The Friends School of Ramallah / el-Bireh, a KG-12th grade, is over 100 years old. The School offers Palestinian curricula coupled with an American one for English Language (KG-12th) and other selected subjects for upper grades. The School offers the International Baccalaureate (IB) for 11th and 12th graders. Enrollment is nearly 1100 students in two very large campuses. Ramallah is a vibrant and safe city with an active cultural and expatriate life.
WE ARE CURRENTLY SEEKING TO FILL THE FOLLOWING POSITIONS:
Position Available: VOLUNTEERS
Job Description:
The School always encourages applications from staff volunteers to help with educational programs and extracurricular activities. There are many activities that need volunteer support throughout the School year. During 2009/10 for example volunteers helped us in our school history project and English tutoring for our students with special needs.Interested candidates should send a personal letter describing their volunteer experience, interest and professional background to admin@palfriends.org.Applications are accepted year round.
Position Available: College Counselor
Job Description:
The Friends School – Ramallah / el-Bireh is seeking a college counselor for its upper school campus.The college counselor will work closely with students, and will work to develop the nascent college counseling program at the Friends School.
Founded in 1869, the Friends School has been educating Palestinian youth for over 140 years.The only International Baccalaureate (IB) accredited school in the West Bank, the school emphasizes academic rigor and places an importance on students’ holistic development.The Friends School teaches that students have a responsibility to their society, and places an emphasis on the Quaker principles of simplicity, peace, integrity, community, service, tolerance, and equality.Despite the difficult political circumstances in the Palestinian Territories, Friends School alumni have been instrumental in creating economic, social, and political improvements in Palestine, becoming top leaders and decision-makers in the Palestinian government, business, and non-profit sectors.Our graduates attend some of the top universities in Palestine and abroad, with students regularly matriculating to schools like Harvard, MIT, etc.
The school’s two campuses are located in the twin towns of Ramallah and el-Bireh, approximately ten miles north of Jerusalem.Ramallah is a developing, dynamic, and cosmopolitan city with a bustling city-center and a vibrant expatriate community.Its location facilitates easy day trips around the region and easy travel to neighboring countries.For more information about the Friends School, please visit www.palfriends.org.
Duties:
Advise students on application process for universities in the United States, Canada, UK, and Middle East
Write recommendation letters for seniors applying to colleges
Enhance and develop 9-12 counseling program
Maintain and foster relationships with college admissions offices
Coordinate nomination process for university scholarships and for high school study abroad programs
Requirements:
A bachelor’s degree from an accredited university
Fluent in spoken and written English
Excellent written and oral communication skills
Technologically savvy; knowledge of Microsoft Word and Excel; experience with Naviance a plus
Ability to work independently and to multitask
Highly adaptable to a challenging living and working environment
Experience working with youth or in a college counseling/mentoring context is a plus
Knowledge of Arabic (Palestinian colloquial and MSA) is a plus, but not a requirement
Salary:
The college counselor will be paid on the Friends School salary scale. Expatriate candidates will have housing provided for him/her.He/she will have help arranging a visa and will be reimbursed for one round-trip plane ticket.
Interested applicants should submit a resume and cover letter that includes the applicant’s motivations for applying to fbs@palfriends.org by no later than April 25.Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
Position Available: FGS Principal
Job Description:
The Ramallah Friends School Board of Trustees is seeking an experienced educational leader to fill the position of
Principal
for the Elementary School (known as Friends Girls School - FGS). The FGS is an over-century old school established by American Quakers in 1869 and owned by Friends United Meeting (FUM) in Indiana. Our value-led school promotes excellence in academics and encourages spiritual development by nurturing the whole child, and helps students recognize their responsibility towards society. Today, the FGS is a co-educational Preschool - 6th grade institution with over 650 students enrolled and over 60 staff members and boasts a reputation as one of the leading schools in Palestine.
The FGS Principal will be a transformational leader able to build on the excellent performance of the past decades while instituting change in line with contemporary educational standards. The FGS Principal will be responsible for providing educational and operational leadership by organizing, supervising and evaluating all aspects of the school life. The Principal will be expected to ensure the continuous improvement of the school and its staff while increasing student achievement. S(he) will serve as a de facto member of the Board of Trustees and the Executive Committee and will therefore be involved in setting and executing school policies. The FGS Principal will report to the School Director.
It is required that the candidate
* be familiar with Quaker values and enjoys a love for children
* be knowledgeable with Elementary school quality assurance practices
* demonstrates at least eight years of experience in the education field
* possess teaching experience preferably in the elementary school setting
* be experienced in school administration including development, monitoring and evaluation of educational program, curriculum development, human resource planning, performance evaluations, student discipline, budgeting, maintenance and procurement
* hold a master’s degree or above in a field relevant to Education
* is bi-lingual (Arabic and English) both spoken and written and is computer savvy
Interested candidates should send, a CV/resume, a letter of interest including a statement of educational philosophy and areas of expected contribution to FGS, and the names and contact information of three professional references. All submissions need to be English. Applications should be sent electronically to application@palfriends.org by 10 August 2010 (indicate ‘FGS Principal’ in the Subject line). Candidates are however asked to send their application as soon as possible as the Board may evaluate applications on a rolling first-come first-serve basis. A detailed Job Description is available upon request. Expected appointment date is September 2010 or postponed until a later date. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
Position Available: DEVELOPMENT OFFICER
Job Description:
The Friends Schools have been heavily reliant on tuition fees to balance its budget. To date, the fees constitute nearly 82% of our operating budget. As this percentage is quite usual for private schools, the school would like to increase and diversify its revenue base by more effective management of its donor relations. Our school is dear to many, Alumni, Quakers and others. We have an exciting story to tell that we are sure will grab the attention of many. This position is ideally suited for someone looking at a career in fundraising. As this is a new position within the School’s structure, a one year contract will be granted and renewal will be pending thorough evaluation.
Main tasks and responsibilities
The Development Officer will work under the direction and supervision of the Director of the Friends School, however, will be expected to plan, initiate and manage independent fundraising activities. The post holder will perform the following tasks:
Assist the Director in developing a short and long term fundraising strategy through engaging various stakeholders including alumni and parents.
Work with (start-up and maintain) new computerized donor management database.
Solicit grants from individuals and organizations and ensure their proper follow-up.
Design and manage annual campaigns, appeals and events
Write compelling articles and communications to keep potential and present donors abreast with developments at the school
Maintain active communication with supporters
Create and manage online donation scheme
Prepare a lively donor newsletter (bi-annually)
Promotion and management of alumni relations and support
Oversee the donor-related content of school website, ensuring up-to-date and dynamic information
Other related tasks as assigned by the Director
Qualifications and competencies
The School is seeking a well-qualified and enthusiastic worker with experience of development planning and project and resource management.
Required
At least 5 years of experience in development work and fundraising
Related university degree.
Excellent English writing and communication skills. Ability to write concisely, creatively persuasively and passionately.
Outstanding presentation skills especially in designing paper and electronic newsletters, appeals, etc…
Demonstrated inter-personal skills.
Excellent handling of information technology software, such as web-based and other programs .
Demonstrated organizational and work planning abilities.
Self-sufficient in undertaking own administrative tasks.
Understanding and upholding of Friends School values as endorsed by the school’s Board of Trustees.
Desirable
Knowledge of or relation to Friends School history and community
Contractual Conditions
Since this is a new post at the school, the contract will initially be for the duration of one year. The contract will be renewed if the annual review deems the achievements positive. Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience.
To Apply: Please send CV with a letter expressing interest to application@palfriends.org no later than 30 April 2010. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.
