Principal job at Holistic Empowerment Development Foundation (HEDF)

Institution HEDEF Islamic and Vocational Institute
Department Institutional Leadership and Management
Reports to Board of Governors / Institute Management Committee
Duty station Kampala, Uganda
Supervises Academic, administrative, student-support and operations staff
Contract Renewable contract, subject to performance and institutional policy

Job purpose
To provide strategic, academic, administrative and values-based leadership so that the Institute delivers safe, high-quality and industry-relevant vocational education. The Principal is accountable for institutional performance, staff leadership, learner welfare, financial stewardship, regulatory compliance and continuous improvement.

Regulatory and professional alignment

The Principal shall ensure compliance with the Technical and Vocational Education and Training Act, 2025; the licensing, programme-accreditation and human-resource requirements of the TVET Council; applicable UVTAB assessment-centre and assessment requirements; Ministry of Education and Sports directives; occupational safety and health obligations; and

HEDEF governance and safeguarding policies. Final appointment criteria must also match the Institute category and the current equivalent standards issued or recognised by the TVET Council and Public Service Commission.

Key duties and responsibilities

Leadership governance and strategy

• Translate the Institute mission, Islamic values and strategic plan into annual priorities, budgets and measurable work plans.
• Advise the Board on policy, performance, institutional risk, compliance and resource requirements.
• Lead implementation of Board decisions and promote integrity, accountability, inclusion and a culture of service.

Academic leadership and training quality

• Oversee delivery of approved programmes, curricula and training packages using competence-based and learner-centred methods.
• Approve timetables, schemes of work, activity plans, lesson plans, workshop schedules and internal assessment plans.
• Monitor teaching quality, trainer workload, learner progress, completion and graduate employability.
• Ensure verification, moderation and improvement actions are completed and documented.

Regulation accreditation and assessment

• Maintain valid institutional licensing and programme accreditation and ensure that only approved programmes are delivered.
• Lead readiness for TVET Council and UVTAB applications, inspections, audits and correctiveaction follow-up.
• Protect assessment materials and ensure accurate candidate registration, assessment and certification records.

People management

• Lead fair recruitment, induction, deployment, supervision and appraisal of staff against approved job descriptions.
• Verify trainer qualifications, registration, licensing, occupational competence and continuing professional development.
• Address performance and conduct fairly and maintain coaching and staff-development plans.

Finance assets and operations

• Prepare and control annual budgets and ensure transparent, authorised and documented use of institutional funds.
• Safeguard workshops, laboratories, tools, equipment, inventories, buildings and information systems.
• Maintain approved procurement, asset, emergency-response, occupational-safety and environmental controls.

Learner welfare safeguarding and discipline

• Ensure fair admissions, orientation, attendance monitoring, guidance, discipline and learner-support systems.
• Maintain safeguarding, complaints, referral and incident-management procedures that protect dignity and confidentiality.
• Promote Islamic character, professional ethics, inclusion and safe, respectful learning conditions.

Industry partnerships and sustainability

• Build partnerships with employers, regulators, parents, community leaders, development partners and training institutions.
• Expand industrial attachment, apprenticeship, career guidance and employment pathways.
• Mobilise resources and represent the Institute accurately in official engagements.

Monitoring reporting and records

• Maintain an institutional performance dashboard covering enrolment, attendance, assessment, completion, finance, safety and employment outcomes.
• Submit timely reports and ensure secure, complete and retrievable institutional records.

Person specification

Essential education and professional qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Education, Technical or Vocational Education, Engineering, Technology, Institutional Management, Business Administration or another relevant field from a recognised institution.
• A recognised qualification in education, TVET pedagogy, training management or educational leadership where this is not covered by the first degree.
• Eligibility to meet the qualification and experience level prescribed for the head of the Institute’s category under current TVET Council and equivalent Public Service Commission standards.

Essential experience

• At least five years of progressive experience in a vocational, technical, secondary or tertiary education institution.
• At least three years in a substantive supervisory, academic-leadership or institutionalmanagement role.
• Demonstrated experience managing competence-based training, assessment, staff performance, budgets and regulatory compliance.

Preferred qualifications and experience

• Master’s degree in Education, TVET, Educational Leadership, Management or a related discipline.
• Experience leading a private TVET provider through licensing, programme accreditation or assessment-centre inspection.
• Established employer and community networks relevant to vocational training and graduate placement.

Knowledge and technical competence

• Uganda’s TVET governance framework, competence-based education and training, quality assurance and assessment integrity.
• Strategic planning, budgeting, financial controls, procurement, asset management and institutional risk management.
• Human-resource management, safeguarding, learner welfare, discipline, data protection and records management.
• Digital administration, management reporting and use of education or assessment information systems.

Behavioural competencies and personal attributes

• High integrity, sound judgement, fairness, confidentiality and accountability.
• Clear written and spoken communication, negotiation and stakeholder-management skills.
• Respect for Islamic values and the ability to lead a diverse learning community professionally.
• Decisiveness, resilience, analytical thinking and commitment to continuous improvement.

Performance expectations

• Institution and programmes remain appropriately licensed, accredited and inspection-ready.
• Training, assessment, learner-support and safeguarding systems operate consistently and are documented.
• Board-approved plans and budgets are delivered with timely and accurate reporting.
• Staff performance, learner completion, graduate transition and stakeholder confidence improve over time.
• Major safety, financial, safeguarding and assessment risks are identified early and addressed.

• Translate the Institute mission, Islamic values and strategic plan into annual priorities, budgets and measurable work plans.
• Advise the Board on policy, performance, institutional risk, compliance and resource requirements.
• Lead implementation of Board decisions and promote integrity, accountability, inclusion and a culture of service.
• Oversee delivery of approved programmes, curricula and training packages using competence-based and learner-centred methods.
• Approve timetables, schemes of work, activity plans, lesson plans, workshop schedules and internal assessment plans.
• Monitor teaching quality, trainer workload, learner progress, completion and graduate employability.
• Ensure verification, moderation and improvement actions are completed and documented.
• Maintain valid institutional licensing and programme accreditation and ensure that only approved programmes are delivered.
• Lead readiness for TVET Council and UVTAB applications, inspections, audits and corrective action follow-up.
• Protect assessment materials and ensure accurate candidate registration, assessment and certification records.
• Lead fair recruitment, induction, deployment, supervision and appraisal of staff against approved job descriptions.
• Verify trainer qualifications, registration, licensing, occupational competence and continuing professional development.
• Address performance and conduct fairly and maintain coaching and staff-development plans.
• Prepare and control annual budgets and ensure transparent, authorised and documented use of institutional funds.
• Safeguard workshops, laboratories, tools, equipment, inventories, buildings and information systems.
• Maintain approved procurement, asset, emergency-response, occupational-safety and environmental controls.
• Ensure fair admissions, orientation, attendance monitoring, guidance, discipline and learner-support systems.
• Maintain safeguarding, complaints, referral and incident-management procedures that protect dignity and confidentiality.
• Promote Islamic character, professional ethics, inclusion and safe, respectful learning conditions.
• Build partnerships with employers, regulators, parents, community leaders, development partners and training institutions.
• Expand industrial attachment, apprenticeship, career guidance and employment pathways.
• Mobilise resources and represent the Institute accurately in official engagements.
• Maintain an institutional performance dashboard covering enrolment, attendance, assessment, completion, finance, safety and employment outcomes.
• Submit timely reports and ensure secure, complete and retrievable institutional records.

• High integrity, sound judgement, fairness, confidentiality and accountability.
• Clear written and spoken communication, negotiation and stakeholder-management skills.
• Respect for Islamic values and the ability to lead a diverse learning community professionally.
• Decisiveness, resilience, analytical thinking and commitment to continuous improvement.
• Uganda’s TVET governance framework, competence-based education and training, quality assurance and assessment integrity.
• Strategic planning, budgeting, financial controls, procurement, asset management and institutional risk management.
• Human-resource management, safeguarding, learner welfare, discipline, data protection and records management.
• Digital administration, management reporting and use of education or assessment information systems.

• Bachelor’s degree in Education, Technical or Vocational Education, Engineering, Technology, Institutional Management, Business Administration or another relevant field from a recognised institution.
• A recognised qualification in education, TVET pedagogy, training management or educational leadership where this is not covered by the first degree.
• Eligibility to meet the qualification and experience level prescribed for the head of the Institute’s category under current TVET Council and equivalent Public Service Commission standards.
• Master’s degree in Education, TVET, Educational Leadership, Management or a related discipline.
• Experience leading a private TVET provider through licensing, programme accreditation or assessment-centre inspection.
• Established employer and community networks relevant to vocational training and graduate placement.