Job Information
Nova Pioneer Dean of Residential Life ( Eldoret Girls Highschool) in Eldoret, Kenya
We are looking for an outstanding educator to serve as a Dean of Residential Life at our Eldoret Girls campus . This is a quick and urgent hire, we are keen to have the successful candidate start in Term 3.
As a Dean of Residential Life, you will be responsible for making the Nova culture come to life for students and parents. You will be responsible for championing culture, creating positive behavior systems and structure, creating and implementing enriching after-school programming with clubs and sports, enriching the boarding life experience on our school campuses and creating experiences that allow our parents to be active advocates.
This is an opportunity to help create a transformative school model with the future of Africa’s youth at stake.
ABOUT NOVA PIONEER
Imagine a world in which every young person across Africa attends a school that truly sets them up for success in the 21st century. A school that cares about individual students and allows them to explore the world around them. A school that focuses more on developing skills than on memorizing content. At Nova Pioneer, we have done more than just imagine this future, we are bringing it to life. Nova Pioneer is a pan-African, independent network of schools offering high quality, accessible education from pre-primary through secondary school. Nova Pioneer uses a unique, enquiry-based learning approach that encourages students to ask “why” instead of telling them the “what”. It allows them to form their own thinking through exploration, investigation and collaboration. Nova Pioneer currently has 16 schools in South Africa and Kenya with a vision to launch 100 schools and reach tens of thousands of students across the African continent in the next decade. To learn more visit www.novapioneer.com.
ABOUT THE ROLE
Key responsibilities for the role include:
ABOUT YOU
Using past and current data, oversee the visioning and implementation of a Student Life strategy and provide oversight to ensure effective and efficient use of all resources assigned to student life (financial, human, etc.)
Creating a positive behavior system for students that are used with fidelity by students, teammates and parents.
Overseeing all discipline cases and chairing the school based discipline committee.
E nsuring that the highest standards of discipline are maintained. You will work closely with the Principal to ensure that incidents are dealt with in the most appropriate way in order that the School’s behaviour policy is implemented consistently and effectively.
Leading the Residential Life team to develop and maintain the department’s strategic plan, ensuring alignment with the overall institutional strategic planning efforts in fulfillment of the NP mission.
Creating a vision and implementing a data driven, well structured and highly engaging after school programming that allows students to explore their unique gifts and passions.
Implementing and monitoring ongoing benchmarking, assessment, and innovative improvements for all Residential Life areas to improve the residential student experience.
Providing oversight on Health and safety issues within the school, including those relating to risk assessments, fire regulations and works and maintenance issues.
Designing and administering policies in the residence halls.
Performing administrative duties including: creating and retaining student housing contracts, emergency contact information, room and other keys, etc.
Developing and implementing appropriate communication strategies in order to keep all members of the Residential Life Community informed regarding matters of interest, information and concern.
Liaising with security staff to ensure students’ personal safety and security.
Making and implementing schedules of residential life.
Serve as on-call contact for campus emergencies
The DoRL will directly supervise the nurse(s), the Dorm Mother(s), school counselor, sports coach, swimming coach and school chaplain.
Residentially, appraising performance, rewarding accomplishments, addressing inappropriate behavior, addressing complaints and resolving problems.
Work with the parent fee support team to manage the process of gating.
Student Su pport and Empowering Student Voice
Creating a vision and plan for student leadership development on the campus and systems and structures to support the vision.
Manage the systems and structures to support students leadership development.
Listens to student concerns and raises those challenges to the administration
Reviews information from student suggestion box
Collects monthly anonymous feedback from students
Supports the running of Town Halls
Supports the running of student leadership programmes
Running skill development programmes
Meeting with student leaders
Identifying challenges in student leadership at the school and implementing solutions to those challenges
Identifies and brings in internal/external speakers to support student leadership
Supports the running of mentorship and advisory sessions on campus
Manages and supports the student council
Starts the student council on campus, including the student culture committee
Manage the implementation of all clubs, societies and extramural activities both during and after school
Behaviour Management
Leads behaviour management system throughout the school
Reviews all student infraction and behavior data, including both yellow and green cards.
Meets with teachers to identify areas of improvement, challenges, and coaching needs.
Identifies trends, observes individual and group behaviour.
Meets with students.
Leads the Behaviour Committee
Convenes meetings
Ensures all data is present for meetings
Chairs behaviour committee meetings
Coaches behaviour issues with teachers
Reviews issues that teachers are having with behaviour and coaches teachers through observations, meetings, etc.
Leads academic behaviour investigations
Ensures strong documentation
Referral to the counsellor
Knowledge of background of behavior and what behaviour has to be referred to the counsellor.
Follow up with cases referred to the counsellor for tracking of support and changes.
Any other duties as assigned by your Manager.
Skills and Qualifications required
You have a Bachelor’s Degree in Education and you are TSC certified
Masters degree in education/ social sciences is not compulsory, it would be an added advantage.
You have atleast 5 years of experience in a rigorous, high-expectations school setting
You have excellent interpersonal and leadership skills that encompass trust and respect
You have excellent communication and people management skills
You have an ability to be flexible, adaptable, innovative and creative
You understand the complexities of working in a multi-faceted organization
You have high energy levels and can work in a highly confidential setting
You love working with teenagers and have previously engaged with teen and youth programmes that help them develop holistically
You have probably served as a Boarding mistress
Experience with youth development in various settings such as sports coaching, mentoring/counseling, club activities etc.
Significant experience in senior management as you will be leading a boarding team
Proven record of success in leading student life programs
An awareness, understanding and experience of issues relating to safeguarding the health, welfare and safety of children
Ability to offer an integrated approach to the development of youth talents and abilities
Resilience and ability to deal with emerging issues and youth trends
You have a desire to further develop your learning design skills and apply them to transform the lives of African youth
You have a track record of improving other people’s performance through coaching and build uncommonly strong relationships
You have an exceptional ability to think strategically and yet you sweat the small stuff—people see you as unusually detail-oriented and conscientious
You are excited about our organizational culture—and in particular, you are fired up to challenge yourself by embracing mutual vulnerability and a firehose of feedback
HOW TO APPLY
Does working at Nova Pioneer excite you? If so, then apply now!
To apply, please complete the form on the right hand side of this page. We cannot process applications that are emailed to us.
Please note: You are encouraged to attach your resume in PDF format to protect formatting.
There are a series of stages in the Nova Pioneer interview process and candidates will be moved forward in the process depending on their success in the previous stage. The process is as follows:
Phone interview: a short conversation to understand your skills and experience a little better.
Practical demonstration of what you can do: you will complete a written task or a demonstration related to the role you are applying for. Teachers sit an assessment and deliver a lesson to a class.
Final interview: you’ll have a final conversation with the hiring manager before decisions are made.
WORKING AT NOVA PIONEER
Nova Pioneer is a place where our people experience tremendous growth, fast! We invest heavily in the growth of our people because it leads to greater mastery in both us and our students. “Novaneers” work harder and work longer hours than at most schools but as a result, the growth they experience is extraordinary. We offer consistent and ongoing professional development and provide clear career pathways that ensure that our people are always achieving their personal and professional best. Nova Pioneer has a highly energetic, entrepreneurial environment where our people get to bring their creative and innovative ideas to life. We look for people who are flexible and who are able to adapt and respond quickly to adversity with a positive, can-do attitude (there are no problems, only solutions!). We welcome challenges and roll with the punches because it makes us, and our students, better. There is no problem too big for us! We work hard but we also have a lot of fun together. We bring infectious energy and enthusiasm to everything we do because joy fuels the hardest work and learning. Read more about our culture principles here (https://www.novapioneer.com/)
Nova Pioneer will never request an application fee from candidates. If you are contacted with a request to pay a fee from someone claiming to be a Nova Pioneer Talent or Recruitment representative, please do not pay them and report it to us immediately on talent.ke@novapioneer.com or talent.sa@novapioneer.com.
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