Job Description

Aga Khan Academies

The position

Purpose:

As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, the Junior School Principal will work with the Head of Academy and other colleagues to achieve the goals of the Academy in Dhaka and to support the vision and mission of the Academies network as a whole. The Junior School Principal will also collaborate with staff of the Academies Unit, which is responsible for strategic planning, policy formulation and system oversight of the network of Academies, as well as the educational leadership in sister Academies to ensure network consistency, customised to local context.

Pedagogical Leadership:

• Provide pedagogical leadership of the Junior School, including implementation of the IB Primary Years Programme.
• In collaboration with the Dean of Admissions, Dean of Studies and the Dean of Students, take a lead role in the development of the Academy’s Junior School learning environments.
• Build student enrolment to ensure students of high potential are admitted.
• Contribute to the formulation of strategic plans for the Academy.
• Lead the professional development of staff in the Junior School and promote the learning of teachers participating in the Academy’s outreach programmes.
• The Junior School Principal is responsible for the promotion of the values of the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme and, in conjunction with the PYP Coordinator, the development and implementation of a coherent curriculum from Early Years to Grade 5.
• Implement and oversee the bilingual policy for the Academy. The Academies places a strong focus on multilingualism within the context of English and Bangla as the main languages of instruction in Dhaka, and providing support to the student as appropriate.
• Implement and oversee the programme of service learning involving a range of communities, as well as extra-curricular activities that develop young leaders.

Staffing and development:

• Oversee the Recruitment and Professional Development of colleagues, by establishing a strategic staffing plan for the present and future needs of the Junior School, and provide leadership in developing teachers, including inexperienced staff that will be trained at the Academy. Establish a programme of continuous professional development and review, including annual appraisal.
• Ensure constructive relationships with parents and build their support for the vision and mission of the Junior School and the Academy.
• Support the development of the PDC, its professional development and outreach functions.

Environment:​

• In collaboration with the HR Head, ensure that policies and procedures are in place to assure the health and safety of all students, members of staff, and visitors to the Junior School. Ensure policies and procedures are in place for Junior School students and staff when using the grounds and making visits and journeys outside the campus. Ensure that all students and staff follow the Academy policies on health and safety, risk management and action in case of emergencies or disasters.

Administration:

• Ensure the Junior School has comprehensive and robust systems for administration and finance that underpin the smooth functioning of the academic and all other aspects of the life of the school. Ensure adherence to the administrative and financial policies of the Academy and the network of Academies.
• In collaboration with other members of the SLT, provide leadership in the development of academic policies and practices (curriculum, assessment and reporting) that are consistent with the Academy’s goals and values and the use of data generated to inform the institutional development of the Academy.

Students:

• Establish and promote high standards for all students for academic performance and behavior, consistent with the philosophy, mission and values of the Academy.
• Ensure the highest quality of relationships between students and between students and adults, based on mutual respect

The requirements

SPECIFICATIONS (Candidate profile):

Required Attributes:

• Knowledge and understanding of primary education, including pre-school, as well as a knowledge of and a commitment to the IB PYP.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the capacity to interact well and communicate effectively with students, parents and colleagues within a diverse and pluralistic society.
• Strong demonstration of a team player with the ability and willingness to develop capacity amongst the team of local staff.
• Commitment to championing and leading innovative transformational change regarding approaches to teaching and learning.
• Distributive leader, committed to collaboration, delegation of authority and building the capacity of others as leaders, while accepting responsibility as the educational leader of the Junior School
• Ability to manage within a finite resource base, plan a budget, monitor its implementation and evaluate the impact of developments against the quality of the students’ experience.

Education:

• Master’s degree in an education related field.

Valued additional assets:

• Understanding and experience of international education and educational standards beyond Bangladesh.
• Intercultural appreciation and sensitivity. Able to appreciate diverse cultural contexts and perspectives and use them to enrich the educational experiences of the students.
• Experience in K-12 schools, and an understanding of the IB continuum.

Skills:

Experience and Technical Skills

• Successful experience as a Junior School Principal or substantial successful experience as a Deputy Principal that includes leadership of the development of curriculum and assessment and policy formulation and implementation.
• Previous experience as an effective and innovative IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) teacher/leader and demonstrable knowledge of the principles and practices underpinning the PYP curriculum or the ability to provide substantial evidence of pedagogical practice that is closely allied to the PYP.
• Proven ability to evaluate the progress of students and the quality of their learning and to use this to build a culture of continuous improvement and striving for excellence.
• Extensive experience of implementing a rich extra-curricular programme with a focus on service.
• Ability to foster the professional development of colleagues so that they are able to make an impact on the continuous improvement of the Academy.
• An up-to-date understanding of educational practice and evidence of personal professional development.

Other Skills and personal traits

• Excellent command of English and Bangla – both written and oral.
• Knowledge and Understanding of Subcontinent cultures.
• Attention to detail, discretion and high integrity are imperative.

Region

South Asia

Salary

Salary and package to attract the best candidate