design process of leadership roles; second, it deepens the understanding of the concept of engagement by examining it through a qualitative lens; and third, it suggests a hierarchical organizational engagement ladder for the HRT role.