Head Of School / Principle

*Job Description: Head of School / Principal* *Location:* Thane, Mumbai *Employment Type:* Full-Time | Permanent *Reporting To:* CEO / Owner *Work Schedule:* * Monday to Friday: 7:00 AM – 4:00 PM * Working Saturdays: 7:00 AM – 2:00 PM * 1st, 3rd, and 5th Saturdays: Off *About the Role* A reputed confidential partner school in Thane, Mumbai, is seeking an accomplished and dynamic *Head of School / Principal* to lead the institution's academic, administrative, operational, and strategic functions. The ideal candidate must have substantial experience working in an *ICSE or IGCSE school environment*, along with a proven track record in school leadership, academic excellence, faculty development, parent engagement, admissions, and institutional growth. The Principal will work closely with the CEO / Owner to implement the school's vision, strengthen academic outcomes, build a high-performing team, and ensure smooth and effective school operations. *Key Responsibilities* *1. Strategic Leadership & School Development* * Provide overall leadership and direction for the school. * Translate the management's vision into strategic plans, measurable goals, and actionable outcomes. * Collaborate with the CEO / Owner on school development, budgeting, and institutional planning. * Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) across academics, admissions, operations, faculty, and student outcomes. * Drive a culture of accountability, innovation, excellence, and continuous improvement. *2. Academic Leadership & Curriculum Management* * Oversee curriculum planning, implementation, assessment, and academic reporting. * Ensure effective implementation of the ICSE or IGCSE curriculum. * Monitor student performance, learning outcomes, examination readiness, and curriculum coverage. * Guide Academic Coordinators, HODs, and teachers in improving teaching practices and classroom effectiveness. * Promote experiential, inquiry-based, student-centric, and differentiated learning. * Ensure alignment with board requirements, academic standards, and examination processes. *3. Faculty Leadership & Team Development* * Lead and manage teaching and non-teaching teams effectively. * Collaborate with HR on recruitment, onboarding, retention, and workforce planning. * Implement faculty performance reviews, mentoring, training, and professional development initiatives. * Identify skill gaps and establish improvement plans. * Build a collaborative and performance-driven culture across academic and administrative teams. * Develop leadership capabilities and succession plans for key positions. *4. Student Well-being & School Culture* * Maintain a safe, inclusive, disciplined, and supportive learning environment. * Ensure effective implementation of child protection and safeguarding policies. * Address student concerns and disciplinary matters fairly and consistently. * Promote students' academic, social, emotional, and holistic development. * Encourage participation in co-curricular activities, student leadership, and school initiatives. *5. Parent & Stakeholder Engagement* * Build strong relationships with parents and the wider school community. * Act as the senior point of contact for escalated parent concerns. * Ensure timely, transparent, and professional communication with parents. * Lead parent orientations, meetings, school events, and community engagement initiatives. * Represent the school professionally with external stakeholders and educational networks. *6. Admissions & Institutional Growth* * Work with the management and admissions team to achieve enrolment and retention targets. * Monitor admissions pipelines, enquiry conversion, student retention, and parent feedback. * Support initiatives to strengthen the school's reputation and positioning. * Identify opportunities to improve parent experience and student satisfaction. * Align academic capacity, staffing, and infrastructure with the school's growth plans. *7. School Operations, Governance & Compliance* * Oversee the day-to-day functioning of the school. * Coordinate with administration, HR, finance, transport, security, and facilities teams. * Ensure compliance with applicable board requirements, statutory regulations, safety standards, and school policies. * Oversee examinations, inspections, audits, events, and institutional activities. * Maintain high standards of discipline, infrastructure, safety, and operational efficiency. *8. Financial & Resource Management* * Participate in annual budgeting and financial planning. * Monitor expenditure against approved budgets and ensure effective resource utilisation. * Collaborate with the management and finance teams on cost optimisation. * Ensure resources are allocated effectively to support academic quality and student experience. *9. Performance Monitoring & Continuous Improvement* * Establish and review KPIs across academics, operations, faculty, admissions, and student outcomes. * Analyse school performance data and implement corrective action plans. * Drive structured school improvement initiatives. * Ensure leadership teams remain accountable for agreed goals and deliverables. * Present regular performance updates and recommendations to the CEO / Owner. *Qualifications & Experience* * Master's degree in Education, Educational Leadership, Management, or a related discipline. * B.Ed. / M.Ed. or an equivalent teaching qualification preferred. * *15+ years of overall experience in the education sector.* * *Minimum 5 years of experience in a senior school leadership role*, such as Principal, Head of School, Vice Principal, or an equivalent position. * *Mandatory: Proven experience working in an ICSE or IGCSE school environment.* * Strong understanding of the relevant board's curriculum, assessment framework, examination processes, and academic standards. * Demonstrated experience managing complete school functions, including academics, faculty, student affairs, parent relations, administration, and admissions. * Proven ability to lead large teaching and non-teaching teams. * Experience in school operations, compliance, inspections, and institutional development. * Strong leadership, communication, decision-making, and stakeholder management skills. *Ideal Candidate Profile* The ideal candidate will be an experienced and strategic education leader who demonstrates: * Strong ICSE or IGCSE board experience. * Excellent academic and instructional leadership. * Effective faculty and team management. * Strong parent and stakeholder relationship management. * Expertise in school operations, governance, and compliance. * Understanding of admissions, enrolment, and school growth. * A strong commitment to student well-being and safeguarding. * Strategic planning, execution, and data-driven decision-making. *Important Eligibility Criteria* *Candidates must have prior experience in an ICSE or IGCSE school.* Candidates without experience in either of these boards will not be considered. Candidates should have a strong background in school leadership, academic excellence, team management, and overall institutional administration, with the ability to partner effectively with the CEO / Owner to drive the school's growth and development. Pay: ₹3,000,000.00 - ₹3,500,000.00 per year Benefits: * Health insurance * Paid sick time * Paid time off * Provident Fund Work Location: In person