Assistant Head for Pastoral and Residential Life

Assistant Head for Pastoral and Residential Life
UWC Dilijan, Armenia
Contract Type:  Full Time
Contract Term:  Two Years (with possible extension)

UWC Dilijan College wishes to appoint a well-qualified and experienced graduate for Assistant Head for Pastoral and Residential Life position.
Applicants should be committed to the vision of the Founders of the college and the mission statement of the United World Colleges. Information can be found at www.uwcdilijan.org  and www.uwc.org and on Facebook at UWC Dilijan (https://www.facebook.com/pages/UWC-Dilijan/350041941777688). Applicants must be committed to the highest standards of academic excellence within a balanced curriculum that includes a strong service component.

Employer Information:

A new concept in international school in which you will have the opportunity to make real difference both in the College and the local community.

UWC Dilijan opened in August 2014 as an IB Diploma Programme college within the UWC movement, which now comprises 16 colleges across the world. As the first college of its kind in the region, UWC Dilijan brings the vision and values of the movement to a new part of the world. Based upon the three-fold educational pillars of high academic standards, extensive co-curricular activities including service with strong community co-operation, and residential life, UWC Dilijan provides a balanced, rich, challenging and transformative education for its diverse body of students aged 16-18 on entry, currently we have 198 students from 71 countries, most of whom are studying in English as an additional language.

The Package on Offer includes:

• A two-year contract (renewable by mutual consent)
• A competitive salary (stated in $US, paid in equivalent Armenian drams)
• Rent-free accommodation on or off campus with free meals in the dining-hall
• Flights at the beginning and end of the contract and an annual travel allowance
• Excellent facilities including an indoor swimming-pool, gym and theatre
• Professional development opportunities
• Private medical insurance
• Wonderful students

JOB DESCRIPTION:

The Assistant Head for Pastoral and Residential Life of UWC Dilijan (AHP) is a key figure in helping to define, establish and maintain the ethos of the college. He/she must value and endorse the mission and aims of the college as expressed by the Founders and implemented by the Head of College (HoC), and share a passion for the objectives and methods of the UWC and IB as they are embodied in the life of UWC Dilijan. His/her primary duty is to support and advise the HoC by overseeing the pastoral and residential life of the college.

The following report to the AH(P):

• Head of Residential Life
• Residential House Parents (Toon Parents)
• Senior Doctor
• Pastoral Counsellor

The Deputy Head of College and the Deputy Head of College for Administration and Finance hold the two most senior appointments and, along with the AHP and Assistant Head (Academic), report directly to the HoC. It is essential that this group works closely as a team and, in the absence of the HoC, shares responsibilities as delegated by the HoC according to their respective roles and competencies in order to ensure the smooth operation of the college.

The AHP should have the mindset that he/she will do such things as are required to ensure the success of the college, irrespective of what the job description may specifically define. He/she should be innovative and ambitious in efforts towards the development of the college.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

The AHP has within his/her portfolio the roles and tasks which might in bigger schools be allocated to:

• Child Protection Officer
• Chairperson of Health and Safety Committee
• Head of Discipline/Sanctions/Rewards

In addition, the AHP will have the following responsibilities:

• be a permanent member of the SMT
• play a leading role in the development of the community at UWC Dilijan, with the aim of providing students with a safe and secure environment in which they can flourish and develop
• Monitor systems and policies, including anti-bullying and anti-discrimination, with the aim of ensuring the good welfare, health and safety of students, reducing vulnerability of staff and preserving the good reputation of the college
• ensure that students have channels of communication to seek help and support which include processes for referral to professionals in serious cases
• ensure that good records are kept, that information is circulated as necessary, and that parents are contacted appropriately
• ensure that clear boundaries are set for acceptable behaviour and that the consequences of crossing these are understood; ensure consistency of action in such cases
• ensure the delivery to students of appropriate knowledge and education, either in the curriculum or through residential house (Toons), to encourage students to live their lives responsibly and healthily, showing respect and supporting each other
• ensure that satisfactory security systems are in place and in use to ensure the safety of students
• do such other things as the HoC may reasonably require
• as all members of SMT, ‘lead by example’ by doing an amount of teaching and participating in a range of school activities, as requested by the HoC.

PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS:

The successful candidate will have many or all of the following qualities:

• a caring and approachable personality
• a balanced and calm demeanor
• an appetite for engagement with the local Armenian community
• experience as a senior educational leader and as a house parent or at least at other middle management level
• international experience
• extensive experience of educational provision in Grades 11-12
• extensive experience in residential/boarding schools
• an understanding of when it is necessary to call in professional help
• good organizational skills
• strong IT skills both as a user and in understanding and pioneering the appropriate use of technology to enhance education
• good communication skills both in speaking and writing
• strong “people skills”
• generosity of spirit;
• a capacity to look on the bright side of life

Candidates are expected to have:

Letters of application, a detailed CV and the names and contact details of three referees, at least one of whom should be the most recent employer, should be sent to careers@uwcdilijan.org with the subject line Assistant Head for Pastoral and Residential Life to arrive no later than 24 October 2016. 

UWC Dilijan College is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of its students. Applicants must consent to extensive background and police checks and declare details of criminal or other convictions.