Principal

Role Overview

The Principal holds overall responsibility for the educational direction and day-to-day running of the school, acting as the link between the Board of Directors, teaching and non-teaching staff, students, families and the Ministry of Education. This is a hands-on leadership post: the person in it sets academic targets, walks the corridors to observe teaching, handles student discipline and welfare matters, manages budgets and facilities, and keeps parents informed about how their children are progressing. Success in the role is measured by sustained improvement in student achievement, a motivated and well-supervised staff team, safe and well-maintained grounds, and steady enrolment built on the school's reputation.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead teaching, learning and curriculum. Set the school's academic aims and translate them into workable policies, ensure the curriculum offered is broad, approved and aligned with Ministry of Education guidelines, and check that teachers produce schemes of work, lesson plans and teaching aids of the required standard. Observe classroom practice regularly, give constructive feedback, and act decisively where performance falls short.
• Own assessment and examination outcomes. Coordinate both internal continuous assessment and national examinations in line with examination council rules, set benchmarks and improvement targets for every year group, and use performance data to identify where students or subjects need intervention. Keep accurate, complete achievement records and make them available to parents and management as required.
• Shape student life, discipline and character. Oversee guidance, counselling and mentoring programmes, ensure students understand and accept school rules, and handle misbehaviour through fair and consistent measures. Support career guidance so learners make informed choices about their futures, and see that the school's values and spiritual ethos are woven into everyday life rather than treated as an add-on.
• Recruit, manage and develop staff. Identify staffing gaps, take part in recruitment and selection, and deploy people so that talent and time are used well. Set individual targets through discussion, run formal and informal appraisals, arrange leave and duty rosters, monitor daily staff attendance, and make sure teams have the tools and materials they need to do their jobs properly.
• Build partnership with parents and the wider community. Plan and chair parents' meetings, open days and similar events, communicate clearly about curriculum, progress and school targets, and keep written records of every engagement with parents and staff. Handle complaints and concerns from families, students and employees promptly and fairly.
• Run the operational side of the school. Manage admissions and interviews within agreed enrolment standards, safeguard school property through sound inventory and security practice, and ensure health, safety and occupational regulations are observed across the premises. Liaise with the transport function so services remain reliable and cost-effective, coordinate with the senior administrator on facility maintenance, and follow school policy when students need medical attention.
• Steward finances and report on performance. Contribute to budget formulation, control costs, and ensure resources are used within the approved budget. Report to the Directors with accurate, objective information about academic standards and school performance, maintain the daily log book, and present a coherent account of results to stakeholders.
• Represent and promote the school. Act as the liaison with the Ministry of Education and supporting organisations, maintain productive relationships with other schools and departments in the group, and participate in marketing and enrolment activities, including building a database of prospective students and contributing to materials that reflect the school's image.

Requirements & Qualifications

• A Bachelor's degree in Education or a closely related field; a Master's degree in educational leadership, administration or curriculum studies is strongly advantageous.
• Current registration with the Teachers Service Commission and a valid teaching certificate.
• Substantial classroom teaching experience followed by proven senior school leadership responsibility — for example as a deputy principal, head of department or equivalent.
• Thorough working knowledge of the Kenyan school curriculum, Ministry of Education circulars and Kenya National Examinations Council regulations and syllabus requirements.
• Demonstrated record of raising student attainment through the use of data, benchmarks and clearly set improvement targets.
• Experience of budget preparation, cost management and accountability for physical assets and resources.
• Confident people leadership: recruitment, appraisal, performance management, roster and leave planning, and the ability to challenge underperformance while recognising good work.
• Strong written and verbal communication for dealing with parents, staff, directors and community members, including accurate record-keeping and report writing.
• Working familiarity with health, safety and occupational regulations as they apply to a school environment, plus sound judgement on student welfare and medical matters.
• Comfort with integrating new and emerging technologies into learning, and the credibility to teach on the timetable and model good practice.
• Personal integrity and maturity, with the standing to serve as a role model to students and colleagues across academic, social, emotional and spiritual life.

What We Offer / Why Join

• The chance to set the academic and cultural direction of a school and see the results of that leadership in student outcomes.
• A collaborative relationship with other schools and departments within the group, sharing mission, vision and core values.
• A working culture that encourages teamwork, recognises work done well and invests in the growth of talent and capability.
• Meaningful scope to shape character formation and student welfare alongside academic achievement, in an environment grounded in strong values.