Head Teacher

The current Head Teacher is leaving the school after 10 years, 7 of which as the Head Teacher.  During this time, the school has defined and developed its academic programmes, built up a strong leadership team and is proud to have firmly established an inclusive philosophy.  The mission and vision has recently been updated and strongly reflects the original ethos of the school whilst including aims for the future.

After recently purchasing its own land, VICTORIA school is about to enter an exciting phase of building new facilities with the support of the Board of Directors. We are therefore looking for an enthusiastic and energetic Head Teacher who can continue to promote the academic development of the school and lead VICTORIA into the future.   

Development plans for Primary and Secondary are firmly in place with progress being monitored and regularly reviewed.  The leadership team works collaboratively to make decisions and drive the school forward. The successful candidate would need to be able to work closely in a team and have a clear vision for the future of the school.   

Person specification    

We are looking for a confident and innovative leader who is committed to further developing the school whilst able to respect its history and philosophy.  Specifically, the key qualities that we are looking for are:

Vision and strategic thinking

• Ability to innovate without losing the traditions and ethos of the school
• Capacity to visualise the future and inspire others
• Creative thinking

Leadership and management skills

• Energy, enthusiasm, optimism
• Capacity to inspire, align and delegate
• Ability to get results
• Judgement – knowing when to consult
• Ability to prioritise
• Foresight – capacity to recognise potential problems
• Ability to manage administrative and academic teams
• Sensitivity towards, and familiarity with, a diverse range of student
  learning needs
• Willingness to work with the SEP (Mexican Education Authority)

Communication

• Capacity to build knowledge and share it
• Cross-cultural sensitivity
• Ability to build community through internal and external communications

Technical skills and knowledge

• Excellent teaching ability
• Competency in both English and Spanish
• Ability to analyse, synthesise and arrive at conclusions
• Knowledge of educational systems and theories
• Understanding of the field of bicultural education
• Understanding of administration and finance

Interpersonal skills and qualities

• Ethical, open, approachable
• Flexible, patient, tolerant
• Excellent listener who is able to show empathy
• Trustworthy
• Ability to connect and establish relationships of trust
• Talent for nurturing creativity
• Driven by a constant search for improvement
• Ability to accept mistakes
• Calm under pressure
• Ability to resolve conflict

The application process

Applicants should send a current Curriculum Vitae and letter of application, together with the names and contact details of three referees, to Juli Nevett (julinevett@victoriaschool.edu.mx), School Trustee, no later than Friday 3rd February, 2017.

The letter should address the candidate’s specific interest and reasons for wanting to work at the VICTORIA School and  live in Tequisquiapan, Mexico. It should provide evidence of past achievements and successes that illustrate the qualities listed in the person specification and it should outline, in general terms, what the candidate would hope to achieve in the first year in the position and their strategies for doing so.

Applicants should provide the name, position and e-mail of three referees who have worked closely with them in the last five years in an educational context. The referees should be prepared to be contacted by telephone or Skype if necessary.

Candidates will be filtered in the first instance on the basis of their written application and their written responses to a series of questions that will be sent to candidates whose initial application satisfies enough of the selection criteria to warrant further consideration.

The second stage of the selection process will be an interview by Skype during the month of February and a maximum of three shortlisted candidates will be invited to interview in Tequisquiapan, Mexico, in March (travel and accommodation costs will be covered by the school).

The successful candidate will be notified soon after the final interviews.