Head of School at Caspian Academy in Baku, Azerbaijan

Caspian Academy
Baku, Azerbaijan
Job Description – Head of School
Caspian Academy is a private school operating in Baku, Azerbaijan. CA’s membership consists of expatriate families who have cooperated together to see this school established. Its member-elected Board governs CA and the Head of School of the school is chosen and contracted by the CA Board.
The Head of School of CA is the chief executive officer of CA. As such, with responsibilities in all of the following areas, the Head of School is, in effect, the delegated keeper of the Vision for CA. He/She should become completely familiar with the history of Caspian Academy, and in agreement with the Academy’s core values, mission statement, vision statement and the board governance policies.

Authority Structure
1. The Head of School represents the governing board’s sole official connection to the school.
2. Decisions of the board, when acting as a body, are binding on the Head of School.
3. The board instructs the Head of School through written policies that prescribe the organizational ends to be achieved and describe organizational situations and actions to be avoided, allowing the Head of School to use any reasonable interpretation of these policies.
4. The Head of School’s job performance is systematically monitored solely against the Board’s Ends and Executive Limitations policies.

Qualifications
The Head of School must:
1. Be a person of love, truthfulness, and virtue.
2. Be able to demonstrate leadership and maturity.
3. Be in agreement with the Caspian Academy Mission Statement and Philosophy of Education.
4. Be committed to academic excellence and personal life-long learning.
5. Recognize the role of parents as primarily responsible for their children’s education and be prepared to assist them in that task.
6. Be experienced in elementary, middle, and high school administration.
7. Be able to use appropriate communication skills when relating to parents, teachers, and students.
8. Be capable of making decisions and implementing them correctly.
9. Maintain adequate physical health to meet the demands of work and daily life in Azerbaijan.
10. Be willing to endure challenges and hardship.
11. Be able to apply discipline fairly and consistently in all situations.

Responsibilities of Head of School
The Head of School is responsible to provide overall direction and oversight of Caspian Academy operations. In doing so he/she should be completely familiar with and apply any reasonable interpretation to

1. the purpose and vision of CA, which, in partnership with the home, is to provide a quality education which prepares them for higher education, primarily for the children of expatriate families in Azerbaijan.
2. the Head of School Limitations Policies, which describe organizational situations and actions to be avoided.

Areas of responsibility include:
1. Academics – The Head of School is the chief academic officer and is responsible for the day to day operations of the school and to work together with the principals in
a. Providing education according to the purpose of CA
b. Developing curriculum by defining the course of study and providing the scope and sequence for each subject
c. Enhance the school’s use of information technology in all areas.
d. Annually evaluating student progress through standardized testing and school-based assessments
e. Maintaining and operating an appropriate admissions policy
f. Supervising the keeping and storage of students’ permanent records
g. Developing a guidance counseling program for secondary students
h. Providing fair and consistent discipline

The Head of School is responsible to manage the academic office, providing oversight and direction to the academic office and auxiliary staff.
2. CA culture and treatment of students and member families – The Head of School is responsible to work together with the staff in
a. Maintaining an effective student handbook
b. Working to build and maintain appropriate child safety and welfare conditions and procedures, including emergency procedures.
c. Communicating with parents via newsletters, reports, transcripts, and personal appointments as needed.
d. Encouraging appropriate family participation in CA operations and events
e. Working to build up the spiritual and social climate of CA
f. Relating to students
g. Maintaining oversight for extracurricular activities representing CA and those non-CA activities on school property

3. Business office – the Head of School is responsible to work together with the business staff in
a. Financial planning and budgeting
b. Ensuring healthy and lawful financial condition and activity
c. Providing assets protection
d. Ensuring appropriate compensations and benefits for local-hire staff
e. Clear, fair and lawful management and evaluation of local-hire staff

4. Staff – the Head of School is responsible to work together with supporting parents and staff in
a. Planning and recruiting for staff positions in a timely manner for existing
needs as well as projected needs
b. Ensuring expatriate staff have appropriate memorandums of understanding with CA and their respective agencies
c. Ensuring local staff have appropriate legal contracts and work documents
d. Providing staff orientation
e. Providing staff development training
f. Encouraging the personal and professional growth of each staff member
g. Evaluating staff performance
h. Keeping accurate personnel records, including up-to-date job descriptions.
i. Organizing and preparing regular faculty meetings

5. Development – the Head of School is responsible to work together with the board and administrative team in
a. Evaluating existing facilities, resources, and the CA environment according to stated goals and objectives.
b. Ensuring that the buildings and grounds are properly maintained
c. Defining expected needs and planning for future development.
d. Planning for ongoing funding needs of operations and development
e. Leading the school, as the school matures, in becoming accredited with an organization qualified to accredit schools in the international setting.
f. Planning a personal program of professional growth, attending professional conferences or conventions as appropriate

6. Public Relations – the Head of School is responsible to work together with the board and administrative team in
a. Working to safeguard positive and contributing relationships by CA member families’ agencies
b. Maintaining appropriate relationships with Azerbaijani officials and government departments
c. Developing and maintaining positive interactive relationships with other similar schools in Baku (i.e. – particularly in context of sports, arts, theatre)
d. Promoting the school wherever possible

7. Board Member – the Head of School is responsible to work together with the board, as a non-voting board member, in
a. All regular board business as defined by board policy or by legal charter.
b. Ensuring a Head of School succession plan and a contingency emergency plan for his/her own unplanned absence
c. Supporting board business with regular operational reports, and personnel plans, as well as maintenance of communications, reporting and evaluations as needed
d. Presenting and justifying the annual budget for discussion and approval

8. Strategic Planning – The Head of School is responsible to work together with the board to
a. Develop an appropriate strategic plan, which addresses membership needs, facilities, academics, and extracurricular activities.