Head of United World College Mostar

Head of United World College Mostar

Commencing August 2025

UWC Mostar shares a mission and educational model with 17 United World Colleges worldwide. Yet, located in the Balkans since 2006, UWC Mostar has always been distinctive in having an explicit aim to contribute to the reconstruction of a post-conflict society.

UWC Mostar came into being as a result of UWC and the International Baccalaureate Organization joining forces in a pioneering initiative in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). Together they sought to develop a template for a convincing classroom model, which would bring together students from across the ethnic divide to study together, following a quality curriculum.

UWC Mostar’s symbolic location within an existing national school, the Gimnazija Mostar, and its recruitment of a significant proportion of students from all national groups in BiH, and students from the nearby region, in addition to students from all around the world, speaks of its mission:

“ Building bridges between people and cultures through inspiring, quality education. UWC Mostar offers a practical demonstration of education that unites, inspires and engages students and the wider community to strive for a peaceful and sustainable future through active local partnerships. UWC Mostar aims to develop educational practices relevant for post-conflict and transitional societies ”.

UWC Mostar is looking for a strong, inspirational, and compassionate leader who will build on the work of the founders and the successes and emerging challenges of its first 18 years, and have the vision to shape its future --- a leader who will find ways of strengthening, motivating and unifying the diverse UWC Mostar community of staff and students in their fulfillment of core UWC values and living these values within the local context.

The post entails all the management functions of UWC headship necessary for the smooth operation of the College within the framework of the mission and all relevant laws and regulations1. The role additionally involves looking out from UWC Mostar to the local and national context with a view to raising the college’s visibility and finding tangible ways in which it can have an impact and make a difference.

Appointed by, directly responsible to, and supported by the College Board, the Head also has a relationship with the College’s founder (Foundation Education in Action) and UWC International.

Desirable background and management qualities/approaches (* indicates minimum requirement):

• Excellent academic credentials, degree and professional teaching qualification from a reputable, internationally recognised institution and fluent in English. *
• Relevant experience in a senior position demonstrating whole school management/organisation/ leadership and at least 5 years of teaching. *
• Knowledge of and interest in the history, politics, culture of BiH and the local educational system from which many teachers are drawn.
• Experience of leading and motivating both teaching and non-teaching staff, with a view to their ongoing professional development.
• Evidence of success in managing change within schools and of getting positive outcomes in the face of challenges.
• Evidence of practical commitment to a broad curriculum that educates the whole person and, preferably, familiarity with the IB curriculum. *
• Evidence of awareness, knowledge, and understanding of the diversity of cultures from which UWC staff and students come, reflecting cultural sensitivity, and insight into the implications of working in a multilingual environment. *
• Understanding of a residential school; experience in residential life, including understanding the needs of youth today but also flexible working hours would be an advantage.
• Experience in dealing effectively with budgets and the drafting of policies. *
• Experience of a public role in building relationships of a school within a local/national context.
• Commitment to proactive leadership in which integrity, motivation, sense of responsibility, and personal example inspire trust, alongside resilience and resolution in response to a challenging environment. Appropriate personal qualities would include: people skills (the ability to work effectively, constructively, diplomatically and collaboratively with others at all levels), willingness to listen, excellent communication skills, ability to take tough, timely decisions, respect for the expertise of others, ability to deliver what has been promised, a disposition to make space for the flowering of the talents of both staff and students, willingness to be accessible and make time for staff and students, to be an effective speaker in public, and to be fair, objective, just and principled.
• To have a broad vision of where the school could be going and of ways of improving upon the delivery of the College and UWC mission.

1 Including overall responsibility for the broad education program, student health and well-being, residential life, staff appointments, student admissions, staff performance and development, finance, administration, infrastructure, and UWC networking, amongst others.

Remuneration: the salary will be competitive in the regional context.

Further information may be found on the websites of UWC Mostar and UWC International.

Interested candidates should send the following documents in English to Nina (Cisic) Spago, the Secretary of the College Board at UWC Mostar (nina.cisic@uwcmostar.ba) by Wednesday, October 16th, 2024 :

• CV
• Motivation letter
•  Contacts of three professional referees including the line managers

Please provide the names, titles, contact information, and your relationship to three professional references. UWC Mostar carries out background checks before recruitment and reserves the right to contact previous line managers to verify employment history and qualifications.

Only shortlisted candidates will be invited for an interview.