Dean of Student Affairs and Administration

Organization Background:

Village Health Works (VHW) is a 501(c)(3) corporation. It is a social justice organization founded on the belief that healthcare and education equity are human rights, not commodities. Founded in partnership with the communities we currently serve, VHW’s mission is to provide those who need it most with high quality, compassionate health care and education based on critical thinking in a dignified environment. VHW’s holistic approach integrates clinical services with education, food security, economic development, environmental protection, music and the arts. In the context of where we currently work, this is the only way we can sustainably end the extreme, multigenerational scarcity in a way that uplifts and engages communities with dignity and in their own context. We believe that the lack of access to quality healthcare and education is the biggest threat to development and world peace.

VHW established Kigutu International Academy, a grade 9-12 boarding school to equip young minds with an education based on critical thinking to prepare them to become the leaders we wish their country and the continent to have for a better future. KIA’s mission is to educate a new generation of ethical and entrepreneurial young leaders in Burundi.

The students are at the core of their own transformative education at KIA. The school recruits, identifies, and selects the most promising students throughout all of Burundi. Those selected have demonstrated not only success academically but have also shown leadership and commitment to improving their schools and their communities. KIA brings together this cohort of students from a diverse range of backgrounds for a powerful educational and leadership journey over four years. Competencies and skills such as critical thinking and character development are intentionally folded into a sustained high level of academic achievement. KIA helps these young students to reinvent what is possible in a progressive and intentional sequence throughout their four years of secondary school and their further careers.

One of KIA’s missions is to serve as a model school to help reinforce and enrich the Burundian educational system. In doing so it also prepares the KIA graduates for success in universities within the East African community, within Africa, and internationally.

Our core values are as follows:

• Every member of VHW’s team must value the dignity inherent in each individual, aspire to excellence in all we do, proceed with boldness and perseverance.
• Compassion and justice must be at the heart of our organization.
• To accomplish the mission of our organization we all must be accountable to each other and to our community.

At KIA, all staff members will work to ensure that the learners (students) are provided with a safe environment of learning to enable students to flourish academically, physically, and emotionally.

For more information, please visit: kigutuinternationalacademy.org

Position Overview

The Dean of Student Affairs and Administration is accountable for the wellbeing of all students and efficient execution of school operations. The Dean of Student Affairs and Administration will cultivate vibrant student life across all aspects of the overall high school experience for students, fostering a healthy, constructive community, helping students achieve their goals, and building a joyful, constructive campus ethos. The Dean of Student Affairs and Administration will lead student services, management, strategic direction, and oversight of all student residential life services. Additionally, the Dean of Student Affairs and Administration will ensure the smooth functioning of the school, coordinating logistical, operational, and general administrative management matters, including human resources.

Qualifications

• A minimum of a bachelor’s degree in education, youth development, public administration, or a related field.
• 10 years minimum of professional experience working with adolescent youth, preferably in both administrative and student-facing positions.
• Deep knowledge and professional experience and understanding of adolescent development.
• Proven administrative management experience, ability to be a mentor and a team player with respect and professionalism.
• Excellent communication skills in both English and French, fluent in Kirundi a plus.
• Outstanding leadership skills, self-motivated and able to meet deadlines.
• Ability to balance multiple tasks, deadlines, and responsibilities, and a willingness to learn.
• Dynamic, creative, and energetic individual who will bring these characteristics to leading a team and working with students.
• Strong interpersonal skills alongside a commitment to and appreciation for diversity and working in a multicultural environment with respect for everyone’s cultural background.
• Professional and caring demeanor.
• Passion for pushing creative young minds to think resourcefully, critically, and ethically.
• Commitment to VHW and KIA’s mission and values.

Duties and Responsibilities

This position has two main responsibilities: overseeing student life and managing effective functioning of the school administration.

Student Affairs

The Dean of Student Affairs and Administration is a senior member of the school’s management team. S/he will be responsible for ensuring quality of boarding life at KIA, overseeing six dormitory areas. S/he should be accessible and responsive to students’ concerns and should be engaged with student leaders to maintain a consistent awareness of students’ quality of life and needs. S/he will manage a team of support staff to ensure this. Specific responsibilities include:

1. Managing and working with dorm supervisors, functioning together as a team that ensures the KIA living environment is healthy and conducive to academic, physical, social, and emotional wellbeing, including:
   1. Ensuring sufficient maintenance of living spaces and provision of necessary materials;
   2. Encouraging positive student relationships and cohesion in dormitory life;
2. Managing support staff including the hygiene and kitchen teams, ensuring that:
   1. The KIA campus is hygienic, well-cleaned, stocked, and maintained;
   2. Nutritious, filling meals are served on time;
   3. All support staff work in a safe, comfortable working environment.
3. Overseeing and managing student extracurriculars and initiatives:
   1. Serving as staff advisor and contributing to the growth of KIA’s extracurricular student activities, including but not limited to the Student Council;
   2. Ensuring student initiatives have the necessary resources and support to thrive;
   3. Overseeing all campus-wide events and programs, including orientation, assemblies, and celebrations;
   4. Generally encouraging student leadership in all aspects of life at KIA.
4. Overseeing student discipline in a manner that is restorative instead of punitive and fosters growth, including:
   1. Creating an environment that encourages and praises positive student behavior, through workshops, assemblies, and other initiatives;
   2. Encourage students’ knowledge of and adherence to the Code of Conduct;
   3. Mediating and resolving student conflicts;
   4. Respond to breaches of the Code of Conduct, alongside school staff and administration.
5. Responding to student issues and concerns:
   1. Proactively seeking student feedback;
   2. Professionally responding and implementing solutions to address student concerns;
   3. Ad hoc responses to unforeseen or emergency situations affecting students’ wellbeing.
6. Tracking and responding to individual student needs and issues, including issues with attendance, physical and mental health, and conflicts.
7. Working with the VHW clinical team managers to coordinate student access to mental and physical health services and wellbeing workshops.
8. Fostering an environment that promotes and celebrates the five core values of KIA: service, compassion, ethics, resilience, and ethics.
9. Communicating frequently and proactively with stakeholders, including students, staff, teachers, administration, and parents.
10. Performing general duties as a member of the KIA management team and the rest of the staff, including student supervision and relevant administrative tasks.
11. Performing other duties as needed.

Administration

The Dean of Student Affairs and Administration will be responsible for overseeing the regular and efficient functioning of the school. Specific responsibilities include:

1. Developing, implementing, and ensuring adherence to policies that ensure the effective, ethical, and consistent operations of the school and enable all staff to meet their performance targets and objectives.
2. Establishing and maintaining a positive working relationship with all KIA staff members and serving as a human resources officer for the school, including:
   1. Supporting and responding to staff needs, concerns, and issues;
   2. Supporting efficient and effective hiring processes for the school;
   3. Serving as a liaison between staff and administration;
   4. Co-leading regular staff meetings to ensure communication and collaboration;
   5. Liaising with the VHW Human Resources department as needed.
3. Supporting the timely collection, preparation, and communication of thorough and accurate data and reports, including:
   1. Student progress reports and transcripts;
   2. Academic performance reports;
   3. Operations and performance reports;
   4. Reports on specific activities and initiatives;
   5. Working with the VHW Monitoring and Evaluation department.
4. Working alongside the VHW Finance department in matters related to KIA finances, including:
   1. Ensuring timely communication regarding and collection of school fees;
   2. Supporting the development of the budget;
   3. Developing financial reports and maintaining clear records.
5. Working with the VHW Procurement department to ensure that staff and students have access to all needed materials to support school activities in a timely manner, in accordance with the school budget.
6. Working with the VHW Operations department to oversee school facilities, including maintenance.
7. Managing the KIA admissions process administration as well as administration of other projects and initiatives, including managing record collection, communications, and creation of and adherence to policies.
8. Performing other duties as needed.