Head of Junior School - January 2027

Taaleem is dedicated to ensuring the safety and welfare of children. We uphold high standards of effective practices in child protection and are resolute in our commitment to safeguarding children's well-being. We expect all employees to share this dedication.

Candidates selected for this role will need to undergo enhanced child protection screening tailored to the position, which includes several background checks such as obtaining high-quality references, verifying relevant qualifications, identification verification, and police checks, including those from overseas. No staff member will commence employment until these checks are finalized, which typically takes about a month.

We are on the lookout for an enthusiastic founding Head of Junior School to become part of the founding team at Harrow International School Abu Dhabi starting in January 2027, or at another mutually agreeable time before our opening in August 2027.

As a key member of our founding team, you will have a significant impact on establishing a vibrant, inclusive community where the learning of every student takes precedence in daily activities. Guided by the values of Harrow, our staff will foster an environment where each pupil is supported, challenged, and empowered to reach their full potential.

The ideal candidate will deliver outstanding leadership and strategic guidance for the Junior School, ensuring a nurturing, challenging, and inspiring educational atmosphere aligned with Harrow’s educational principles. The Head of Junior School will manage the academic, pastoral, and operational growth of the Junior School, preparing students for a future of excellence in education and life.

Qualifications and Experience
• Strong academic credentials.
• Demonstrated history of effective leadership in international or high-performing all-through schools, ideally including pioneering roles, with the capacity to inspire and innovate.
• In-depth understanding of curriculum development, contemporary pedagogical trends, assessment strategies, and instructional best practices.
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal abilities, with the talent to engage and motivate a diverse school community.
• Experience in building and leading high-performing academic teams focused on ongoing professional development and growth.
• Proven success in obtaining external accreditation within educational institutions or inspection bodies, either within the UAE or internationally, such as ISI, BSO, Irtiqaa, DSIB, and ADEC.

Desirable but not essential:
• International experience
• National Professional Qualification for Headship
• Leadership experience in a developing school

Leadership and Personal Qualities:
• A charismatic leader capable of fostering trust and engagement throughout the school community with a practical and hands-on approach.
• A commanding media presence with outstanding public speaking skills to represent the school at prominent events and media interactions.
• A commitment to engaging and building trust with diverse communities while understanding cultural nuances.
• Flexible and proactive, with the ability to make informed, timely decisions in a fast-paced environment.
• High emotional intelligence and self-awareness.
• A humble attitude with a desire for personal and professional growth.

School Values and Behaviours
All staff are expected to conduct themselves in alignment with the school's core values: Courage, Honour, Humility, and Fellowship. These values reflect what matters most to us, and the following behaviours serve as shared expectations and standards to aspire to in our interactions with others.

COURAGE
• We maintain optimism and purpose in a disrupted world.
• We take responsibility for our choices, even the challenging ones.
• We consistently confront poor behaviour in ourselves and others.
• We are receptive to new ideas and actively seek fresh challenges.

HONOUR
• We keep our commitments.
• We act with integrity, doing the right thing even when faced with difficulties or when unobserved.
• We respect and appreciate our traditions while contextualizing them for today.

HUMILITY
• We strive to serve others within the School and our wider communities, often prioritizing their interests over our own.
• We provide and seek honest, constructive feedback, reflecting on our mistakes and learning from them.
• We support one another through challenges, celebrating all participants regardless of outcomes.

FELLOWSHIP
• We respect one another and value our differences, knowing that we are more effective and resilient when working together.
• We embody kindness and inclusivity, appreciating each individual's contributions.
• We model the behaviours we wish to see in others and ask of others only what we would willingly do ourselves.

At Taaleem, we hold equality, diversity, and inclusion in high regard. We believe in the value of diverse perspectives and actively welcome individuals from all backgrounds to contribute their unique skills to our community.

Note: It is against the law to apply for this position if you are barred from engaging in regulated activities related to children.

This job posting is on behalf of Harrow International School Abu Dhabi, which is part of the group owned by Taaleem Holdings PJSC and operates independently under a license to use the Harrow School brand. For further information regarding this relationship, please refer to the relationship statement available on the harrowdubai.ae website. Applicants should be aware that the employer is part of the Taaleem Holdings PJSC group and operates under its control, rather than Harrow School.