Job Description

A cutting-edge technologically driven international school in Kaduna is seeking to hire the services of an innovative and forward-thinking person for the post of a Principal. He/she must have had at least 10 years working experience as a Principal. He/she must be very conversant and exposed to the British & Nigerian academic curriculum.

About the role

The 21st century principal provides outstanding leadership, management, and supervisory skills of the school to secure sustainable success and ensures/promotes the highest standards of learning and personal development for students. Responsible for the strategic direction and development of the secondary school, the role provides a clear vision, inspiration, energy, and insight for all stakeholders in an enlightening and high functioning school community. Focused on nurturing global citizens for an active role in society, you are a steward for learning – student learning, staff learning, and parent learning, and you have a WIRED focus with special emphasis on creating a learning environment that is world focused, integrated, reflective, engaged, and full of discovery. You convey best practice, catalysts of learning, and protectors of the whole child. 

About the person

You are passionate and believe in ‘nurturing today’s young people and inspiring tomorrow’s leaders and passionate about connecting with teachers and students. You are an experience leader with an understanding of what constitutes of outstanding educational provision. You are committed to an academic curriculum, rigorous assessment, and the highest standards of achievement, and good at planning and organizing. You are data driven decision-maker, a change agent, an accountable team builder, and a well-organized school leader. You have a keen eye on character building/development and educating the whole child. You are a dedicated advocate of 21st century teaching and learning standards. You are IT literate and an experience advocate of technology in education. You are service oriented and able to see the big picture. A highly diplomatic person, who is skilled in identifying problems and brainstorming potential solutions.

Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities

1. Serving the Secondary School Program

Support the activities of the school.

Help to develop the school Improvement plan.

Contribute to the development and delivery of the Secondary School Program.

Support the leadership of the different schools.

Ensure that all activities within the school serve the vision, strategic direction and priorities of the school. 

2. Strategic direction and development of the school

Provide strategic leadership and direction for the secondary school.

Provide inspiring and purposeful leadership for the staff and students within a caring and secure environment.

Work in partnership with all stakeholders to instill the vision and values, which underpin all activities within the school.

Formulate the overall aims and objectives for the school, which embodies the school’s mission, vision and values.

Create and implement strategic development plans underpinned by sound financial planning, which identify short, medium and long-term priorities and targets for achieving and sustaining excellence.

Develop the school as a center of excellence in leadership.

Market the school and improve student enrollment.

Regularly monitor and evaluate the performance of the school and respond and report on all matters. 

Implement the school’s policy on equal opportunities for all the staff and students.

Ensure that management, finances, organization and administration of the school support its vision and aims.

Ensure that policies and practices are followed by all.

Monitor, evaluate and review the impact of policies, priorities and targets of the school in practice, and take action if necessary.

Ensure that all those involved in the school are committed to its vision, aims, values, and are motivated to achieve them and are involved in meeting long, medium and short-term objectives and targets, which secure the educational success of the school.

Maintain positive relationships with strategic partners within the wider community.

3. Teaching and Learning

Create and maintain an ethos of excellence and endeavor that promotes and secures outstanding teaching, excellent learning, and the highest standards of achievement.

Determine, organize, implement, and monitor the curriculum and its assessment and ensure that it:

Provides an academic focus for all students.

Enables all learners to achieve the excellent examination results.

Is relevant to the needs of all students.

Fulfils the school’s legal responsibilities.

Ensure an outstanding achievement by all students, regardless of prior ability.

Ensure that standards in literacy, numeracy and all are priority targets for all students, including those with special educational needs.

Ensure that students develop leadership and personal learning and thinking skills across the curriculum so that they acquire the ability to learn, lead and serve more effectively and independently.

Determine, organize and implement a program for character education, including the personal, spiritual, social, moral and cultural development of students.

Monitor and evaluate the quality of teaching, and standards of learning and achievement of all students in the secondary school.

Determine and implement policies which promote:

Character development, self-discipline and commitment to our values, the law and active citizenship.

Outstanding conduct and the development of exemplary citizens

Implement positive strategies for developing excellent understanding and respect for all people, cultures and communities.

Develop effective links with the community, including voluntary organizations and enterprises, to extend the curriculum and enhance learning and teaching.

Create and sustain an effective partnership with parents to support and improve student’s achievement and personal development.

Promote extra-curricular activities across the curriculum and particularly within the specialism of ‘Leadership’.

4. Leading and managing staff

Provide effective and regular operational management on all staff with regular oversight, appraisal, and delegation of responsibilities.

Participate in the recruitment and selection of teaching and non-teaching staff.

Plan, allocate, support and evaluate work undertaken by groups, teams and individuals, ensuring clear delegation of tasks and devolution of responsibilities in a manner consistent with conditions of employment.

Implement and sustain effective systems for the management of staff performance including the development and maintenance of a culture of high expectations of self and of others, taking appropriate action when performance is unsatisfactory.

Lead, co-ordinate and monitor the continuing professional development of staff, including the induction of newly hired or qualified educators, based on assessment of needs and in relation to the code of conduct and standards at the school.

Ensure that professional duties are fulfilled, as specified in the Contract of Employment.

Arrange for the Vice Principal Academic Affairs to assume responsibility for the discharge of your duties any time when absent from school.

Develop good working relationships with all staff

Build a collaborative learning culture within the school and actively engage with other schools to build effective learning communities.

5. Efficient and effective deployment of staff and resources

Lead the development of school-level policies and procedures concerning the school’s resource and asset management.

Set appropriate priorities for expenditure, allocation of funds and effective administration and control by:

Effective management of the school’s budget.

Rational allocation and monitoring of time, space and material resources.

Ensuring effective and safe arrangements for the situating and storage of material and equipment.

Exploit financial opportunities to improve and develop the school building and manage and organize the accommodation efficiently and effectively to ensure it meets the needs of the curriculum and Health and Safety regulations.

Make arrangements for the security and effective supervision of the school buildings, their contents and the grounds.

Ensure that any lack of maintenance, repairs or modification, including breaches of Health and Safety legislation, is acted upon promptly and in accordance with the delegation arrangements.

Ensure effective working relationships with external agencies and services contracted to the school.

Manage, monitor and review the range, quality and use of all available resources in order to improve the quality of education, improve students’ achievements, ensure efficiency and secure value for money.

6. Accountability

Create and develop an organization in which all staff recognize that they are accountable for the success of the school.

Ensure that parents/guardians and students are well informed about the curriculum, attainment, behavior, attendance and progress, and about the contribution they can make in supporting their child’s learning and achieving the school’s targets for improvement.

Maintain such records of the school as are appropriate to communicate its development, improvements and achievements.

Provide accurate information, objective advice and support to enable it to meet its responsibilities for securing effective teaching and learning, and improved standards of achievement, and for achieving efficiency and value for money.

Carry out any such duties as may be reasonably required by the school.

7. Other responsibilities

Promote the vision of ‘nurturing today’s young people, inspiring tomorrow’s leaders.

Champion the school’s vision, mission and values

Contribute to the wider life of the schools and its community through out of hours and partnership work.

Carry out any such duties as may be reasonably required by the school.

8. Records management

Ensure the maintenance of students and staff records.

Use the school management systems to input and save all school data. 

Ensure confidential records are kept appropriately. 

Key Requirements 

Master’s Degree-level qualification and Qualified Teacher Status.

Evidence of training and relevant qualifications in educational and school leadership and management.

Experience of successful people and performance management. 

Experience of successful strategic planning within and across schools. 

Experience and understanding of the characteristics of effective learning communities and strategies for:

– Raising students’ achievement and aspirations.

– Personalized excellence in leadership.

– Developing outstanding citizens with exemplary character and regard for the law.

Experience and understanding Strategies for developing understanding about the duties, opportunities, responsibilities and rights of outstanding citizens.

Experience and Understanding Leadership styles and practices, and their effects in different contexts within and across schools.

Ability to create, and secure commitment to a clear vision for an effective and high achieving school.

Ability to create and maintain an ethos of excellence and endeavor that is founded on integrity, accountability and a sense of service.

Ability to lead and manage people to work towards common goals. 

Ability to use comparative data, together with information about students’ prior attainment, to establish benchmarks and set targets for improvement.

Communicate effectively orally and in writing to a range of audiences. 

Ability to use Information & Communication Technology efficiently and effectively to enhance the management of the school.

Prioritize and manage own time effectively and work under pressure and to deadlines.

Ability to demonstrate a commitment to celebrating diversity and promoting social cohesion in a multi-cultural setting.

Ability to liaise effectively and constructively with all stakeholders. 

Ability to strategically lead school improvement activities across groups of schools. 

A commitment to continuous improvement through honest self-evaluation, an acute sense 

Effective communicator, able to build and sustain positive relationships with all stakeholders in the school community and across school networks and partnerships.

Commitment to the development of the school as a center of excellence in the community.

Highest levels of integrity and probity and a commitment to highest levels of effort, endeavor and focus on standards.

Adaptability to change and embrace innovation and creativity.

Commitment to the professional development of self and colleagues within and across schools.

Commitment to safeguarding and equality and diversity.