Position Objective
Reporting to the Managing Director - Operations, the Head of Community Engagement is responsible for providing an exceptional community and customer experience that drives retention of students and increased advocacy of the school. The position is the link between the school and the community where we build trust, support, and open dialogue between community members and the school.
The Head of Community Engagement shares our company’s vision & objective while providing customer service excellence for the community.
They will provide a platform to ‘delight’ our school community through exceptional customer engagement and experience through efficient processes and diverse opportunities to continue to promote advocacy for the school.
Responsibilities
The job holder’s responsibility for promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children and young person’s for whom they are responsible, or with whom they come into contact will be to adhered to and ensure compliance with the relevant Cognita Safeguarding; Child Protection Policy and Procedures at all times. If in the course of carrying out the duties of the role, the job holder identifies any instance that a child is suffering or likely to suffer significant harm either at school or at home, they must report any concerns to the School’s Designated Safeguarding Lead or to the Head or indeed to the Cognita Regional Safeguarding Manager so that a referral can be made accordingly to the relevant third party services.
Retention and Parent Satisfaction
- Design and facilitate a strategic plan to help increase retention within school through greater community engagement and reduce withdrawals.
- Design and facilitate initiatives that develop and foster relationships within our parent community and deliver parent satisfaction at its maximum, ensuring excellence in delivering best customer experience to our students and their families.
- Engage the academic teams in retention initiatives.
- Build and maintain relationships with PTA and the country ambassadors to meet cultural and community needs. Provide them support for their events and managing the community chats.
- Facilitate transition from grade to grade and grade level connection opportunities throughout the year. More specifically, focus on critical transition years from KG2, G5 and G8.
- Ownership and management of the Voice of the Parent annual surveyRoll out
Analysis
Outreach and follow up
Reporting to key leadership groups.
- Creates opportunities for feedback collection and management of responses.
- Manages feedback and oversees internal & external customer issues to ensure effective and long-term problem resolution. Receives (directly or through forwarding) and handles all queries and feedback from parents; forwards academic queries to the Superintendent or Principals and manages operational feedback.
- Sets performance standards to meet service goals of the school and the department.
- Provides feedback and reporting the company’s various departments regarding service improvements or customer concerns.
- Always acting and responding to customer issues and/or inquiries in a professional and effective manner.
- Assists with periodic review of the end-to-end customer journey to identify specific touch points on service improvements that contribute to overall customer experience.
- Supports internal stakeholders on tactical follow-ups.
- Initiates prompt and positive action on all feedback, questions, concerns, and suggestions, as well as conduct quality assurance follow-up; respond to inquiries regarding services and school related issues.
- Resolves challenging situations in a professional manner and accurately communicates pertinent information to support a customer service culture; escalates to appropriate party as required.
- Mediates with responsible internal and external service providers e.g. bus company, catering, CCA staff, until resolution is achieved and keeps parents engaged during the process until the final outcome and/or resolution is reached.
- Projects an approachable and professional image in communication style, demeanor and presentation.
- Leverages the support of the Community Engagement team for communication with parents where necessary.
- Works with the communications team to communicate to all parents/groups of parents any operations news/notifications. Works with the communications team to provide comprehensive support, information, and introduction to parents around school systems, campus facilities and events.
Withdrawals
- Processing of all withdrawals in Dynamics that have been submitted from parents and school leadership, including confirmation with families.
- Annually review the withdrawal process to ensure it is meeting parent and school needs.
- Managing the leavers feedback and reasons for departure, and more specifically follow-ups with on-island leavers.
- Reporting of known leavers weekly to relevant stakeholders.
- Analyse and report weekly leaver data for forecast calls.
- Create an annual leaver report to be shared with Stamford and Cognita stakeholders.
Community Engagement
- Management of the Community Engagement TeamOperational and strategic oversight
People management and mentorship
Annual performance reviews
- Works closely with our Parent Teacher Association to be a representative for the school to increase community involvement.
- Ensures that decisions made to improve the overall customer support of the Community Engagement team are continually carried through.
- Sets annual strategic goals which along with the school wide strategic plan and retention and service initiatives.
- Manage the onboarding process once the child begins schoolEnsure parents are supported and onboarded appropriately
Assists with parent questions and concerns
Seeks feedback on the new joiner experience
- Implement improvement strategies based on onboarding feedback.
- Management of retention initiatives, their implementation and review for future years.
Events
- Management and accountability of the smooth organization and execution of the school events.Operational oversight
People management and mentorship
- Review event needs and involvement in planning meetings.
- Support the management in large scale school events - Orientation, First day of school, Back to School Nights, Halloween, Winter Wonderland, Cultural celebrations, International Fiesta and GraduationsManage the Senior Event Executive on these events
Attend all meetings and provide school wide view
Budget management of these events
- Ownership of the calendar process for the general and events calendars.
Administration
- Support management of reporting requirements to track performance against targets, communicate plans, accomplishments, progress/status, issues and concerns, risks, contingencies and potential solutions.
- Partners with all relevant stakeholders to align the Customer Service Standards to the school’s Strategic Vision and Culture of Care.
- Ownership of relevant community SOPs including annual review and update.
- Providing support to the MD-Operations in special projects as determined fit.
- Management of the Values Awards for staff bi-annually. Responsible for the nomination process, committee management and awarding the winners.
Position Requirements
- 3 to 5 years of work experience in leadership in a customer service role.
- Highly developed communication, interpersonal and influencing skills to motivate and work effectively with individuals and teams.
- Poised, diplomatic and highly organized, serving as guide to stakeholders in event planning and parent engagement
- Ability to manage multiple high priority tasks in a time sensitive and fluid environment with attention to detail and accuracy Management skills to successfully perform the planning, directing, reporting and administrative responsibilities.
- Ability to prepare informative and concise summary reports.
- Ability to work independently as well as promote and participate enthusiastically in organisational teams.
- Proficiency with various software programs to manage functions of the role.
- Awareness of commercial sensitivity and demands for confidentiality.
- Ability to manage budgets and exhibit fiscal responsibility
- Proven results and skills in executing customer experience improvement programs.
- Shared commitment to the safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people.
- Demonstrates the Stamford Values – Integrity, Courage, Ingenuity and Compassion.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree
- Experience in an educational industry, servicing a multi-national clientele is an advantage.
Contacts
- School staff, parents, visitors and students
- External parties and contractors
Working Conditions
- Duties performed mostly within a school environment.
- Will be required to work independently and as part of a collaborative team effort.
- Extended working hours to complete some projects may be required.
- Occasional evening and weekend work.
- Open to work in both school campuses
Terms of Employment
- Working Hours 8:00 am – 5:00 pm, Monday to Friday
- Annual Leave 21 working days
- Medical Benefits: Medical insurance provided where applicable
- Sick Leave/Hospital Leave: 60 days hospitalization leave including 14 days sick leave
- Probation Period: 3 months from date of commencement
- Referee request: Required
- Background Check: Required
Stamford American International School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Pre-employment background checks are mandatory and appointments are strictly subject to confirmation that all reference and background checks are completed to the satisfaction of Cognita, Stamford’s parent organization.
We are an equal opportunity employer and disallow discrimination of age, ethnic origin, nationality, gender, religion, sexual orientation, family status, pregnancy, marital status, medical or mental health history, physical characteristics or disability. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates.
Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be notified.
