Sample principal job description

[School X] is a [location]-based school of approximately [X] students and [X] staff members. After [X] years of extraordinary service, our principal is retiring, so we’re seeking an extraordinary person to fill the role. The ideal candidate is a high-energy, innovative leader in education who can promote and facilitate a vision of academic success for all students. The principal must be able to cultivate leadership among members of our school community, manage and promote instructional excellence, and understand how to improve data-driven classroom methodologies. Above all, we’re looking for a smart, driven, and down-to-earth educator who’s committed to fostering a culture of successful collaboration and progressive learning.

Objectives of this role

  • Create a culture of excellence, teamwork, and collaboration among staff, faculty, students, families, and the academic community
  • Drive teachers’ growth by facilitating goal setting around classroom culture, curriculum development, lesson creation and execution, and data analysis
  • Establish and model behaviors that promote high expectations for students, staff, and faculty
  • Work with teachers to constantly assess and improve student achievement results
  • Compile measurable data about academic growth and development, and communicate data regularly to superintendent and community members
  • Ensure consistent compliance with all local and national funding sources

Responsibilities

  • Implement clear processes for curriculum analysis, lesson planning and execution, and data analysis
  • Provide oversight for scheduling, academic programming, and other administrative activities
  • Work with the school leadership team to develop, implement, and maintain details on processes for discipline, morning meetings, classroom culture, and more
  • Develop a system for tracking school culture, analyzing data regularly, and defining action plans
  • Adhere to the school’s annual operating budget for all academic and student life programs

Required skills and qualifications

  • Experience in leading teams in a school setting
  • Proven success in training and leading adults to positively impact student outcomes
  • Strong skills in project management, problem-solving, critical thinking, decision-making, and active listening
  • Extensive knowledge of curricular resources and programs
  • Positive, hard-working, and collaborative personality

Preferred skills and qualifications

  • Master’s degree (or equivalent) in education
  • Ability to communicate in more than one language