Position:             Principal, The Hills Grammar School

Location:            Kenthurst, Sydney, Australia

Reporting to:    The Hills Grammar School Council

POSITION OUTLINE

Hills Grammar is a proudly diverse and inclusive Pre-School to Year 12 School, guiding our students towards being principled, confident, accomplished and original graduates. With no specific religious affiliation, Hills Grammar is founded on the humanitarian, ethical values of Respect, Integrity, Service and Excellence. In our 40^th year, Hills is building on our already strong foundation and delving further into our broad-reaching, original learning philosophy. Forward looking and thinking, the School is both learning and learner focused and aims to provide extraordinary education for our extraordinary individuals, within our beautiful bushland site.

Hills Grammar is seeking our new educational leader who will be visionary, inspiring and innovative. A highly competent communicator and respected leader, our new Principal will seize upon the potential of this place of learning, build upon its already strong reputation and lead the School towards being extraordinary, across all domains. She/he must believe in the power of each student to learn and have proven ability to lead the Hills Grammar staff to provide the best possible learning environment and journey towards individual excellence.

KEY SKILLS & CAPABILITIES

• Extensive experience in educational leadership and management
• Completion of undergraduate qualification in education and postgraduate qualification in education and/or educational leadership
• Successful experience of a similar school environment (a Pre K-12 school is desirable)
• Exceptional leadership capacity demonstrated by strategic focus, astute delegation skills and excellent people-management ability
• The capacity to lead and develop a high performing Executive team that is cohesive, competent and continually striving for best-practice education and student wellbeing
• A strong knowledge-base in relation to good governance and financial management
• Highly effective communication skills that cover the broad spectrum from public-speaking to the use of social media, facilitating engagement with the entire School community
• Superior time-management and prioritising skills
• Proven ability to develop mutually beneficial relationships within the community; locally, nationally and internationally
• A clearly articulated, values-based educational philosophy that is focused on preparing students for their future and developing students of good character and citizenship
• Capacity to lead with operational, relational, strategic and systemic focuses, as identified by the AITSL standards for Principals
• The passion and vision for building a culture of innovation and continuous improvement in the School.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

Reporting to the School Council, the Principal is the formal channel of communication between the School and its governing body.

The Principal is responsible for providing outstanding leadership to all stakeholder groups within the School community.

The Principal facilitates delivery of the School’s Vision, Mission and Graduate Aim across four key strategic areas:

Extraordinary Teaching

• Oversees the provision of curriculum, assessment and reporting to comply with government regulations, as well as the registration requirements of the NSW Education Standards Authority
• Attracts, develops and retains high quality staff
• Further enhances the staff culture of outstanding performance through a range of effective processes, metrics and accountabilities
• Ensures appropriate strategies for the wellbeing and professional learning of all staff.

Inspired Learning:

• Helps attract and retain students across the entire campus by inspiring current and potential clients and their families with a passion for the extraordinary education gained at Hills Grammar
• Ensures a School environment and culture which foster each student’s potential for being an ethical and contributing citizen
• Works collaboratively to reflect the Graduate Aim, Mission and Vision as living statements that permeate every aspect of School culture
• Strives continuously for the enhancement of student engagement in both the curricular and co-curricular life of the School.

Organisational Sustainability & Community Engagement:

• Ensures the School complies with all legal requirements as prescribed by State and Commonwealth statutory bodies
• Ensures knowledge of and compliance with all School policies and practices
• Oversees responsible, sustainable financial management of the School
• Builds on the School’s fine reputation through effective communication and personal engagement, not only within the School but in the wider community and overseas
• Maintains a positive, productive relationship with the Chair and School Councillors
• Provides strategic input into the development of community and fund-raising initiatives
• Develops and maintains a succession plan for the School’s Executive and identified key positions across the School.

Unique Learning Environment:

• Leads with collaboration the master and strategic planning processes, thus driving the vision and action plan for the School’s development for the next 5 – 10 years
• Ensures the School’s educational resources and facilities are managed creatively and leverage the School’s unique environment
• Engages with emerging technology and educational pedagogy.

PERSONAL QUALITIES

• Lives by the School values of Respect, Integrity, Service and Excellence, thus being an exemplary role model to students, staff and parents
• Fosters teamwork and collaborates to develop effective solutions
• Understands and demonstrates the importance of life balance
• Maintains a commitment to own personal wellbeing and health
• Deeply committed to purpose and goal achievement, sustained by high energy and enthusiasm
• Displays genuine empathy and caring connection toward students, staff and parents
• Dynamic self-learner who is open to new ideas, experiences and opportunities
• Student-centred: relates easily to students of all ages with humour and warmth
• Interested in a range of local and global activities, such as the arts, sport, etc.