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School Director Job Description

What does a School Director do?

A School Director is responsible for leading and managing all aspects of a school, such as academic programs, student discipline, budgets, hiring staff, and overseeing day-to-day operations. The School Director must ensure that the school adheres to local and national regulations, and that students receive a high-quality education. They may work closely with teachers, administrative staff, parents, and community members to create a safe, supportive and engaging learning environment. Additionally, they must be able to make difficult decisions, prioritize tasks, communicate effectively and build strong relationships with stakeholders.

Our School Director job description includes the School Director responsibilities, duties, skills, education, qualifications, and experience.

School Director Example


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If you need an example job description for a School Director download the one below, alternatively we have many other Education job description samples and a job description library with over 3000 job descriptions templates that you can download for free.

What does a School Director do?

The School Director is responsible for providing strategic leadership and vision to the school, setting the direction and managing the day-to-day operations of the school. The School Director is the key decision-maker and is accountable for the school’s overall performance, ensuring that it meets the highest standards of education and safeguarding.

The School Director will provide leadership, professional development and support to the staff, as well as ensuring that the school meets all statutory requirements. They will also set and monitor school policies and procedures, build relationships with the local community, develop partnerships with external agencies, and ensure the school is run in a financially efficient and effective manner.

The School Director will be expected to attend meetings and represent the school in the wider education sector, as well as managing the school budget, overseeing the recruitment and selection of staff, supporting the students, and taking responsibility for the school’s performance. The School Director will also be expected to be an ambassador for the school and champion its core values.

School Director Role Purpose

The purpose of a School Director is to provide leadership and strategic direction in order to ensure the school meets its educational objectives and standards, and to ensure the school is financially sound and provides a safe, secure and stimulating environment for its students and staff. The School Director is responsible for the overall management and performance of the school, including the day-to-day running of the school, the implementation of school policies, the management of staff and resources, the budgeting and financial management of the school and the engagement of parents, pupils and the community. The School Director is also responsible for the development and implementation of a school improvement plan, and for developing and maintaining positive relationships with a wide range of external organisations, including local authorities, higher education institutions, awarding bodies and other partners.

School Director Role

The School Director is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the educational programmes and activities at a school. This includes providing leadership, management, and guidance to all staff, as well as setting and achieving educational goals. The Director will also establish and maintain relationships with parents, guardians, and other stakeholders.

School Director Duties

  • Develop and implement school policies
  • Manage teaching and non-teaching staff
  • Oversee the budget and other financial matters
  • Organise school events and activities
  • Ensure the safety and wellbeing of pupils
  • Monitor and assess school performance
  • Liaise with stakeholders and the local community

School Director Requirements

  • Planning, coordinating and monitoring the work of staff and educators in the school
  • Developing and overseeing the implementation of school policies and procedures
  • Managing the school’s budget as well as other financial matters
  • Ensuring compliance with relevant legislation and regulations
  • Ensuring the maintenance and improvement of the quality of teaching and learning
  • Representing the school in the community and liaising with the local authority

School Director Skills

  • Excellent organisational and communication skills
  • Ability to lead and motivate staff
  • Good financial management
  • Strong interpersonal and diplomacy skills
  • Knowledge of education policy and legislation

School Director Personal Traits

  • Excellent leadership skills
  • Outstanding communication ability
  • Strong organisational skills
  • Ability to work collaboratively
  • Ability to motivate staff
  • Ability to think strategically

How to write a School Director Job Advert

Use our job advert template to write a job advert for posting on job sites and job boards. Our job advertising templates are carefully created to help you reach your audience and beat the competition to the best talent.

A job description informs the reader about a job, whereas a job advert’s main objective is to sell the job opportunity to attract as many suitable applicants possible. A job advert maybe the first touch-point a candidate has with your company so it is important to create a great impression.

Job Advertisements should enticing, so considering using short, exciting language which get the reader’s attention.

How to write a School Director Job Description

To write a job description, we recommend starting with a job description template from our job description library, which contains examples for 800+ positions and professions. Our job description examples include a job summary with duties and responsibilities and skills and requirements, which can be personalised for your job vacancy.

Job Description Advice - Guidance on How to Personalise a School Director Job Specification

The hiring process and recruiting new employees to fill your key roles requires a degree of personalisation if you are to attract the best employees in a competitive employment market. The right person for a crucial role or more senior roles will likely have other employers targeting them. As your job description will be the first point of contact, you need to nail your pitch and provide the best possible service.

Job Description Tips - Help on formatting a School Director Job Specification

When creating your bespoke description and advert, you should cover and promote these points:

Job title: This should accurately reflect the role and include keywords that top talent might be using to search for jobs.

Job duties: The day to day duties, such as administrative tasks, which vary depending on the company and inform the candidate if they can complete the role.

Technical skills: These are the hard skills required through training, such as proficiency with Microsoft Office.

Soft skills: These include the interpersonal skills and general abilities the right candidates will possess. For example, the competency to prioritise multiple tasks, handle customer queries and customer complaints, work alone, or build a good relationship with coworkers.

The company's culture: Highlighting your company culture and values ensures employees thrive and find outstanding job satisfaction. Candidates that are not the right fit won’t waste their time completing the application process, meaning you can focus on qualified individuals and hire in a more timely manner.

Career progression: Including the career path will entice candidates looking for career growth. 

Training and development programs: Smaller companies may need employees with previous experience or provide educational assistance over internal training offered by larger organisations with more significant resources. 

Employee benefits: Compensation and benefits often fail to appear in job ads and while you may want to hold your cards close to your chest, failing to include them is a mistake. Consider answering common questions, such as working hours and paid leave. Researching the average salary for the role in these early stages will ensure you don’t waste your interviewer’s and the candidate’s time.

Skill gaps: Your company may need to bring in new skills beyond those required to complete the key role and duties. Thinking on an organisational level can be beneficial when contemplating skills diversity.

Legal requirements: Ensure your job advert and description does not ask for inappropriate or discriminatory personal details, such as age, marital status, or religion.

How to Hire a School Director

Once you have selected your Job Description download it or convert it to a Job Advert. From here you can post/advertise your job across our network of job boards. If you wish to use the job description for a CV Template click through for advice and Convert to a CV

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