The position
The Aga Khan Education Service in Uganda was established in the early 1930s in 20 villages and towns, including Masaka, Mbale, Jinja and Mbarara. Currently, AKES in Uganda runs co-educational day schools located in central Kampala and attended by over 30 nationalities at Nursery, Primary and Secondary levels.
Over the years the institutions of AKES in Uganda have come to be recognised as spaces for inquiry, development, learning and quality education from the nursery to secondary level. A total student population of over 2200 children are taught by 150 full-time teaching staff across two campuses.
AKES, Uganda is currently seeking to recruit a Head of Schools to lead the senior leadership team, providing academic leadership of teaching and learning and driving the change agenda to raise the profile and performance of the schools. He/she will be responsible for leading day to day operations and a focus on continuous development and improvement of the current schools to ensure a 21st Century relevant education for Aga Khan School Students. The Head of Schools is effectively the Chief Executive of the Aga Khan Schools in Uganda.
The successful candidate, will have a proven record of success in educational leadership and in sustainable school improvement, be culturally appreciative and demonstrate entrepreneurial abilities. S/he will also have an extensive knowledge of contemporary developments in education internationally. S/he will have strong interpersonal and communication skills as well as cultural awareness and sensitivity. Highly qualified in education management, the candidate will have substantial senior leadership experience.
Academic Leadership
- Establish and promote high standards and expectations for all students and staff for academic performance.
- Establish curriculum framework and guidelines in collaboration with the other school leaders and faculty.
- Oversee the preparation and implementation of the scope and sequence of the curriculum and its assessment.
- Establish procedures for evaluation and selection of resources for learning.
- Keep abreast with changes and development in the profession.
- Display the highest ethical and professional behaviour and standards.
Policy and Strategy
- Champion and provide leadership in rolling out the strategy.
- Create and lead the implementation of a three-to-five-year school improvement plan.
- Based on a clear understanding of AKS’s portfolio and market intelligence make recommendations on policy, programmes, resource allocation and management.
Management
- Promote an organisational culture and ethos that reflects the values of AKS and AKDN.
- Ensure that AKES, Uganda’s operations are managed in compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.
- Create and maintain procedures for implementing plans.
- Oversee the Communications function for the organisation to ensure positive and accurate information is shared about AKS.
- Ensure that the physical facilities – schools and faculty housing are safe and well maintained.
- Collect, analyse and evaluate relevant data to inform sound decision making.
HR Management
- Facilitate the recruitment, development and retention of the highest quality staff throughout AKES Uganda.
- Foster a culture of continued learning and development for students, staff and parents..
Financial Management
- Direct the development of AKES Uganda’s annual budgets based on sound and informed knowledge, including the impact of the pandemic.
- Prudently manage AKES Uganda’s resources within budget guidelines.
- Provide to the Board prompt, thorough and accurate information about financial matters.
Community Relationships
- Serve as the primary spokesperson and representative for AKES Uganda.
- Foster strong key stakeholder relationships.
The requirements
Essential criteria for the role:
- Leadership and Management – proven ability gained in senior positions in schools with reputations for educational excellence
- Qualified teacher and educator to post-graduate level, in education management/leadership or a relevant field.
- Substantial senior leadership experience at a strategic level and a reputation as a respected educational leader and thinker with a record of improving teaching and learning, and of introducing new techniques and approaches;
- Successful experience and success in managing operations and human resources.
- Successful experience in reinforcing the financial sustainability of schools, and an appreciation of the need to be engaged in developing realistic strategic and operational plans, of utilising and allocating resources wisely and with an entrepreneurial mind-set, and of establishing sustainable budgets and successfully implementing them whilst instinctively knowing what aspects of a school budget must be protected in order to assure quality.
- Experience of change leadership and management.
- Experience of living and working internationally, desirably in the developing world
In addition, the ideal candidate will be/have
- Passionate about delivering high quality education to children and their families, and support for their safety, health and wellbeing.
- Intercultural sensitivity: advocate for diversity, pluralism and the unique place and contribution every individual makes to the community.
- Demonstrable sense of professionalism, commitment and integrity.
- High level networking and negotiating skills.
- Ability to develop relationships, build trust and command respect.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Positive and adaptable to changing circumstances and open to new ideas.
- Enthusiastic and reliable with personal impact and presence.
- Inquisitive and able to think creatively, solve problems and make decisions based on sound judgment, drawing on the expertise from others.