Lead the People strategy for a fast-growing international school, aligning culture, capability, and capacity with the school's mission, values, and growth plans. Build high-performing, values-driven teams through safer recruitment, great onboarding, fair policies, meaningful development, and data-led decision making. Champion school values and design recognition, inclusion, and wellbeing initiatives.
Key Highlights
Technical Skills Required
Benefits & Perks
Job Description
Role Purpose
Lead the People strategy for a fast-growing international school, aligning culture, capability, and capacity with the school’s mission, values, and growth plans. Build high-performing, values-driven teams through safer recruitment, great onboarding, fair policies, meaningful development, and data-led decision making.
Key Responsibilities
People Strategy & Leadership
- Own the People strategy aligned to mission, values, and growth (incl. programme launches and boarding).
- Advise the Head of School/Leadership Team on workforce planning, organisation design, and change management.
- Lead annual headcount planning with Principals and department leads.
Talent Acquisition & Safer Recruitment
- Oversee Safer Recruitment: role design, adverts, screening, structured interviews, child-protection checks, references, offers, relocations/visas.
- Maintain an international talent pipeline and the Employee Referral Programme.
Onboarding, Induction & Retention
- Design and deliver a consistent onboarding journey (pre-arrival to term-end check-ins), including relocation support.
- Coordinate induction weeks, mentor/buddy schemes, and probation reviews.
- Monitor retention risks; conduct stay/exit interviews and drive follow-up actions.
Culture, Engagement & Wellbeing
- Champion school values; design recognition, inclusion, and wellbeing initiatives.
- Oversee engagement surveys and action plans development.
- Support restorative practices and positive staff relations across campuses/programmes.
- Oversee issuing a weekly Employees’ Newsletter with team updates, policy notes, and essential information.
Performance & Development
- Own the performance framework: goal-setting, observations/feedback, reviews, and improvement plans.
- Build the Professional Development calendar & policy (IB/Waldorf/Montessori/leadership), track participation and impact.
- Lead succession planning for critical posts; run talent reviews with the leadership team.
Employee Relations, Policies & Compliance
- Handle ER matters promptly and fairly (informal resolution → formal processes).
- Partner with Safeguarding Leads to ensure Safer Recruitment, mandatory training, and reporting protocols.
- Own People policies (time off, conduct, grievance, whistleblowing, pay) and version control.
- Ensure compliance with Cyprus labour law, Ministry of Education requirements, visas/migration, GDPR, and accreditation expectations (CIS/BSA/IB, as relevant).
- Manage investigations and liaise with legal counsel when required.
Compensation, Benefits & Time Off
- Benchmark roles; recommend annual pay/allowance adjustments to Finance/CEO.
- Plan and oversee benefits (health/life insurance, other) and vendor tenders.
- Govern time-off rules and workflows (BambooHR), approvals, and payroll cut-off alignment.
Data, Systems & Continuous Improvement
- Own HRIS (BambooHR) data accuracy, workflows, and access rights.
- Produce monthly dashboards (headcount, vacancies, time-to-hire, absence, ER cases, PD hours, retention/turnover).
- Drive process automation and continuous improvement across all People operations.
Partnership & Communication
- Be a visible “go-to” partner for Principals, Faculty Leads, and Operations; provide clear, timely staff communications.
Candidate Profile
Qualifications & Experience
- Degree in HR/Business/Education (master’s preferred) and recognised HR qualification an advantage.
- 7+ years in progressive HR roles, incl. leadership; experience in international/education settings preferred.
- Demonstrated success with recruitment, ER, policy governance, and HRIS (BambooHR desirable).
- English B2+
Skills & Attributes
- Strategic, hands-on leader; excellent judgement and integrity.
- Strong stakeholder management; clear written and verbal communication.
- Data-literate; comfortable with dashboards and evidence-based decisions.
- Inclusive, values-driven, and solution-focused; able to navigate growth and change.
Recruitment Process
- Screening interview with HR
- Interview with the Head of School
- Interview with CEO & Finance Director