School Principal Vacancy

VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT

POSITION: Principal

ROLE PURPOSE:

The Principal is the Head of the institution, and is principally responsible for providing day to day managerial and administrative leadership oversight over the School. The incumbent is responsible for developing visionary and Christ-centered education and entrepreneurship skills among both the staff and the students at Adziwa Schools.  As a result the Principal must have a passion for education that provides Christ-centered academic excellence that ultimately  produces graduates of impeccable Christian character who are equipped to become the next leaders of Malawi, guiding the institution to achieve better teaching and learning experiences by supervising teachers and staff for optimal and relevant performance, while keeping track of student performance.  He/she is responsible for ensuring that the school remains safe for students and well-maintained. The incumbent will ensure that the learning experiences are continuously improved through continuous research and acquisition of new materials and resources so that  Adziwa is always a star in the quality, efficiency and effectiveness of its delivery efforts.  The Principal shall set performance objectives for students and teachers, implement and monitor school policies and safety protocols, and oversee people management and administrative tasks.

SCOPE OF ROLE:

Reports to: Board of Directors (through the Chair of the Board)
Direct reportees: Head, Secondary School; Head, Primary School; Coordinator, Projects; Coordinator, Health and Nutrition; and Coordinator, Finance and Administration.
Indirect reportees: Reportees of all the above direct reportees.
Budget responsibility: Total School budget

Role and Responsibilities

1) Strategic Leadership, Strategic Planning and Envisioning

  • Annually, have a comprehensive session for Curriculum review. Make recommendations for changes to the Chairman and align changes to the running Strategic Plan.
  • Periodically, review School Programs for effectiveness and achievement of desired outcomes in students, and if undesirable, make changes in consultation with management.
  • Undertake inclusive and cost-effective Budgeting which nonetheless is intended to achieve the overall objective of the running strategic plan, which is to attain financial independence for the School.
  • Align and manage all staff members toward the achievement of the goals of the Strategic Plan. In this regard, annually identify both institutional and staff capacity development needs to achieve the objectives of the Strategic Plan
  • Continuously conceptualize both soft (e.g. establishing a new administrative system) and hard (e.g. infrastructure) School Projects that will support the achievement of the strategic objectives.

2) Curriculum development

  • Ensure that the School follows a Christian focused curriculum, that will impart Christ-centered learning in order to achieve Christ-centered character in students.
  • Continuously manage and monitor the Implementation of the Curriculum for holistic effectiveness on the desired outcomes.
  • Report any arising undesirable effects in the Curriculum to the Chairman for possible review and continuous improvement.
  • To the extent possible, integrate arising extracurricular activities as part of the curriculum activities in order to keep students as updated as possible on prevailing national, regional and extra-regional issues

3) School management oversight

  • Provide leadership in the development, implementation and review of School programs as necessary.
  • Ensure the prudent management and use of the school’s Financial resources.
  • Provide relational leadership to the School’s Human Resources with the objective of optimizing efficiency and effectiveness from them by ensuring that their personal strategies are satisfied to the extent that the school can support it, and within the framework of standing policy.
  • Provide custodial leadership over the School’s Assets in order to ensure their security, longevity, and effective use.
  • To the extent possible, ensure that Adziwa is up to date with capabilities on Information, Technology and Communications systems both on the perspective of administration and of students.
  • Continuously review policies for their effectiveness and relevance, and recommending the development of new relevant policies necessary to address loopholes within the internal and/or external environment.
  • Continuously review the administrative systems for ease of following procedure, transparency, checks and balances, among others.
  • Ensure that there a monitoring system that ensures adherence and compliance with set policy and administrative procedures.

4) Resources and infrastructure and administrative support

  • Ensure that the school’s systems, organisation and processes are well considered, efficient and fit for purpose, upholding the principles of transparency, integrity and probity.
  • Work with the School Management team to prepare an annual budget for the School and manage expenditure within this budget. Ensure financial accountability within the school.
  • Evaluate all resources and systems to ensure they enable effective running of the School.
  • Take responsibility for ensuring development work at the School is completed to a high standard.
  • Coordinate and Lead the preparation of overall annual and interim budgeting process according to the financial and other pertaining policies
  • Coordinate, lead and monitor the implementation of the budget according to agreed parameters and ensures adherence and compliance to pertaining plans, policies and administrative processes during the implementation period
  • Provide timely updated financial reports periodically as guided by the Chair of the Board.
  • Provide implementation Oversight over all programs and projects.
  • Maintain a schedule of all board meetings and related activities and provide leadership in timely preparation, execution and reporting.
  • Keep all Adziwa Partners up-to-date at all times with operational and financial reporting and other ancillary activities as required from time to time.
  • Keep CCBC leaders updated with operational and financial reporting and other ancillary activities as required from time to time.

5) External relations

  • Liaise regularly with current parents on issues to do with their children and schooling.
  • Lay out expectations with parents.
  • Market the School effectively to ensure good recruitment.
  • Organise an effective selection and enrolment process for all students and conduct new parent and student interviews.
  • Welcome strong governance and actively support the governing board deliver its functions effectively

6) Project planning, implementation and development

  • Ensure timely implementation of project activities and timely provision of technical support to Project Coordinators
  • Lead the project planning processes, ensuring that the Detailed Implementation Plan (DIP) is in place, being utilised and well monitored
  • Produce quarterly work plans and detailed activity scopes of work, ensuring that they are well-aligned with the project’s DIP and the coded work plan/phased budget
  • Support program development and resource mobilization: participate in development of proposals in response to emerging opportunities
  • Identify potential projects for development and engage proposal development manager while liaising with interested partners and stakeholders

7) Finance and budget management

  • Manage projects budget in coordination with Head of Programmes and Head of Finance Finance and Administration.
  • Ensure that projects are implemented according to the approved project proposal, budget and implementation plan. In case of any justifiable changes, effect timely discussions on budget amendments with the donor
  • Oversee budget performance to ensure that projects implementation is on course as per the detailed implementation plans and phased budgets
  • Conduct project budget monitoring and budget forecasting processes to ensure expenditure reporting is within the approved project budget and well aligned with targets as well as the annual phased budget and suggest necessary revisions and prepare draft reports
  • Ensure that budget monitoring reports are responded to in time and with accurate information

8) Oversight and management of thematic projects

  • Responsible for overall coordination and delivery of high quality projects in line with SAFI strategic objectives
  • Participate in all thematic projects proposal processes and ensure that all projects progress in accordance with grant agreements, are completed within time and on budget
  • Participate in conceptualizing and designing cost effective, innovative and high quality projects
  • Serve as overall budget holder for all thematic projects; manage and support budget holders for individual projects and grants
  • Ensure thematic projects are implemented in ways responsive to the communities and strategic plan and following SAFI compliance procedures
  • Identify and effectively manage all key risks related to delivering the thematic projects
  • Oversee the planning and implementation/oversight of monitoring, evaluation, documentation, organisation learning and dissemination of information from relevant thematic and cross thematic initiatives

9) Staffing and People Management

  • Lead and manage the entire team at the School to ensure effective management of the School.
  • Ensure that current and future staffing needs are met by advertising, arranging interviews and selecting suitable persons.
  • Ensure that all staff have relevant job descriptions, allocate appropriate salary scales to staff that ensure staffing costs remain within the budget.
  • Oversee the onboarding and training of new staff at just below the Principal’s level.
  • Create an ethos and continuous professional development programme within which all staff are motivated and supported to develop their own skills and subject knowledge, and to support each other.
  • Identify emerging talents, coaching current and aspiring leaders in a climate where excellence is the standard, leading to clear succession planning
  • Establish rigorous, fair and transparent systems and measures for managing the performance of all staff, addressing any under-performance, supporting staff to improve and valuing excellent practice.
  • Apply disciplinary measures, when necessary.
  • Provide support, advice and encouragement for colleagues at all levels in the performance of their duties including, on occasion, the need to counsel staff, or to resolve problems between them.
  • Ensure the maintenance of good communication through one-to-one contact at different times of the day, staff meetings, written correspondence and the use of school’s digital platforms.
  • Instilling a strong sense of accountability in staff for the impact of their work on students’ outcomes and hold all staff to account for their professional conduct and practice.

QUALIFICATIONS

  • Bachelor’s degree in education management, business administration, public administration, social sciences or project management, development administration, or any relevant field.
  • If not graduate of education, certification in teaching is a must.

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

  • 6 years at manager level; or 4 years at manager level and 2 years at officer level in education management in a busy school or academic institution or education related organization
  • Demonstrated teaching and education management experience in an education institution
  • Demonstrated project management experience within an NGO or similar organization in particular coordination in the education system
  • Strong knowledge of education sector policies and practices
  • Excellent people management and leadership skills
  • Substantial experience and knowledge of effective financial and budgetary control and securing and managing grants
  • Ability to analyze information, evaluate options and to think and plan strategically
  • Ability to work in a complex environment with multiple tasks, short deadlines and intense pressure to perform
  • An in-depth understanding of national and international issues in relation to education
  • Previous experience of managing and developing a team and the ability to lead, motivate and develop others
  • Excellent understanding of financial planning, financial systems and procedures, and budgeting
  • Experience in all technical areas school administration, premises management and people management
  • Excellent analytical skills – the ability to analyse complex financial data and design and produce effective management information
  • Excellent planning, management and coordination skills, with the ability to organise a workload comprised of varying and changing tasks and responsibilities and work under pressure
  • Strong organizational and management skills including problem solving;
  • Strong business acumen and the ability to contribute to strategic decisions
  • Relationships building skills with a wide range of people, both internally and externally

Occupational Health, Safety and Welfare

The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with ACS’ Occupational Health, Safety and Welfare policies and procedures.

Additional job responsibilities

The duties and responsibilities set out above are not exhaustive. They are only the normal and foreseeable for this position. Omission of some specific statement of the duties does not exclude it from the classification if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment for this position. Other duties may be required, assigned and expected aside from those set forth above to address operational needs and changing operational practices. In as far as practicable, such additional duties shall be within reasonable bounds of this role and within reasonableness of post holder’s level of skills and experience.