Junior School Principal

Job description

The Aga Khan Academies is an integrated network of residential schools dedicated to expanding access to education of an international standard of excellence to exceptional young men and women regardless of ability to pay, offering the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum from the Primary Years Programme to the Diploma Programme. Academies operate in Mombasa (Kenya), Hyderabad (India), Maputo (Mozambique) and Dhaka (Bangladesh, opened 2022). As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, the Junior School Principal will work with the Head of Academy and colleagues to achieve the goals of the Academy in Dhaka and support the vision and mission of the Academies network, collaborating with the Academies Unit responsible for strategic planning, policy formulation and system oversight. Responsibilities span pedagogical leadership (including implementation of the IB Primary Years Programme and a coherent curriculum from Early Years to Grade 5), staffing and development, environment/health and safety, administration and finance, and student standards. Required: Master's degree in an education-related field; excellent command of English and Bangla; knowledge and understanding of Subcontinent cultures. Salary and package to attract the best candidate. Job reference 5013BR, expires 24 Oct 2026. Employment opportunities at the Academy are posted on the AKDN Career Centre (an AKDN-wide BrassRing recruitment portal); listings are updated regularly.

Responsibilities

• Provide pedagogical leadership of the Junior School, including implementation of the IB Primary Years Programme
• Take a lead role, with the Dean of Admissions, Dean of Studies and Dean of Students, in developing the Academy's Junior School learning environments
• Build student enrolment to ensure students of high potential are admitted
• Contribute to the formulation of strategic plans for the Academy
• Lead professional development of staff in the Junior School and promote teacher learning in outreach programmes
• Promote the values of the IB Primary Years Programme and, with the PYP Coordinator, develop and implement a coherent curriculum from Early Years to Grade 5
• Implement and oversee the bilingual (English/Bangla) policy for the Academy
• Implement and oversee service learning and extra-curricular activities that develop young leaders
• Oversee recruitment and professional development of colleagues, establishing a strategic staffing plan
• Ensure constructive relationships with parents and build support for the Junior School's vision and mission
• Ensure policies and procedures are in place for health, safety and risk management
• Ensure the Junior School has robust systems for administration and finance
• Establish and promote high standards for academic performance and behavior consistent with the Academy's mission and values

Requirements

• Master's degree in an education-related field
• Knowledge and understanding of primary education, including pre-school, and commitment to the IB Primary Years Programme
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to communicate effectively with students, parents and colleagues in a diverse, pluralistic society
• Strong team player with ability and willingness to develop capacity among local staff
• Commitment to leading innovative transformational change in teaching and learning
• Ability to manage within a finite resource base, plan and monitor a budget
• Successful experience as a Junior School Principal or substantial experience as a Deputy Principal including curriculum/assessment leadership
• Previous experience as an effective IB Primary Years Programme teacher/leader with demonstrable PYP knowledge
• Proven ability to evaluate student progress and build a culture of continuous improvement
• Extensive experience implementing a rich extra-curricular programme with a service focus
• Excellent command of English and Bangla, written and oral
• Knowledge and understanding of Subcontinent cultures

Skills

• Bangla
• Curriculum development
• Educational leadership
• English
• IB Primary Years Programme
• Staff development