Head of Operations

Head of Operations

Senior Leadership Team Member

Application Deadline: 15 MAY 2026

Scope: Senior Leadership Team — overseeing all non-academic functions including: Front Office & Office Support, Finance, Human Resources, Advancement, Facilities, IT(non-academic operations) and First Aid Unit.

Reporting to: Head of School

Person Profile

The Head of Operations is a senior leadership role responsible for leading all non-academic functions of the school, ensuring smooth, effective operations, regulatory compliance, and a supportive environment for staff and the wider ISL Qatar community. The Head of Operations should be a caring, inspirational, adaptable, and innovative leader. They should be an outstanding motivator, administrator, and communicator with excellent interpersonal skills. A key competency is to be a collaborative team member who values collective ability over traditional hierarchies, while nurturing the professional learning and growth of all non-academic and operational staff.

The successful candidate will play a major role in the Senior Leadership Team, providing high-level strategic advisory input to the Head of School and contributing to whole-school direction. They will have a diverse range of qualities and competencies, with a proven track record of leading operational departments in complex international environments.

Qualifications.

• Master’s degree in Business and/ or Operations Management, Leadership, Finance, or a related field from a recognised international university
• 8–10 years of progressive leadership experience, preferably within an international school or comparable international environment (experience in the Middle East is an advantage)
• Fluent spoken and written English; strong ability in Arabic is a significant asset

Knowledge and Skills. He/She should:

• be aligned with the ISL Qatar values of integrity, belonging, grit, and kindness
• possess excellent communication, collaborative, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage effectively across cultures and with diverse stakeholders
• have a record of achievement in senior operational leadership, preferably with experience in the international education sector
• be able to lead, manage, and develop an expanding school and build strong team spirit across non-academic departments
• have extensive experience running one or more non-academic/operational departments including, but not limited to, Advancement, Admissions, Human Resources, Finance, Facilities, Procurement, Transportation, Canteen, IT, and Office Support in international schools, applying best practices
• have experience implementing major projects and leading collaborative change in international organisations
• be innovative and creative in applying current research on how staff learn and develop best
• demonstrate cultural sensitivity and the ability to navigate and respect diverse cultural norms and practices in an international context
• have strong crisis management skills, including the ability to develop and implement response plans and maintain operational continuity during emergencies
• demonstrate commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility, including leading initiatives that reduce the school’s environmental footprint
• have an innovative and creative approach to international leadership, based on current best practice

Responsibilities. He/She will be responsible for:

Strategic Leadership & SLT Contribution

• fostering the values, dispositions, behaviours, attitudes, and attributes of the ISL Qatar guiding statements and the IB learner profile
• serving as a core member of the Senior Leadership Team, providing strategic counsel to the Head of School on all operational planning, resource allocation, and risk mitigation
• developing, implementing, and monitoring the long-term operational strategy, ensuring resource deployment aligns with the school’s educational vision and financial sustainability objectives
• developing and articulating clear goals for all operational departments, aligned to the school’s strategic plan, and communicating these consistently to operational teams
• actively strengthening the relationship between the academic and operational sides of the school, working jointly with academic leaders to anticipate and deliver the operational support needed for the educational programme
• managing change processes effectively, leading operational teams through transitions and dealing constructively with ambiguity, ensuring continuity of service during periods of change
• designing, developing, implementing, and reviewing various administrative policies, documents, and strategic plans in conjunction with the Head of School
• ensuring alignment with the school’s strategic goals and contributing to the development of initiatives that enhance operational efficiency, resource management, and overall school growth
• driving a culture of continuous improvement, efficiency, and innovation across all support services, using data and performance indicators to benchmark service delivery
• employing effective processes for gathering, analysing, and using data to inform operational decision-making, consistent with the school's strategic goals
• identifying, analysing, and resolving operational issues using structured problem-solving approaches, ensuring a positive and productive working environment
• building an environment of trust through transparent communication about decisions, processes, and how they are made, across all operational departments
• ensuring robust governance and compliance frameworks are embedded throughout all operational departments
• contributing to Senior Leadership Team and Whole School Leadership meetings
• maintaining and ensuring confidentiality throughout all processes and communications

Staff Leadership, Learning & Development

• ensuring that purposeful professional learning and development opportunities are offered for culturally diverse non-academic staff, with varied learning needs, aligned with whole-school procedures and policies
• leading the development and implementation of professional development plans that build the proficiency, efficiency, and confidence of the administrative and operational team
• overseeing recruitment best practices for non-academic roles, including the use of structured interview protocols, consistent selection criteria, and approaches that attract high-quality candidates
• implementing staff retention strategies, including regular stay conversations with key operational staff, to understand engagement and respond proactively to retention risks
• maintaining up-to-date knowledge of best practices in recruitment, onboarding, transition, and induction, and applying these to ensure non-academic staff are well supported from day one
• creating a culture of support for new and novice administrative staff, providing opportunities for them to demonstrate their expertise and grow into leadership responsibilities
• fostering a culture of innovation and encouraged risk-taking across all non-academic teams, modelling behaviours others are encouraged to adopt
• convening regular meetings with administrative staff to ensure alignment between departments, creating learning opportunities, and fostering a sense of belonging
• holding regular termly review meetings with admin staff and leaders to evaluate the effectiveness of the administration department
• overseeing and governing the full performance management and professional growth and evaluation cycle for all non-academic operational staff and department heads, ensuring evaluations are conducted consistently, fairly, and in alignment with school-wide HR processes and timelines
• monitoring, developing, and implementing a structured evaluation framework for all non-academic operational staff, using performance data to inform professional development planning and staffing decisions
• reviewing and assessing the reporting systems for non-academic operational staff in collaboration with the Head of School, ensuring alignment with HR processes and structures.

Finance & Budgetary Oversight

• in conjunction with the Head of Finance, overseeing the budget process for administration and school operations, including ordering, maintenance, inventory, record-keeping, and advice on resources, equipment, publications, furniture, hardware, software, and facilities
• overseeing the preparation, management, and monitoring of the annual operational budget (including capital expenditure), ensuring fiscal responsibility and alignment with strategic priorities
• providing leadership and governance for procurement, contract management, and vendor relations, ensuring value for money and adherence to financial policies
• reviewing, developing, and negotiating all administrative employment and operational contracts, ensuring compliance with school policies and Qatari laws
• in conjunction with HR and Finance, overseeing, reviewing, and renewing all school insurance policies, including health and premises insurance, ensuring coverage is adequate and compliant with local regulations

Human Resources

• providing strategic oversight for the HR function, ensuring administrative processes are efficient, compliant with Qatari Labour Law, and support the overall staffing needs of the school
• ensuring HR policies and procedures support a professional, ethical, and compliant working environment, liaising with regulatory bodies as required
• ensuring the human resources and administration sections of the school handbooks are kept current

Admissions, Advancement & Marketing

• providing executive leadership to the Admissions team, ensuring streamlined, compliant, and efficient student enrolment, transfer, and withdrawal processes
• collaborating strategically with the Marketing and Advancement functions to ensure strong operational delivery enhances the school’s reputation and supports enrolment and community goals
• ensuring operational readiness — facilities, staffing support — for all marketing events, school tours, and official publications.

Facilities, Safety, Security, Canteen & First Aid Unit

• leading the strategic management and maintenance of all school premises, grounds, infrastructure, and assets through the Head of Facilities, who reports directly to the Head of Operations and holds day-to-day operational accountability for these areas
• establishing, monitoring, and enforcing comprehensive Health, Safety, and Security policies and protocols, ensuring strict adherence to Qatari safety standards, emergency preparedness, and business continuity planning
• governing the school cafeteria/canteen operation through the Head of Facilities; the Head of Operations sets standards, monitors compliance, and holds strategic accountability, while day-to-day management of canteen is the direct responsibility of the Head of Facilities
• governing the School First Aid Unit, holding overall accountability for its compliance with public health regulations, appropriate staffing levels, medical inventory management, and the timely delivery of high-quality care to students and staff; operational oversight of the first aid unit sits within the Head of Operations’ direct line of responsibility.

IT & Systems

• overseeing the IT department to ensure that the school’s digital infrastructure (non- academic), systems, and tools support operational efficiency, data security, and the wider educational programme
• using technology effectively for administrative and operational tasks, ensuring digital tools are appropriately adopted across non-academic departments to enhance efficiency and accountability
• collaborating with the Director of Learning, Analytics and Innovation to ensure operational professional learning is comprehensive, data-informed, and enhances the efficiency of school operations
• maintaining an ongoing and productive connection between administration and faculty, ensuring operational decisions are clearly communicated and faculty needs are factored into operational planning
• fostering collective efficacy and shared accountability among administrative staff, building a team culture where operational outcomes are owned collectively and improvements are pursued together
• exploring relevant standards and benchmarks, locally and internationally, to introduce best practices into the school’s operational context.

Liaison with Qatar Government Authorities

• supervising the operational liaisons of the relevant Qatar Government Authorities, including the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MOEHE)
• ensuring the timely submission, renewal, and maintenance of all necessary operational licences, permits, and regulatory documentation required for the school to function legally
• overseeing communications and negotiations with governmental departments regarding operational compliance, inspections, and official directives

Family, Community & Stakeholder Engagement

• overseeing the efficiency and professionalism of Front Office operations, ensuring it functions as a high-quality first point of contact for all incoming inquiries
• disseminating information to parents and stakeholders in a timely manner through multiple communication channels, maintaining open and accessible lines of communication at all times
• communicating a positive image of the school, acting as a proud ambassador for ISL Qatar in all professional interactions, and speaking positively about students, colleagues, parents, and the wider ISL Qatar community
• showing sensitivity, cultural competency, respect, care, and warmth in all communications with parents and community members, modelling strong human relations skills
• managing the process for non-academic coordination with parents, ensuring clarity, responsiveness, and professionalism in addressing inquiries related to billing, facility usage, transportation, and general administrative support
• understanding, promoting, and developing the interrelationship between school operations and community programmes, ensuring operational decisions support school-wide community goals

Key Competencies.

• Strategic Acumen: ability to translate the school’s vision into executable, measurable operational plans
• Financial Stewardship: proven track record of prudent financial planning, budget management, and cost optimisation
• Regulatory Expertise: deep understanding of organisational compliance, risk management, and contingency planning within a Qatari context
• Leadership & Influence: capacity to lead, mentor, and hold accountable diverse departmental managers across the SLT
• Communication & Diplomacy: superior interpersonal skills for effective negotiation with government entities, transparent reporting to the Head of School, and professional engagement with parents and the wider community
• Cultural Sensitivity: ability to navigate and respect diverse cultural norms within an international school environment
• Crisis Management: demonstrated ability to lead operational response during emergencies and maintain continuity
• Integrity & Professionalism: unwavering commitment to ethical standards and confidentiality across sensitive operational areas

Children Safeguarding and Welfare

ISL Qatar is fully committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, with zero tolerance for any breaches of safeguarding standards. All applicants and new staff must undergo child protection screening, including employment references, prohibition from teaching checks, and a criminal records check (DBS or equivalent certificate from the applicant’s country of residence).

All staff are required to actively support the school’s child protection and safeguarding commitments by complying with relevant policies, promoting student welfare, and promptly reporting concerns to the Designated Safeguarding Lead(s).

Additional Information

Education is an ever-changing field, and all staff are expected to participate positively in school activities and adopt a flexible approach to their work. The areas of responsibility outlined in this job description are not necessarily a comprehensive definition of the post or an exhaustive list of all duties performed. Other duties of an appropriate level and nature may also be required, as directed by the Line Manager.