Executive Principal

Are you a dynamic and enthusiastic school leader, seeking an exciting new opportunity to join and shape the development of a brand new International school based across three campuses? If so, you will be interested in this fantastic opportunity to join Britannica International School from August 2020 onwards.

This is an exceptional opportunity for an intelligent, ambitious, and energetic Senior Leader, to impact and shape the delivery of international education by leading the start-up and development of a high quality education establishment in Al Reef, Abu Dhabi.

About the School

Britannica International School, Al Reef 1 will accommodate 2,500 students from Early Years through to Grade 13, and is scheduled to open from August 2021. It will be established in two separate campuses (Primary and Secondary) currently under construction in the Al Reef development, Abu Dhabi. In addition, Britannica International School, Al Reef 2 will accommodate 1,100 students from Early Years to Year 6, in a separate Campus.

The school is a result of an exciting collaboration between Manazel Real Estate PJSC, a leading UAE real estate Company, and Orbital Education, a leading British education company specialising in delivering an enhanced English National Curriculum to an internationally diverse student population.
The school will support the residents of the Al Reef community, which is now home to 17,000 residents, and will expand as part of a second development due to complete at the end of 2019.

The vision of Britannica International School, Al Reef, is to provide high quality international education to the local community. The school aspires to foster an ethos of global citizenship, the celebration of cultural diversity and a wide international perspective to equip their students with the building blocks to become potential leaders of the future across the world.

The school’s state-of-the-art facilities, combined with Orbital’s distinctive approach to education, which incorporates British style and tradition based upon the English National Curriculum, while retaining the value of local culture and tradition, will allow Britannica International School to stand out. The schools will welcome students from EYFS to Year 10 in 2021/22, adding sixth form provision in future years.

The School is linked, via the Orbital Education Group with many schools across the globe, facilitating collaboration on an international scale, wider development possibilities, as well as enhanced opportunities for future International career development.

To find out more about the school, including school images, please visit; https://orbitaled.com/our-schools

About the person

We are seeking to recruit a highly motivated and experienced Principal, Head Teacher, or Senior School Leader, who will work with the Orbital team on all aspects of the pre-operational stages of development through 2020/21 taking over operational leadership from August 2021 onwards.

The successful candidate will have a demonstrable track record of outstanding senior educational leadership, preferably with experience in British style international schools, and the Gulf Corporation Council (GCC). Experience of school start-up will be a major advantage.

They will be a visionary, strategic leader and a committed team player who demonstrates a collaborative approach to working with others. You should have excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to develop and maintain strong and positive relationships with all of the schools’ stakeholders.

The ideal candidate will be able to demonstrate:

• Experience of working within the GCC
• An understanding of Islamic and Arab culture
• Experience with start-up schools and an understanding of the challenges involved in such a project
• A proven track record of achievement in senior leadership positions in educational institutions
• Substantial experience of working in a British international school environment outside the UK in a multi-lingual, multi-cultural setting
• Comfortable interacting at a corporate and board level with the ability to lead change and achieve sustained improvements through engagement with key stakeholders
• A passion and a drive for excellence at all levels

 

Benefits of working at an Orbital Education School

Orbital Education focuses on delivering the very best in British education to its students around the globe. It’s an expanding group with schools already in Spain, Hungary, Slovenia, China, Russia, Ecuador and the Middle East, with exciting plans to develop new schools across the globe.

Key reasons to work at an Orbital Education School include:

• Opportunities to collaborate with colleagues and students worldwide
• Enhanced professional development opportunities, through partnerships with specialist learning providers to offer recognised and accredited professional development programmes.
• Opportunities for both career development and movement within the group, providing opportunity to see the world whilst progressing an attractive and rewarding career.

 

Living and working in Abu Dhabi and Al Reef

Abu Dhabi has been described as ‘a world beyond imagination where nothing stands still’. The capital of the United Arab Emirates offers extraordinary experiences, endless opportunity, alongside captivating culture and breath-taking luxury. Home to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, one of the world’s largest, the planet’s fastest roller coaster at Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, and the peace and tranquillity of Al Ain's cooling oases.

Al Reef, can be found within the outskirts of Abu Dhabi, close to the international airport, and is one of the most popular areas to live in the capital. Divided into two sub-communities: Al Reef Villas and Al Reef Downtown - It was the first development exclusively targeted to middle-income earners, with a prime location near the airport and Al Raha Beach. It has a wide selection of parks, health clubs, educational and medical amenities. The Al Reef community has grown into an ideal residential area, with the residential development by Manazel Real Estate identified as the most as the most sought-after area to buy and live in Bayut’s 2018 H2 Market Report.

Abu Dhabi is a modern and welcoming city, with one of the regions busiest airports less than 15 miles away, meaning transport to Europe and the UK is simple to access and navigate.

The Process and how to apply

If this opportunity excites you, and you would be enthused by the opportunity to lead and develop our school, we would welcome an application from you.
Your application should be submitted by email and should include a CV with a photograph, a letter of application detailing how you feel your skills and experience meet those contained within the role profile. You should also include the names and email contacts of three referees, one of whom must be your current or most recent employer.

Applications should submitted to recruitment@orbitaled.com

Closing date for applications is Friday 15th November 2019 - However early applications are encouraged to avoid disappointment as we anticipate significant interest in this position.

Initial selection interviews with qualified candidates will take place via Skype on a rolling basis as applications are received. Candidates shortlisted for the role will be invited to a final stage interview in Abu Dhabi in December.

Due to anticipated levels of interest we regret that we will not be able to feedback to all candidates. Therefore, if you have not heard from us prior to 31st December 2019, please assume that on this occasion your application has not been successful.

Orbital Education are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS checks or police vetting will be required for this post.