This study explores the relationships among transformational leadership, professional learning community (PLC) components, and teachers’ job satisfaction from Chinese principals’ perspective. A survey was conducted among 572 principals from different provinces in China. Structural equation modelling results revealed that transformational leadership had a significant effect on all five components of PLCs (i.e., shared purpose, collaborative activity, collective focus on student learning, deprivatized practice, and reflective dialogue), and these five PLC components all significantly predicted teachers’ job satisfaction. Meanwhile, the effect of transformational leadership on teachers’ job satisfaction was also significant. Mediation analysis showed that all five components of PLCs were significant mediators between transformational leadership and teachers’ job satisfaction. The practical implications of the findings and suggestions for future research are also discussed.

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