Director
International School Hannover (Germany)

The School

The International School Hannover Region (ISHR) is a non-profit, co-educational day school currently offering instruction in English to 530 students from the age of 3 to 18 from over 50 nations. It is authorised to offer the IB Primary Years Program (PYP), Middle Years Program (MYP), and the Diploma Program (DP) and is accredited by the Council of International Schools (CIS) and the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). ISHR is also an active member of the Association of German International Schools (AGIS).

     

ISHR was founded in 1996 to serve the needs of the internationally mobile families in Hannover and the surrounding area, but also admits local students who desire an international education. It is a 

not-for-profit, limited company with a Supervisory Board, which has ultimate responsibility for the school, and a School Board of elected parents and faculty, which makes policy decisions. There are two Managing Directors: the School Director who is responsible for the school and pedagogy, and the Business Director.   

Located in the centre of Hannover, the school occupies purpose-built quarters on a spacious, green campus. The large, well-furnished classrooms, modern science labs, well-stocked library and IT, music, art and sports facilities contribute greatly to the quality of education offered by the school. The school opened a new secondary centre containing classrooms, music and art facilities, a laptop area, as well as an additional PE hall and a fourth Science Laboratory in August 2013. All the school buildings have Wi-Fi and the MYP students bring their own MacBook.

Hannover

Hannover is often referred to as “the lungs of Germany” because of the large lake in the city centre, the woods running right through the city and the many parks and running routes. It is a wonderful city, with all the cultural offerings of a large city but very little of the hassle. Hannover is famous for its music (classic, jazz, rock), is extremely safe and easy to get around. The Christmas Market in the old town is a must in winter as is the summer festival around the lake in August

In line with the philosophy of the IB, ISHR promotes enquiry based learning, critical thinking and international respect and understanding within a caring, nurturing and safe environment. Although a non-selective school, over 98% of the students take and pass the IB Diploma. We believe that learning within a culturally and linguistically rich environment, which promotes empathy, open mindedness and respect for others will enable students to "make a difference" and create a better, more sustainable future.

ISHR is looking for an outstanding Director with:

1) Very strong communication skills catering for and managing the diverse views and interests of the different stakeholders.

2) Strong management skills focusing on the future development of the school and the successful execution of our strategic vision and plan, as well as on operational efficiency to maintain sound finance.

Skills Profile of the Desired Candidate

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• A proven record of successful educational leadership at a senior level within an international school setting.

• Self motivated leader
• The ability to communicate vision.
• Familiarity with and commitment to the three IB programmes. A collaborative administrative style (team player).
• The ability to generate trust with all stakeholders.
• Open minded, who will actively promote intercultural understanding and international mindedness.

• Strong organizational and proven problem-solving skills.
• Experience in implementing strategic plans.
• A “Hands-on” mentality and "can-do" attitude.

Job Description:

• The responsibilities of the Director of ISHR are manifold. Some are highlighted below
• Ensure that the school’s mission is implemented and adhered to.
• Maintain students’ needs as the primary focus of decision making.
• Ensure that the curriculum fosters high academic standards in alignment with IB requirements.
• Recruit excellent teachers.
• Expedite the school's development with a view to achieving the strategic goals and continuously improving the school in all aspects, bringing it to the next level of maturity.
• Ensure our strategic goals are linked with key performance indicators to measure the success of our action plans.
• Ensure that procedures are in place for staff evaluation and appraisal to enhance performance.
• Ensure that fair and effective student disciplinary procedures are in place.
• Develop and implement effective administrative rules and procedures.
• Has a constructive relationship with the various school bodies.
• Shares the responsibility with the Business Director to maintain financial stability and to keep results within financial budgets.
• Together with the Business Director, represent the school effectively in the local and international community.
• Work collaboratively and co-operatively with the Business Director, who is responsible for financial, legal,  administrative and marketing matters.

Compensation and Benefits

ISHR offers an initial contract term of three years (renewable). The salary and benefits are competitive and will depend on the qualifications and experience of the successful candidate. Benefits include comprehensive medical insurances, a retirement program, professional development allowance, transportation at the beginning and end of contract, and shipping allowance.

Procedures for Filing Application

International School Hannover Region has appointed Search Associates as its consultant in its search for a Director, with Ralph Jahr and Gunther Brandt as lead consultants. The deadline for applications is 1 November, 2015. Candidates are asked to submit a letter of interest and the requested materials listed below as early as possible as the Search Committee reserves the right to close the selection process at any time if the right candidate is found. Semifinalist candidates will be identified by Search Associates and their dossiers forwarded to the school for review. On-line interviews will be arranged during the first weeks of November, with the intention to complete the final selection by mid-December. 

The review of files will begin as soon as applications are received. Finalists will be selected by the Search Committee and 2 or 3 finalists will be selected as early in the process as possible. The new Director will be selected shortly after the conclusion of the site visit, final interviews, and reference checks. The new Director will begin in August 2016. 

Candidates should send the information listed below as a single pdf file <4MB attached to an email.

• A letter of application, explaining your strengths as a candidate and why you are interested in the Director position at ISHR.
• A statement describing your management and educational philosophy, not to exceed two pages.
• A current résumé not to exceed two pages.
• A one-page list of references with current addresses, phone numbers and email addresses.
• A maximum of three letters of reference (scanned at low resolution) that may already be in your possession.

Total document size should be kept to less than four (4) MB if possible. Applications should be sent to rjahr@searchassociates.com and gbrandt@uasdubai.ae . Additional information about International School Hannover Region can be found on the school’s web site at www.is-hr.de .

Ralph Jahr                                                             Tel: 609-759-0431 USA – Pacific Time Zone
Skype – ralph.h.jahr                                          Email: RJahr@searchassociates.com  

Gunther Brandt                                                   Tel: 757-208-0356 USA – Eastern Time Zone
Skype – Gunther.brandt                                   Email: gbrandt@uasdubai.ae