Secondary School Principal Job Vacancy at International School of Tanganyika ( IST )

T H E  P O S I T I O N

The International School of Tanganyika is seeking an exceptional leader and visionary educator to serve as Secondary School Principal commencing in August, 2025. As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, the Secondary Principal works collaboratively to ensure that all IST students are appropriately challenged, supported and inspired to become accountable citizens who find their own paths and thrive in a dynamic world. This is a wonderful opportunity to have a significant impact within a school community that has a history of excellence, service and innovation.

T H E  S C H O O L

The International School of Tanganyika (IST) is widely regarded as one of the leading international schools in Africa. The school was founded in 1963, is not for profit, and fully accredited by the Council of International Schools (CIS) and the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. IST is authorized by the International Baccalaureate Organization to offer the Primary Years Program, Middle Years Program and Diploma Program. With over 280 employees, IST serves approximately 800 students from the age of three to Grade 12 and has a strong reputation for excellence within its academic, artistic, athletic and service related programs.

OUR MISSION

Challenge, support and inspire all learners to become accountable citizens who find their own paths and thrive in a dynamic world.

V I S I O N & V A L U E S

IST is a pioneering International Baccalaureate Continuum school that ignites a life-long passion for learning.

We are a diverse and vibrant community that values student agency and cultivates local and global partnerships, in an open and adaptive learning environment.

IST fosters exploration, collaboration, and authentic experiences that develop resilient and compassionate individuals.

IST CORE VALUES

All members of the IST community value: Respect
Service Well-being Belonging
Growth

S T R A T E G I C P L A N

Our Strategic Plan is in place to help our community align efforts to better reach our school’s mission, vision and values. This plan is focused on three aims with identified goals to support our work towards each aim.

MISSION IMPACTS

An accountable citizen recognizes their impact and responsibility to their communities. They are
equipped with knowledge, empathy, and ethical commitment. They embody the school’s values and contribute positively to society.

Learners will collaborate with mentors and are empowered to explore diverse opportunities that extend and enrich the curriculum.

Learners are self-driven, curious and confident. They are creative and imaginative thinkers who can develop solutions, seize opportunities, and adapt in the face of adversity.

STRATEGIES

In order to support our mission, vision and values, IST will:
Leverage the IST community and local and global partners;
Attract, develop, and retain exceptional professionals who embody IST’s mission, vision, and values;
Explore, create, and implement innovations in the educational ecosystem in support of learner agency, academic rigor, and the pursuit of excellence;
Implement transformative approaches to resource management focused on environmental responsibility and efficiency, financial viability, and institutional continuity.

L O C A T I O N

IST operates on two campuses in the desirable suburbs of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. IST Elementary serves children from age 3 through Grade 5 while IST Secondary, 5 kilometers away, serves Grades 6 through 12. Dar es Salaam is a well-resourced city, with many opportunities to explore beaches, markets, restaurants and activities. The country of Tanzania is home to some of the best wildlife parks in the
world. In addition, the country offers the chance to scale mountains such as Mt. Kilimanjaro, or relax on world class beaches on the island of Zanzibar. The combination of the available amenities in Dar es Salaam, combined with the travel opportunities within the country, help to make Dar es Salaam a highly desirable location for expatriate families. At the same time, Tanzania is a tropical and developing
country with the normal challenges of such an environment.

O R G A N I Z A T I O N

A Board of Governors, elected by parents of students for three-year terms, governs the school with the Director reporting to the Board. The Secondary Principal reports to the Director and is a member of the Senior Leadership Team at IST. The Secondary School Leadership Team includes the Director of Teaching and Learning, MYP Coordinator, DP Coordinator, SS Vice Principal and the Student Support Services
Coordinator.

S E C O N D A R Y  S C H O O L  P R O G R A M

IST is an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School and there is a strong commitment to the MYP and DP Progammes within the secondary school. Although all students benefit from the central tenets of the IB, IST also supports students in the secondary school with IST pathways courses in specific disciplines, as well as a Life Centered Education Programme for learners with significant learning needs. The curriculum at IST benefits from thoughtful collaboration among teachers, planning and documenting student learning. Our ICT network, systems and hardware have received significant investment in the past few years and support the effective use of technology for teaching and learning. Significant strides have been taken toward becoming a more inclusive school, in which all are supported and challenged. Our admissions processes are relatively open and resources are in place to support a wide range of student learning needs. The Student Services Department at IST contributes to ensuring that all students achieve essential learning expectations and their full potential by helping to address their academic, social-emotional and English-learning needs. Student Services staff includes a Student Support Services Coordinator, Learning Support (LS) teachers, English as an Additional Language (EAL) teachers, and three counselors. IST achieves strong academic results, and takes great pride in the holistic nature of our programs. Arts, service and athletics are embedded within our school day, and are also supported with an impressive array of options with our co-curricular program (ASAs).

F A C U L T Y

Faculty salary and benefits are internationally competitive and IST continues to attract exceptional and
passionate members to join our community. Currently, there are 66 faculty members working in the Secondary school at IST. The diversity of the faculty at IST is a significant strength with over 15 nationalities represented. IST values a professional learning community and supports the development of its faculty and staff with
internal and external opportunities over the course of the school year.

S T U D E N T S

IST’s students are engaged in learning and are dedicated to understanding and serving their community. IST values student leadership and initiative at all levels and students are actively involved in decisions that affect them, through a range of channels. IST currently has a SS enrollment of approximately 445 students with families representing a diverse mix of long-term residents, Tanzanian citizens, expatriates working in the private sector, NGO, and diplomatic workers from numerous countries. IST has a student population that is 31% Tanzanian, 16% American, 10% British, 5% Chinese and 4% Indian, with the rest comprising approximately 55 other nationalities. There is a high level of engagement among the parents of IST students, which results in parents spending a lot of time and energy on school activities and
supporting their children’s learning.

S E C O N D A R Y  F A C I L I T I E S

IST Secondary consists of more than 50 classrooms, all of which are equipped with the necessary technology and resources to support effective teaching and learning. In addition, extensive facility enhancements have taken place at the Secondary campus in recent years. These enhancements include refurbished classrooms, a blackbox theater, competition pool, visual arts classrooms, a design tech facility and maker space, the Athletic Center which opened in 2021, and the Performing Arts Center which will open in 2024. As IST continues to review its facilities during the 2024-2025 school year, we
will work with Fielding International to refresh our Master Site Plan for the next 10 years.

R E S P O N S I B I L I T I E S  O F T H E  S S  P R I N C I P A L

Building professional capacity:
Developing short and medium-term staffing plans for the Secondary community to further the school’s mission and aims
Assisting in the recruitment of excellent teaching staff and their orientation to the school
Ensuring that appropriate professional development opportunities are made available to staff members and that the benefits of these to both the staff member and to the school are maximized
Conducting appraisals of teaching staff, within the framework established by school policy

Maximizing student learning:
Overseeing, throughout the Secondary campus, the development and implementation of a coherent, consistently documented curriculum that is consistent with the school’s mission, vision and philosophy of teaching and learning
Coordinating the design and implementation of a schedule of classes within Secondary to implement the school’s teaching and learning philosophy.
Encouraging student participation and influence in curriculum development and implementation
Ensuring that regular communication takes place with parents about student progress and areas requiring improvement
Overseeing the admissions process for students to Secondary, in conjunction with the Admissions Office Maintaining oversight of an After-School Activities program that provides students with stimulating opportunities in creative, physical activity and service-learning, as well as extended enquiry opportunities that complement the school’s curriculum
Reinforcing high standards of behavior among our students
Providing a structured method for students to reflect upon and record their learning journey
Submitting budget plans for educational materials expenditure as requested by the school’s business office monitoring and managing spending against that budget

Creating an ethos for the Secondary section of the school that supports and furthers the school’s mission:
Developing an ethos throughout the Secondary section of the school of openness, respect, collaboration, enquiry and innovation
Maintaining a visible, approachable and welcoming profile for parents and visitors, in particular to those directly associated with the Secondary
Reporting to the school community on events within the Secondary section of the school
Attending school events and functions as appropriate
Communicating, in a supportive way, decisions taken by the school leadership
Ensuring that community members understand the curriculum programs of the Secondary campus

Overseeing the Secondary campus:
Ensuring, with the Facilities and Maintenance Manager and Security Manager, the health and safety of
Secondary students, staff and visitors
Utilizing campus facilities to support the school’s programs and aims
Submitting budget plans for capital expenditure as requested by the school’s business office, monitoring and managing spending against that budget

Whole school leadership:
Collaborating with other members of the school leadership team in developing school action plans within the framework of the school-wide strategic plan
Providing support to the Director in Board meetings and reporting
Implementing school policies
Contributing to the building of a whole-school ethos across our two campuses

P R E F E R R E D  C H A R A C T E R I S T I C S

Professional Competencies:
An active leadership style with high visibility both within the school and throughout the community Demonstrated leadership skills and an ability to engage with and inspire trust in faculty members, students, and members of the IST community
Commitment to student-centered learning
Ability to develop a shared vision and accountability in a community of diverse cultures High ethical standards and ability to maintain appropriate levels of confidentiality Current with research in international education
Ability to inspire faculty and staff to grow and challenge themselves individually and as a group
Excellent communication skills in spoken and written form
Empathetic and compassionate, yet able to make difficult decisions in the best interests of students and the entire school community
Experience in developing and/or sustaining high performance teams
Sound decision making, solutions focused, knowledge of child protection and health and safety Knowledge of IB Standards and Practices, and experience with the implementation of the MYP and DP programmes, as well as alternative pathways

Personal Attributes:
Collaborative team player, empathetic listener
Integrity and confidentiality
Strategic thinker, able to convert vision into action Internationally minded, emotional intelligence Intercultural awareness, creative, persuasive
Flexible and capable of managing growth and instilling high standards
Adept in multilingual settings, spirited, pioneering, professional and nurturing

S A L A R Y  &  B E N E F I T S

The salary and benefits package will be internationally competitive, and commensurate with the
qualifications and previous experience of the successful candidate. Further details will be given to short- listed candidates.

C H I L D  P R O T E C T I O N A T I S T

IST is committed to hiring outstanding educators and is cognizant of our responsibilities to provide a safe and caring learning environment for our community; therefore, IST has implemented child protection
procedures for all employees, and will require up-to-date and accurate screening information.

A P P L I C A T I O N P R O C E D U R E

Interested candidates should send an application at the earliest possible opportunity, but no later than September 15th, 2024. Candidates should note, however, that in the event an outstanding applicant is identified early in the search process, IST reserves the right to make an appointment before the deadline. For this reason, it is very important that interested candidates apply as soon as possible.

A letter of application, briefly outlining why you wish to apply for the Secondary Principal position at
IST and what specific skills, qualities and experience you can offer; A current resume/CV (no more than two pages);
A statement of educational and leadership philosophy (not to exceed two pages)
The names and full contact details of at least 4 professional referees, including your current supervisor.

Please note that all materials must be in a single pdf attachment and sent to mvrba@istafrica.com .The review of candidates will begin as soon as applications are received.

Additional Information about the International School of Tanganyika can be found on the school’s website at w w w . i s t a f r i c a . c o . t z