Dean of Residential Life ( Eldoret Girls Highschool) at Nova Pioneer

ABOUT THE ROLE

Key responsibilities for the role include: 

ABOUT YOU

• Using past and current data, oversee the visioning and implementation of a Student Life strategy and provide oversight to ensure effective and efficient use of all resources assigned to student life (financial, human, etc.)
• Creating a positive behavior system for students that are used with fidelity by students, teammates and parents. 
• Overseeing all discipline cases and chairing the school based discipline committee. 
• Ensuring that the highest standards of discipline are maintained. You will work closely with the Principal to ensure that incidents are dealt with in the most appropriate way in order that the School’s behaviour policy is implemented consistently and effectively.
• Leading the Residential Life team to develop and maintain the department’s strategic plan, ensuring alignment with the overall institutional strategic planning efforts in fulfillment of the NP mission. 
• Creating a vision and implementing a data driven, well structured and highly engaging after school programming that allows students to explore their unique gifts and passions. 
• Implementing and monitoring ongoing benchmarking, assessment, and innovative improvements for all Residential Life areas to improve the residential student experience.
• Providing oversight on Health and safety issues within the school, including those relating to risk assessments, fire regulations and works and maintenance issues.
• Designing and administering policies in the residence halls.
• Performing administrative duties including: creating and retaining student housing contracts, emergency contact information, room and other keys, etc.
• Developing and implementing appropriate communication strategies in order to keep all members of the Residential Life Community informed regarding matters of interest, information and concern.
• Liaising with security staff to ensure students’ personal safety and security.
• Making and implementing schedules of residential life.
• Serve as on-call contact for campus emergencies
• The DoRL will directly supervise the nurse(s), the Dorm Mother(s), school counselor, sports coach, swimming coach and school chaplain. 
• Residentially, appraising performance, rewarding accomplishments, addressing inappropriate behavior, addressing complaints and resolving problems.
• Work with the parent fee support team to manage the process of gating. 

Student Support and Empowering Student Voice 

• Creating a vision and plan for student leadership development on the campus and systems and structures to support the vision.  
• Manage the systems and structures to support students leadership development. 
• Listens to student concerns and raises those challenges to the administration
• Reviews information from student suggestion box 
• Collects monthly anonymous feedback from students 
• Supports the running of Town Halls 
• Supports the running of student leadership programmes 
• Running skill development programmes 
• Meeting with student leaders 
• Identifying challenges in student leadership at the school and implementing solutions  to those challenges 
• Identifies and brings in internal/external speakers to support student leadership 
• Supports the running of mentorship and advisory sessions on campus 
• Manages and supports the student council
• Starts the student council on campus, including the student culture committee 
• Manage the implementation of all clubs, societies and extramural activities both during and after school

Behaviour Management

• Leads behaviour management system throughout the school
  • Reviews all student infraction and behavior data, including both yellow and green cards.
  • Meets with teachers to identify areas of improvement, challenges, and coaching needs.
  • Identifies trends, observes individual and group behaviour.
  • Meets with students.
• Leads the Behaviour Committee 
  • Convenes meetings 
  • Ensures all data is present for meetings 
  • Chairs behaviour committee meetings
• Coaches behaviour issues with teachers 
  • Reviews issues that teachers are having with behaviour and coaches teachers through  observations, meetings, etc.  
• Leads academic behaviour investigations 
  • Ensures strong documentation  
• Referral to the counsellor 
  • Knowledge of background of behavior and what behaviour has to be referred to the counsellor.
  • Follow up with cases referred to the counsellor for tracking of support and changes.
• Any other duties as assigned by your Manager.

Skills and Qualifications required

• You have a Bachelor’s Degree in Education and you are TSC certified
• Masters degree in education/ social sciences is not compulsory, it would be an added advantage.
• You have atleast 5 years of experience in a rigorous, high-expectations school setting 
• You have excellent interpersonal and leadership skills that encompass trust and respect
• You have excellent communication and people management skills
• You have an ability to be flexible, adaptable, innovative and creative
• You understand the complexities of working in a multi-faceted organization
• You have high energy levels and can work in a highly confidential setting
• You love working with teenagers and have previously engaged with teen and youth programmes that help them develop holistically
• You have probably served as a Boarding mistress
• Experience with youth development in various settings such as sports coaching, mentoring/counseling, club activities etc.
• Significant experience in senior management as you will be leading a boarding team
• Proven record of success in leading student life programs
• An awareness, understanding and experience of issues relating to safeguarding the health, welfare and safety of children
• Ability to offer an integrated approach to the development of youth talents and abilities 
• Resilience and ability to deal with emerging issues and youth trends 
• You have a desire to further develop your learning design skills and apply them to transform the lives of African youth
• You have a track record of improving other people’s performance through coaching and build uncommonly strong relationships
• You have an exceptional ability to think strategically and yet you sweat the small stuff—people see you as unusually detail-oriented and conscientious
• You are excited about our organizational culture—and in particular, you are fired up to challenge yourself by embracing mutual vulnerability and a firehose of feedback