Purpose: The present study aims to investigate the relationship between innovative leadership and sustainable performance in the education sector. The present study also tested the moderation role of personality traits agreeableness, extraversion, emotional stability, conscientiousness and openness in the relationship. Design/methodology/approach: Data for the present study were collected from 209 university teachers. The employed sampling technique was convenience, and the sample size was calculated through the Kerjis-Morgan method. Furthermore, a survey method using a questionnaire was used in this study. For the data analysis, SPSS and SmartPLS were used. Findings: The present study found that innovative leadership has a significantly positive relationship with sustainable performance. Results also confirmed the moderating effects of personality traits such as agreeableness, extraversion, emotional stability, conscientiousness and openness. Originality/value: The relationship between innovative leadership and sustainable performance for the first time in the education sector's context. Secondly, this study contributed to the moderating role of personality traits such as agreeableness, extraversion, emotional stability, conscientiousness and openness between innovative leadership and sustainable performance, which was a yet-to-explored phenomenon. The study model was tested through the combination of the big five-factor model and the theory of planned behaviour, which is another novelty of the study.