Principal / Centre Manager

Maple Bear Philippines; Philippines; On-site; PHP 1,200,000 - 2,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Maple Bear Philippines is seeking a Principal / Centre Manager to lead the school’s overall operations, culture, and performance. You will align academic and administrative functions with MapleBear’s mission while engaging families and the community.

The role welcomes leaders from diverse industries; education experience is a plus but not required, with a focus on strong leadership, people management, and business acumen.

Qualifications

• Extensive leadership and management experience across industries; education experience is a plus but not required.
• Strong people management, communication, and decision-making skills.
• Proven ability to manage operations, budgets, and performance metrics.
• Willingness to learn MapleBear's educational framework and values.
• Adaptable, solution-oriented, and resilient in a dynamic environment.
• Commitment to high integrity, professionalism, and accountability.
• Customer-service mindset toward parents and students.
• Desire to lead and develop teams and drive organizational excellence.
• Openness to working in a child-focused environment and supporting early learning outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and direction aligned with MapleBear's mission, values, and standards.
• Set goals and performance expectations across academic, administrative, and operational functions.
• Foster a positive, professional, and collaborative culture among staff.
• Oversee curriculum implementation and support teaching staff.
• Ensure a child-centered, safe, inclusive learning environment.
• Manage day-to-day operations: admissions, scheduling, facilities, and resources.
• Ensure compliance with local regulations and internal policies.
• Oversee health, safety, and facility standards.
• Onboard and retain teaching and non-teaching staff; conduct performance reviews.
• Promote professional development and accountability.
• Engage parents and community, communicating effectively.
• Lead enrollment growth and brand development; work with marketing.
• Achieve enrollment and retention targets.

Skills

Leadership

People management

Communication

Decision-making

Operations management

Budget management

Performance metrics

Team leadership

Learning orientation

Adaptability

Integrity

Customer service

Leadership passion

Child-focused environment

Job description

NATURE AND SCOPE OF JOB:

The Principal / Centre Manager at MapleBear Canadian School (Philippines) leads the overall operations, performance, and culture of the school, combining strategic leadership, people management, operational oversight, and stakeholder engagement to ensure efficient operations and a high-quality learning environment for students and families.

This role is open to experienced leaders from diverse industries—including corporate management, hospitality, healthcare, operations, retail, or service sectors—and while experience in education is an advantage, it is not required; the ideal candidate brings strong leadership and business acumen, effective people management skills, and the ability to learn and uphold MapleBear's educational philosophy and standards.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Leadership & Strategic Oversight

• Provide overall leadership and direction for the school, ensuring alignment with MapleBear's mission, values, and standards.
• Set clear goals, priorities, and performance expectations across academic, administrative, and operational functions.
• Foster a positive, professional, and collaborative culture among staff.

Academic & Program Oversight (with Support)

• Oversee the implementation of the MapleBear curriculum, ensuring consistency, quality, and adherence to established standards.
• Work closely with academic coordinators and teaching staff to support lesson planning, assessments, and classroom practices.
• Ensure a child-centered, safe, inclusive, and engaging learning environment.
• Monitor program outcomes and collaborate with the academic team to implement improvements.

School Operations & Compliance

• Manage the day-to-day operations of the school, including admissions, scheduling, facilities, and resource planning.
• Ensure compliance with local regulations, licensing requirements, and internal policies.
• Oversee health, safety, and facility standards to maintain a secure and well-maintained school environment.

People Management & Team Development

• Onboard, and retain teaching and non-teaching staff in collaboration with HR and management.
• Conduct regular performance reviews, provide coaching and feedback, and address performance issues constructively.
• Promote continuous professional development and accountability across teams.

Parent & Stakeholder Engagement

• Serve as the primary point of contact for parents on school-related matters, ensuring professional, timely, and empathetic communication.
• Build strong relationships with families through meetings, events, and regular updates.
• Oversee communication channels such as newsletters, emails, and social media in coordination with relevant teams.

Financial & Business Management

• Prepare and manage the school's budget, ensuring effective use of resources and financial sustainability.
• Monitor expenses, review financial reports, and ensure accurate record-keeping.
• Collaborate with management on tuition structures, forecasting, and financial planning.

Enrollment Growth, KPIs & Brand Development

• Lead enrollment growth and retention initiatives, tracking and analyzing key performance indicators.
• Develop and implement strategies to increase student enrollment and improve year-over-year retention.
• Represent the school within the community and work with marketing teams on outreach, events, and brand positioning.
• Achieve or exceed annual enrollment and retention targets.

QUALIFICATIONS & SKILLS

• Extensive leadership and management experience in any industry (education experience is a plus, not a requirement).
• Strong people management, communication, and decision-making skills.
• Proven ability to manage operations, budgets, and performance metrics.
• Comfortable leading teams in a structured yet people-focused environment.
• Willingness to learn and uphold MapleBear's educational framework and values.
• Adaptable, solution-oriented, and resilient in a dynamic environment.
• High integrity, professionalism, and accountability
• Strong customer-service mindset (parents and students)
• Passion for leadership, team development, and organizational excellence
• Openness to working in a child-focused environment and supporting early learning outcomes