Responsible to (Post Title):  Chair of the Board of Governors 

Accountable to: Board of Governors

PRINCIPAL JOB PURPOSE

The Principal will:

•    Lead the Institute to develop a 5 year Strategic Plan to include the merging of St Janani Luwum Training Centre and the Women’s Development Centre Gulu with the Institute and deliver on the vision, mission and strategic and operational objectives set out in the Strategic Plan. 

•    Lead the Institute in the delivery of the highest standards of learning, teaching and practical experience in formal and informal courses to meet the needs and aspirations of students and partners in line with Uganda Government vocational and skills training policies and ensure that students, where appropriate, are adequately prepared, registered and presented for the national examinations in accordance with relevant regulations.

•    Lead the Institute in its development aims as a high performing organisation recognised for excellence and integrity by employers and stakeholders, underpinned by a culture of continuous improvement supporting inclusive, economic growth for Gulu and other northern Uganda communities.

•    Provide strong and participative leadership as Accountable Officer in all aspects of corporate management and governance of the Institute, to ensure the maintenance of the financial security, integrity and overall sustainability of the organisation. 

•    Position the Institute strategically to be a leader in the digital age and at the forefront of technological innovation in learning and skills in Uganda.

•     Lead, by example, in the continuing development of the Institute’s culture and Christian ethos where positive attitudes and exemplary behaviours, aligned with the values of openness, honesty and respect, inspire staff and students and enable them to thrive in an inclusive environment.

•    Be an outstanding ambassador for the Institute at all times, ensuring that the organisation’s reputation is safe-guarded and its interests are represented.

•    Be a champion for the education of girls and women. 

JOB DIMENSIONS & CONTROL OF RESOURCES

The Principal role is of key significance and importance to the delivery of the Institute’s strategic and operational objectives, providing leadership for staff and students.

The Principal is the Accounting Officer for the Institute and is responsible for ensuring the planning, monitoring, scrutiny and reporting functions for the Institute’s budget and finances.

The Principal will have responsibility for setting up of an Executive Management Team and for line management for the members of the Team.   

The Principal will be responsible for the good management, development and maintenance of the Institute’s campus and physical facilities

MAIN DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Leadership

•    Enable a participative model of executive leadership to establish a vision for the Institute’s future and its sustainability and support the Chair and Board of Governors to develop and deliver the strategic aims for the Institute through putting students at the heart of every action.

•    Working with the Chair, provide executive level input as the Institute’s representative across the vocational education and training sector,

•    Provide the vision and leadership to ensure the Institute has a constant focus on widening access to the highest quality of learning and teaching and skills development opportunities which meet the needs of students, employers, partners and stakeholders.

•     Build positive strategic relationships and alliances, enhancing partnerships and develop stakeholder commitments while working to raise the profile of the Institute.       

•    Lead and enable a culture of continuous improvement and innovation across all aspects of the Institute’s performance, ensuring the Institute is focused on the efficient and effective achievement of the most successful outcomes for students, communities and stakeholders.

•     Promote an entrepreneurial and dynamic culture across the Institute which enables staff to respond to opportunities, influence policy making and contribute at the forefront of strategies and initiatives.

•    Provide leadership to ensure that the Executive team are visible to staff and students and are committed to open, honest and meaningful two-way communication across the organisation.

•    Provide leadership for change and continuing organisational development to inspire, motivate and empower staff to put forward ideas and adapt to changing circumstances across the sector, underpinned by the Institute’s core values.

•     Promote a culture of respect for female staff and students and ensure a safe and secure working and learning environment for women staff and students.

•     At all times, be an outstanding ambassador for the Institute in Uganda and abroad, developing, promoting and protecting the Institute’s Christian ethos and brand, both internally and externally.

Governance and Management

•     Provide leadership to ensure robust governance arrangements in all aspects of the Institute’s business, to enable efficient and effective management in order to maintain full compliance with legal, statutory and regulatory requirements.

•     Effectively discharge the ex officio role of the Principal as a member of the Board of Governors, establishing and maintaining participative and effective working relationships with all Board Members, implementing Board decisions and ensuring sound monitoring and reporting of all key matters which could impact on the Institute’s reputation, governance arrangements and strategic aims.

•     Lead the continuing development of highly effective relationships and alliances with key stakeholders, partners and the Institute’s communities, including the Uganda Government, Gulu and other neighbouring local authorities, public sector agencies, the private sector and not-forprofit organisations and to enable the strategic aims and ambitions of the Institute.

•     Provide assurance, working within the context of the principles of good financial management and the Institute’s Financial Regulations that all funds are managed and deployed appropriately, resources are used effectively, and the terms and conditions of the funding bodies are met.

•     Lead a culture which champions the development of the highest quality of participative leadership and effective management across the organisation, aligned at all times to the Institute’s values.

•    Provide leadership to develop the talent, skills and potential of all employees through appropriate policies and processes within a culture of positive challenge, engagement and support. 

•     Provide leadership to ensure that effective systems operate throughout the Institute to support the efficient management of financial resources, performance, risk management, health, safety and wellbeing of staff, students and visitors, data protection, business continuity, safeguarding and all aspects of necessary and required legislation and compliance. 

Learning, Teaching and Student Experience

•    Develop the curriculum and identify the human and physical resources required to implement and the formal and informal courses to be delivered as agreed by the Board of Governors for Phase 1 of the Institute’s development.

•     Promote a culture of continuous quality improvement and enhancement in the delivery of a curriculum that is innovative, inspiring and digitally enabled which prepares students to achieve and progress, consistent with the Uganda Government’s education and life-long learning strategies and based on the business, economic and social needs of the northern Uganda region.

•     Ensure that a Curriculum Delivery Plan is developed following wide and meaningful consultation with staff, students, employers and stakeholders to ensure that it is fit for purpose and meets the changing needs of students, employers and all other relevant external organisations. 

•     Provide leadership to ensure the highest-quality student experience is delivered and the student voice is heard across the Institute through strong engagement and via close working relationships with the student representatives.

•     Provide leadership to ensure that the Institute has a culture that empowers students to be proactive participants in their learning and encourages trust to enable honest and meaningful student feedback to support quality improvement and enhancement.

•      Provide leadership to ensure that the learning and social environment for all students aims to be sector leading and of the highest possible standards and ensure that the pastoral needs of students and staff are adequately provided for within the Institute’s Christian ethos.

•      Ensure that equality and the development of life, leadership, ICT and entrepreneurial skills are embedded in the curriculum.

People and Culture

•      Develop a Workforce Plan and deliver the effective management and development of the workforce over the next 5 years taking account of the requirements for the planned delivery of the curriculum and the achievement of strategic and operational objectives and the requirements for additional training of the existing staff at the St Janani Luwum Training Centre and Women’s Development Centre.

•      Lead and promote a culture across the whole organisation to motivate, engage, reward and inspire all members of staff to deliver their highest level of performance and to provide an overall working environment, in which they will participate effectively, thrive and develop.

Partnerships and External Relationships

•      Lead the ongoing development of sector-leading relationships with employers and industry partners, enabling the Institute to deliver relevant work experience for the students and a wideranging and innovative service to employers and businesses.

•      Lead and contribute to activities outside the Institute including external committees and bodies at local, regional and national levels to enhance the reach, brand, reputation and influence of the Institute, ensuring that its best interests are represented and safeguarded.

•     Provide leadership for the development of community relationships in Gulu and across northern Uganda, establishing the Institute as a critical asset, providing high quality learning and skills provision and embedding its position appropriately and visibly.

COMMUNICATIONS (Internal & External)

The Principal will communicate at an executive and strategic level using a variety of methods with key external stakeholders including the statutory and regulatory authorities. There will also be communication with elected members of local authorities, MPs and their constituency offices and local leaders of the business community.

The Principal, on a regular basis, will also be in touch with a range of key stakeholders and partners in Uganda and abroad and, in particular, with the Diocese of Northern Uganda, Fields of Life East Africa, Fields of Life Trust and South Eastern Regional College Northern Ireland.  This may include regular attendance at the Fields of Life office in Kampala as and when required.

Internal strategic and operational communication using a variety of methods will take place regularly with the Executive and Senior Management teams, all staff and students.

A variety of communication methods will be used with the Chair, Board Secretary and Board of Governors.

ASSIGNMENT AND REVIEW OF WORK

The Principal will work with the Chair and Board of Governors to determine the key priorities for the

Institute.  

On a daily and ongoing basis, the post-holder will function with the highest degree of autonomy and independence and will have the necessary professional discretion to prioritise and determine workload.

The Principal will process, agree annual objectives with the Chair of the Board of Management relating to the Institute’s Strategic Plan and the agreed outcomes. 

These will be reviewed informally on an ongoing basis and formally at six and 12 month periods.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, EXPERIENCE AND QUALITIES

Education and Professional Qualifications

•        Educated to degree level or equivalent

•       Post graduate academic or professional management qualification or membership of a professional or technical association

•       Evidence of Continuing Professional Development in the BTVET sector

•     10 years’ experience of working in the BTVET sector, 3 of which shall have been at senior management level

Knowledge      

The post-holder will have extensive/demonstrable knowledge of:

•      Working with a Board of Management

•     Complex issues involved in the establishment of a new institute and developing the strategic and business plan

•      Developing a strong organisational brand

•      Uganda Government Education policy, the Skilling Uganda BTVET Strategic Plan 2011-2020 and the policies and strategic direction of other appropriate agencies

In addition, it is desirable on appointment that the post-holder will have knowledge of:                            

•      Current developments in the BTVET sector in Uganda

•     Governance arrangements in relation to BTVET in Uganda, including policy developments and funding arrangements

•     Curriculum development and innovation

Core Skills and Competencies

The post-holder will have:

•       The ability to translate a vision for the Institute into strategic objectives, and to implement these into measurable performance outcomes

•       Strong financial acumen and the ability and knowhow to control finances and budgets in a challenging financial environment

•       Strong, proven leadership skills, with the ability to develop and maintain effective internal working relationships with staff and externally with key partners and stakeholders 

•        A strategic business acumen, the ability to influence others and to identify opportunities and solve difficulties 

•         Proven ability to use and incorporate ICT and a digital environment in the work of the Institute  

•         The ability to motivate and gain commitment to objectives and develop the Institute and its staff through the management of change 

•        Ability to lead and deploy people and all other available resources efficiently and effectively to achieve objectives within an environment of change and competing priorities

•       Excellent communication, negotiation and strong interpersonal skills with the ability to motivate a diverse range of people

•     Ability to apply and embrace creativity and innovation and entrepreneurship to develop business opportunities and income generation for the sustainability of the Institute 

Professional Experience

The post-holder will have extensive senior/strategic experience in:

•      Working with members of a Board of Management

•     Relationship development and management with senior staff in key stakeholder organisations including government, public and private organisations

•           Business and financial management, including budgeting, risk management, governance and compliance

•       Transformational change, including significant engagement with staff to achieve a shift in culture and working and learning environment

•       Shaping and influencing the strategic agenda of the Institute at a local and national level

•      Leading complex tasks and projects through to a successful conclusion within timescales set

Qualities

•      The ability on an ongoing basis to demonstrate through work and interactions, the Institute’s values - open and honest, supportive and respectful – and to have a high degree of personal integrity

•      Putting the students first and at the centre of decision making

•      The ability to be an ambassador for the Institute and to establish credibility with key stakeholders • As this position is to lead an institution founded by Diocese of Northern Uganda and Fields of Life which is established and required to operate within a Christian ethos, it is essential that the applicant can demonstrate that he or she is a committed Christian and can subscribe to and develop the Institute’s Christian ethos.

SALARY:  An attractive salary and benefits package commensurate with experience will be available. This will include provision of a Principal’s dwelling house at the Institute campus in Gulu.

START DATE: 1st February 2019 or as soon as possible thereafter.