Head of Boarding

Park International School - Alfragide; Lisboa; On-site; EUR 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

PaRK International School - Alfragide is seeking the Head of Boarding to lead the residential community, ensuring a safe, inclusive environment aligned with the school's values of innovation, academic excellence, and holistic student development.

The role involves high-level pastoral and administrative leadership, safeguarding, health and safety, attendance, and the planning of weekend activities, with on-campus residency and on-call duties for emergency cover.

Qualifications

• Solid honours degree and ability to teach IB Diploma or international curricula.
• Proven residential boarding leadership experience.
• Strong safeguarding knowledge and health and safety regs.
• Innovative, flexible problem-solver with calm under pressure.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building with students, staff, parents.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership for pastoral care and boarding administration.
• Ensure safeguarding compliance and health and safety adherence.
• Maintain attendance, sign-in/out records, and student location tracking.
• Plan weekend activities and manage risk assessments; conduct fire drills.
• Recruit, train, and manage boarding staff in collaboration with the Head of School.
• Coordinate with parents/guardians, school medical staff, and pastoral teams.
• Support whole-school events and manage on-call duties.

Skills

Residential leadership

Communication

Emotional intelligence

Emergency management

Multicultural competence

Team management

Digital platforms

Education

Honours degree in a relevant discipline

Tools

School management software

Job description

The role

The Head of Boarding at PaRK International School - Alfragide will hold high-level responsibility for the leadership, administration, and pastoral care of the boarding community. Working closely with the Head of School, the successful candidate will foster a safe, inclusive, and vibrant residential environment that aligns with the school's values of innovation, academic excellence, and holistic student development.

Key responsibilities

Pastoral and Administrative Leadership

• Maintain and further develop a thorough working knowledge of relevant international and Portuguese legislation regarding child protection, health and safety, and children's rights.
• Ensure a highly visible and active presence within the residential community to build strong, trusting relationships with all boarders.
• Keep the Head of School and senior leadership informed of pastoral issues, managing day-to-day student welfare in conjunction with the Deputy Head / Pastoral Coordinator.
• Manage serious student breaches of discipline or conduct in consultation with senior leadership, maintaining accurate records of both commendations and disciplinary actions.
• Oversee the appropriate management of student health and medical matters, liaising closely with the school's medical staff, the sports department, parents, and legal guardians.
• Ensure flawless registration, attendance, and absence records for all boarders, including strict sign-in/out procedures and tracking student whereabouts during weekends and leave periods.

Operations and Community Life

• In collaboration with the Boarding Team, design and participate in a rich programme of weekend activities, trips, and social events that enhance the student residential experience.
• Execute regular fire drills during boarding hours, maintain meticulous compliance logs, and conduct risk assessments to guarantee the ultimate safety and security of the residence.
• Partner with House Parents, the Site Supervisor, and Housekeeping teams to ensure the boarding house is maintained to the highest standards.
• Guarantee that boarders' insights and feedback are regularly captured through questionnaires and Boarders' Council Meetings.
• Lead the appointment, training, and management of boarding staff in conjunction with the Head of School.

Requirements

• A solid honors degree in a relevant academic discipline, with the capability to teach within the IB Diploma Programme (IBDP) or international curriculum frameworks.
• Proven track record of success in a residential boarding role with significant management and leadership responsibilities.
• Deep understanding of global safeguarding benchmarks, international boarding standards, and health and safety regulations.
• Innovative thinker with a flexible, solution-oriented approach to residential life.
• Outstanding communication and emotional intelligence, capable of inspiring confidence in students, staff, and prospective families.
• Exceptional ability to remain calm, efficient, and structured when working under pressure or handling emergencies.
• Adept at managing a diverse, multicultural student body with a friendly and professional demeanor.
• High proficiency in utilizing digital platforms and school management technology for administrative efficiency.
• Full alignment with PaRK IS's ethos, along with the stamina and willingness to work flexible, non-traditional hours (evenings, weekends, and holidays) during term time.
• Active support of whole-school events, including parents' evenings, Open Days, and major calendar celebrations.
• A light teaching timetable will be assigned upon appointment and reviewed annually based on school needs and the demands of the boarding role.
• The successful candidate is required to reside on campus to ensure emergency cover and share on-call duty responsibilities with the boarding leadership team.