Head of Human Resources

About us

Doha College is a not-for-profit, high-profile, leading British International School in Qatar delivering a well-balanced, all-embracing English National Curriculum to pupils aged 3–18. 

There are 2,700 students and 400 staff on an impressive 90,000m2 campus. As impressive as our campus is, what is much more impressive - and much more important to us - is our vibrant and diverse community that subscribes to and champions equal opportunities for all.

This is an exciting time. Recently the school was rated Outstanding in all areas during the latest BSO inspection and was incredibly proud to be recognised as the only school in the whole of Qatar as one of the ‘World’s Leading 100 Private Schools’ in the Spear’s School Index 2024.

Message from the Chief Operating Officer

The opportunity

The HR function is critical to all that we do; it is our people that deliver the outstanding results and co-curricular outcomes we pride ourselves on. The incumbent is returning to the UK on retirement so we are looking for a suitable candidate to maintain and continue the excellent work they have delivered within the team and continue to evolve our HR processes so we can attract and retain the very best talent in international education.

About you

It is crucial that the Head of HR knows what good policies and appropriate procedures look like and are able to ensure compliance with such policies across the whole College. 

To be successful, you will be experienced, measured, highly professional and attentive to detail, and be able to balance effective oversight with individual freedoms to deliver, quality assuring the work of the team members. You will be calm under pressure, able to demonstrate an ability to prioritise tasks, be highly motivated and personable, and be able to build strong relationships and communicate effectively with a range of different audiences. You would be expected to work flexible hours and working times to suit the needs of the business, though most days would run to a routine pattern.

We are a British international school and all of our lessons are taught in English. The highest standards of both written and spoken English is, therefore, essential.

The Offer

This is a sponsored hire so I would encourage you to view the remuneration with consideration of the benefits - and also the very different pace during school holidays in addition to especially generous annual leave arrangements. Essentially, I believe the offer provides fair remuneration with the potential for significant increase through time, a really warm and supportive community, great professional freedom, and an unparalleled work-life balance.

By means of the details:

Salary:  QR18,540/month on appointment rising to  QR25,750/month (through 10 time increments) in addition to a 150 QR/month transportation allowance and 150 QR/month phone allowance. 

Sponsored benefits (for those without a spouse not already in receipt of such benefits):  The main benefits are:

• Accommodation allowance of QR8,500 (single/married status) or QR11,650 (family status) 
• Private health care (for self / family as applicable) 
• Annual flight allowance (for self / family as applicable)

Annual leave: 48 working days in total (30 days of annual leave plus 18 days for Qatari and British Public Holidays) rising to 53 working days in total after 5 years of continuous service.

School holiday working: There are 180 days of curricular-delivered content for pupils on dates approved by the Ministry of Education. Out of term-time, working is generally at a much more relaxed pace and the hours are reduced to 8am to 1pm. When Ramadan falls during term then hours are 9am to 2pm each day.

Culture: There is an Employee Assistance Programme and we value and look after our staff really well.  Termly breakfasts, parking on campus, and access to facilities are some of the obvious ways we show that but there are many more.  Working at a not-for-profit school will have a really different feel to a commercial position and hopefully the top-level details here illustrate that clearly to you - and you are motivated to apply.

Please note: The above is provided so that you can consider if this position would be right for you were you to be selected.  It is a really open and transparent way that we can manage expectations so we are fair to all and done with comfort as we feel the offering is both fair and strong when considered holistically.  As such, please note this is not an opening position or one that would be subject to negotiation.

Qatar

A combination of old-world hospitality and cosmopolitan sophistication mean that Qatar is a country like no other, and its capital Doha is a city that has something for everyone. Performances, museums and galleries make for a captivating cultural scene; city hotspots such as the busy markets and the waterfront promenade are a great way to spend a day; there is a lively night-life that means that there is plenty to do when the sun goes down; the Pearl Qatar offers luxury and elegance; there are some breath-taking areas of natural beauty; and lovers of sport and adventure can enjoy numerous clubs and activities.

Please note: Due to government requirements we can only consider applicants who are above 18 years old.

Apply

To find out more, please visit: www.dohacollege.com/discover/careers 

Application closing date is 24 December 2024. We reserve the right to close an advert early for operational reasons; early application is therefore encouraged.

Pre-interview tasks: Long-listed candidates will have tasks to complete, set remotely on 9th January 2025 for submission on 12th January 2025.

Interview Date: 23rd January 2025.

Targeted start date: 1 May 2025

We expect to receive a high number of applications and it will not be possible to respond to every applicant. Should you not hear from us by the 9th January 2025 you have not been successful this time.  

Doha College is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening, including reference checks with previous employers and a criminal records check. Teaching staff will also be subject to a Barred List and Prohibition from Teaching Check. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendments to the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2020.

Our Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy can be found here.

As an equal opportunities employer, Doha College is committed to a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion. We believe that a diverse staff body reflects and supports the diversity of our students and wider society and leads to a cognitive diversity that promotes excellence in all areas.