The Still I Rise International School in Nairobi was inaugurated on 8 December 2020. Our school is located in Mathare, Nairobi, an area strategically chosen to welcome the city’s forgotten children. Mathare is one of the most disadvantaged slums in the world.
This role as Head of School involves providing leadership and strategic direction for the educational and operational success of the Still I Rise International School in Nairobi, ensuring alignment with the organization's vision, mission, and international curriculum standards, particularly the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (IB MYP).
School Management
- Work closely with the Program department on passing on the Organisation’s vision and mission within the program, whilst ensuring topmost quality at all times.
- Lead, chair, and coordinate the local management team (admin, HR, logistics, finance, education, safeguarding, and security).
- Effectively represent Still I Rise (SIR) at different forums/levels and interact with local stakeholders to ensure the program is well received in the hosting community.
- Prepare weekly progress reports to be shared with the Programs Department, and ensure timely submissions of work plans and other deliverables required by donors and/or relevant remote departments.
- Supervise the recruitment of teaching and non-teaching staff, with the support of the HR department.
- Ensure robust implementation of HR strategies such as performance management and monitoring systems.
- Oversee program’s procurement and processes as required based on program implementation’s needs.
- Conduct regular monitoring and reporting on financial management aspects: timely forecasting, preparation and execution of procurement plan, budget vs actual, spending analysis, and establish cross linkages with work-plan progress.
- Provide strategic oversight towards documentation and sharing of knowledge and emerging best practices.
Education
- Supervise the educational development of the program.
- Advise on the Student Selection process, covering community-based efforts and in-school activities.
- Advise and assist in the formulating and reviewing of school policies.
- Coordinate the timetable so that the requirements of the programme are met.
- Set the standards of curriculum development to reach the expectations of regional and national governmental bodies as well as Still I Rise and the International Baccalaureate.
- In coordination with on-site and remote colleagues, oversee the successful roll-out of the features specific to Still I Rise International Schools.
- Manage the team to create a student-centered, home-like environment which achieves happy students enjoying academic and extracurricular exploration and success.
Stakeholder Management
- Liaise as necessary with ministry officials and district education representatives.
- Act as a contact point between the IB regional office and Still I Rise International School of Mumbai on all matters regarding the MYP, ensuring that the school meets all IBO regulations, standards, and practices in order to achieve Candidacy status followed by Authorised School status.
- Work with the IB regional office to ensure the school addresses the MYP requirements for authorization (and evaluation when appropriate).
- Contribute to the promotion the MYP, within and outside the school.
- Ensure families and caregivers are well informed about IB MYP developments and school activities.
- Intradepartmental coordination to ensure finance, fundraising, and impact reports deliveries.
Child Protection & Safeguarding
- Collaborate closely with the Education department and Child Safeguarding & Protection to address student concerns, implement behavior plans, and streamline with extracurricular psychosocial activities.
- Ensure all relevant information, policy and behavioral support plans are shared internally and then be constantly implemented by the local education team in accordance with the code of conduct and child protection and safeguarding policy (i.e., respecting the privacy of beneficiaries).
Essential Skills & Requirements
- Experience: 5 years of working experience in a leadership position within Education & Operations management, including managing teams and providing financial and operational oversight.
- Education/Curriculum: BA/BSc/HND qualification. A deep understanding—and preferably experience—with designing, teaching and implementing the national educational curriculum.
- Education Philosophy: A demonstrated appreciation for student-centered, global-minded, value-driven approaches to education.
- Operational Skills: Proven Experience of working in and across project management cycles. Demonstrated understanding of procurement and logistics and supply chain processes.
- Leadership: Experience in leadership roles, management and coordination of teams, preferably in a school setting.
- Soft Skills: Strong time management and organizational skills. Experience of working through community participation and/or approaches.
- Technical Skills: Good IT skills including use of MS Office and Google Suite.
- Language: Fluent knowledge of the English language (written and oral).
- Residency: Legal right to work as a resident in Nairobi, Kenya.
