Deputy Head: Pastoral and Co-Curricular

The German Swiss International School (GSIS) was established in 1969 and serves a wide range of families in Hong Kong. The school operates two streams, German and English. At the secondary level, the German Stream follows a German curriculum model culminating in the International Arbitur and the English Stream operates a UK curriculum model leading to I/GCSEs and the IB Diploma.

As part of its strategic development, the school has been strengthening its pastoral care and support systems and we are now able to introduce a discrete leadership role to take this programme to the next level.

The Deputy Head: Pastoral & Co-curricular will be a member of the English Secondary School Leadership Team working with the Head of the English Secondary School, the Senior Deputy Head and the IB Diploma Coordinator. This group also works closely with the Head and Deputy Head of the German Secondary School liaising on a series of shared initiatives.

The Deputy Head: Pastoral & Co-curricular will lead a team of staff to monitor the wellbeing and pastoral care of all our students coordinating support and intervention strategies informed by the best practice currently available. It will be important for the applicant to be well-versed in current research that supports student wellbeing.

This role will involve a teaching commitment in the candidate’s subject specialism.

RESPONSIBILITIES PASTORAL

• To have responsibility for all issues relating to the pastoral care and wellbeing of pupils including oversight of support and intervention strategies.
• To implement, monitor and develop the systems that ensure GSIS delivers outstanding pastoral care and support to all students throughout their time at school.
• To lead the pastoral team including the Head of Student Support Services, Heads of Year and school counsellors and to have oversight of the core programme.

CO-CURRICULAR

• To oversee the school’s extra-curricular programme including managing the scheduling of extracurricular activities through the week.
• To lead the organisation, management & implementation of the calendar; coordinate events planning with ESD & GSD Leadership Teams, Heads of PE, Music and Drama, and other colleagues as appropriate. 
• Organisation and oversight of the lower school carousel of weekly activities (one lesson). 
• To ensure that all off-site trips related to the co-curriculum are planned and organised in accordance with school policies.
• To serve as a Deputy Child Protection Officer.
• Assist the Secondary Leadership Team in ensuring the quality of the school reports.
• Work with the Secondary Leadership Team towards the efficient start of each academic year.

EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS

• A good first degree with the academic and intellectual credentials to command respect across the GSIS community.
• Previous successful experience of leading pastoral teams within a comparable organisation, with similarly high expectations.
• A proven ability to develop strategy and convert it into tangible results. 
• Ability to inspire and lead colleagues to achieve agreed objectives. 
• Experience of working with students, families and staff from a variety of cultural backgrounds. 1 This job description is applied in conjunction with the employment contract and staff handbook.
• An understanding of child development and age appropriate intervention and support strategies. 
• Experience of working with positive psychology would be an advantage. 
• An ongoing commitment to personal and professional development.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

• Strong pastoral leadership skills and a clear vision for what constitutes outstanding pastoral care in an international context.
• Sound judgment and discretion in order to manage sensitive and complex situations with clarity, care and tact.
• The capacity to think strategically and at a whole school level about the ways in which GSIS can develop as a leading international school. 
• Outstanding interpersonal skills with the ability to build strong relationships with staff, pupils, parents and other stakeholders. 
• Excellent organisational skills with the ability to prioritise, take ownership of work and balance decisiveness and consultation.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT & LEADERSHIP

• A naturally collaborative and self-motivated team player. 
• The professional and personal credibility to inspire and lead the GSIS pastoral team.
• The ability to establish and sustain effective relationships with all stakeholders representing the school positively at all times.
• Possess highly effective communication skills, a commitment to building and sustaining a nurturing and supportive environment and serve as an enthusiastic, caring role model within the school community.
• Good judgement, high levels of personal and professional integrity and a genuine commitment to the school’s aims and ethos.
• Be accessible to parents and respond to parent enquiries in a timely manner.
• Provide references for staff and students, as appropriate.

Please apply with cover letter, CV and references to the Director Human Resources via our online recruitment portal.

German Swiss International School Head of
Human Resources
11 Guildford Road
The Peak, Hong Kong
E-mail: hr@gsis.edu.hk
Tel. +852 2825 8179

Further information on the school, its facilities and programmes is available on the school’s website www.gsis.edu.hk. Personal data collected will be used for recruitment purposes only.