1. CONTEXT AND AMBITION: A FOUNDING ROLE

Polaris School aims to become a center of academic excellence in Rwanda and the region. It distinguishes itself as the only school to offer the full International Baccalaureate (IB) continuum in French, paving the way for elite French-English bilingualism and the holistic development of the student. As a candidate school, it integrates the IB philosophy and standards at all levels of education: the Primary Years Programme (PYP), the Middle Years Programme (MYP), and the Diploma Programme (DP).

As Director, you will play a key role in building the school. You will be the architect of the school's culture, formalizing its policies, recruiting top-level teams, and all of this in accordance with IB standards.

2. YOUR FIVE STRATEGIC DIMENSIONS

• Reporting to the Board of Directors, you will manage the institution and assume responsibility for the educational, human, financial and operational performance of the school, based on 5 pillars:
• International educational leadership: Establishing a culture of excellence inspired by IB best practices.
• Maintaining IB standards: Structuring the institution to meet the operational and educational requirements of the IB.
• Governance and transparency: Deploy clear, transparent and accountable administrative procedures.
• Financial management: Ensuring the viability of the business model and optimizing investments.
• Institutional influence: Position Polaris as a modern, attractive, French-speaking international school for families and talented individuals.

3. MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

A. Pedagogical Excellence and IB Culture

• To promote the educational vision, to guide the curricula and to guarantee the vertical and horizontal coherence of the programs between the cycles.
• Instill the IB learner profile (integrity, curiosity, reflection, international sensitivity) throughout the educational community.
• Managing the IB authorization roadmap: gap diagnosis, ongoing staff training, preparation for external visits and updating key policies (language, assessment, inclusion, academic integrity, admissions).
• Implement a rigorous system for monitoring learning (formative assessment, differentiation, feedback, remediation) focused on the fundamental knowledge and skills of the IB program;
• Mastery of the standards and practices of IB programs (PP, PEI, DP) is an asset.

B. Academic excellence and monitoring of learning

• In collaboration with the academic coordinators, the Director will ensure a high level of academic quality. He/She will be responsible for:
• Implement a rigorous system for monitoring learning and results;
• Promote a balanced approach between fundamental knowledge, digital skills, soft skills, ethics, creativity and civic engagement.

C. Child Protection, Welfare and Inclusion

• To guarantee a safe, inclusive, respectful and caring environment, in accordance with the highest international standards.
• Deploy a robust policy for child protection (safeguarding) and management of sensitive situations.
• Strengthen IB inclusion mechanisms, support for students with special needs and those needing socio-emotional support.

D. Human Resources Management and Intercultural Management

• Recruiting, uniting and evaluating a multicultural team (local and international teachers).
• Structuring HR policy (recruitment, continuing education, mentoring, classroom observation).
• Supporting the expatriation and integration of talent in Kigali to ensure their stability and loyalty.

E. Financial Management, Operations and Governance

• Develop, execute and monitor the annual budget while ensuring transparent financial reporting to the Audit Committee which reports to the Board of Directors;
• Prepare regular reports to the Board of Directors;
• Protect the reputation, credibility and image of the establishment;
• Supervise the infrastructure (classrooms, laboratories, sports areas) and ensure daily safety (emergency plans, canteen, transport).
• Maintain the register of institutional risks (legal, financial, reputational) and ensure legal and tax compliance in Rwanda.

F. Family Relations and the Influence of Bilingualism

• To promote the value of an excellent French and bilingual curriculum to local and international communities.
• Guarantee a high-level customer experience (smooth admission process, regular and transparent bilingual communication).
• Represent the institution to authorities, academic partners and international networks.

4. DESIRED PROFILE

Training

• Degree: Master's (Bac+5) in educational administration, management, finance, educational sciences, school leadership, public administration or related field.
• Key strengths: Specific training in school management, IB certifications, or executive training in leadership and child protection.

Professional experience

• Minimum 10 years of experience in the field of education.
• Proven experience in school management or leadership roles (Head of school, Principal, Academic Director...) covering several cycles.
• Proven experience in an international, bilingual school environment or within the IB network.
• Experience in conducting approval/accreditation processes and in managing multicultural teams.
• Experience in budgetary, administrative and operational management of a school.

Key Skills & Qualities

• Leadership & Management: Inspiring posture, managerial courage, diplomacy, resilience and a strong sense of accountability.
• Management: Budgetary control, strategic planning and a results-oriented, data-driven culture.
• Communication: Perfect bilingualism in French/English (written and spoken), ease in negotiations and public presentations.
• Ethics: Total integrity, humility, natural authority and deep respect for cultural diversity.

5. PERFORMANCE INDEX: YOUR ROADMAPS

• The first 100 days: Completion of the full diagnosis (pedagogical, HR, financial); presentation of the prioritized roadmap to the Board of Directors; clarification of the organizational chart and decision-making processes, schedule of IB authorizations; Identification of urgent risks and corrective measures.
• During the first 12 months: Updating priority school policies; preparing for accreditation visits for the PYP and IB; structuring the IB training plan; stabilizing teams and improving the family experience;
• During the first 24 months: Consolidation of the operational model; financial sustainability and anchoring of the culture of continuous performance.

6. CONDITIONS AND BENEFITS

Contract: Fixed-term contract of one year (CDD), renewable, with a probationary period.

Remuneration: Competitive, set according to profile, experience and expertise acquired in the IB system or equivalent.

The expatriation/installation package may include: Monthly salary, medical insurance, accommodation provided by the school, communication costs, annual airfare.

• To promote the educational vision, to guide the curricula and to guarantee the vertical and horizontal coherence of the programs between the cycles.
• Instill the IB learner profile (integrity, curiosity, reflection, international sensitivity) throughout the educational community.
• Managing the IB authorization roadmap: gap diagnosis, ongoing staff training, preparation for external visits and updating key policies (language, assessment, inclusion, academic integrity, admissions).
• Implement a rigorous system for monitoring learning (formative assessment, differentiation, feedback, remediation) focused on the fundamental knowledge and skills of the IB program.
• Ensure a high level of academic quality.
• Implement a rigorous system for monitoring learning and results.
• Promote a balanced approach between fundamental knowledge, digital skills, soft skills, ethics, creativity and civic engagement.
• Guarantee a safe, inclusive, respectful and caring environment, in accordance with the highest international standards.
• Deploy a robust policy for child protection (safeguarding) and management of sensitive situations.
• Strengthen IB inclusion mechanisms, support for students with special needs and those needing socio-emotional support.
• Recruiting, uniting and evaluating a multicultural team (local and international teachers).
• Structuring HR policy (recruitment, continuing education, mentoring, classroom observation).
• Supporting the expatriation and integration of talent in Kigali to ensure their stability and loyalty.
• Develop, execute and monitor the annual budget while ensuring transparent financial reporting to the Audit Committee which reports to the Board of Directors.
• Prepare regular reports to the Board of Directors.
• Protect the reputation, credibility and image of the establishment.
• Supervise the infrastructure (classrooms, laboratories, sports areas) and ensure daily safety (emergency plans, canteen, transport).
• Maintain the register of institutional risks (legal, financial, reputational) and ensure legal and tax compliance in Rwanda.
• Promote the value of an excellent French and bilingual curriculum to local and international communities.
• Guarantee a high-level customer experience (smooth admission process, regular and transparent bilingual communication).
• Represent the institution to authorities, academic partners and international networks.

• Inspiring posture
• Managerial courage
• Diplomacy
• Resilience
• Strong sense of accountability
• Budgetary control
• Strategic planning
• Results-oriented, data-driven culture
• Perfect bilingualism in French/English (written and spoken)
• Ease in negotiations and public presentations
• Total integrity
• Humility
• Natural authority
• Deep respect for cultural diversity
• Mastery of the standards and practices of IB programs (PP, PEI, DP) is an asset.

• Master's (Bac+5) in educational administration, management, finance, educational sciences, school leadership, public administration or related field.
• Specific training in school management, IB certifications, or executive training in leadership and child protection.
• Minimum 10 years of experience in the field of education.
• Proven experience in school management or leadership roles (Head of school, Principal, Academic Director...) covering several cycles.
• Proven experience in an international, bilingual school environment or within the IB network.
• Experience in conducting approval/accreditation processes and in managing multicultural teams.
• Experience in budgetary, administrative and operational management of a school.