The International School of Brussels (ISB) is excited to announce a rare leadership opportunity beginning Summer 2022.
About ISB
ISB was founded in 1951 as the American School of Brussels (Belgium) with four teachers on hand to welcome twenty-seven students between the ages of 5 and 11. In the spring of 1953, with a population of more than one hundred students, the School moved to its current leased location in Watermael-Boitsfort, on the outskirts of Brussels. The School is adjacent to the Forêt de Soignes and became known as the International School of Brussels.
In the early years, the whole School was housed in the Château: today it is the base for the School’s administrative support services including an attractive area to welcome prospective families and other visitors.
Meanwhile, in a beautiful and secure 15 hectares campus, both the Lower School and Upper School sections have their own well-resourced, purpose-built buildings. In addition, the school has excellent facilities for athletics, health, and fitness, for the performing arts, for professional development, and a café where parents can meet.
ISB is a well-managed and highly respected school. It has a distinguished reputation within the international school community for pedagogical innovation and for sharing best practices. This reputation combined with its excellent working conditions allows it to attract high calibre staff at all levels and in all roles.
Entry to ISB is non-selective and it is widely regarded as a beacon school for inclusivity: it is committed to building a balanced community of learners with a diverse range of talents and abilities, including those of exceptionally high academic ability and a carefully managed
number of students with diagnosed learning disabilities.
The School’s mission is to develop independent learners and international citizens in an environment where all students are included, challenged, and successful and the community engages in an ongoing, critical conversation about how to interpret that mission at the start of the third decade of the 21st century.
The School is constituted as an 'Association Sans But Lucratif' (a not-for-profit organization) under Belgian legislation and it has no religious or national affiliations. ISB does not receive any state subsidies but is recognized by the Belgian authorities and therefore parents who send their children to ISB are compliant with the education law.
Since 1980, ISB has been accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (“MSA”) and by the Council of International Schools (“CIS”). These accreditations were renewed in December 2019.
Location
Watermael-Boitsfort is an attractive residential area in the southeast quadrant of the city with easy access by public transport and car to the centre. A fleet of buses transports students daily from across the city and beyond.
Brussels is a bilingual city (French/Dutch)and the capital of Belgium, with a metropolitan area population of 2.5 million. For more than half a century, Brussels has been a centre for international politics, serving as headquarters of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and of the European Union. It is a green, well-organised and safe city in which to live.
In terms of the arts, gastronomy, and architecture, it makes an extremely attractive home, and within easy reach of a host of major European cities. Travel, both locally and internationally, is easy and affordable.
About Advancement at ISB
Advancement at ISB incorporates a number of connected school functions that support the school in the achievement of its mission. Working with a dynamic team and in collaboration with a wide range of school stakeholders, the Director of Advancement has strategic responsibility for each of the following:
Brand and reputation management
School admissions and enrolment management
Marketing
Communications (both internal and external)
Alumni relations
Fundraising and community engagement
Over the past few years, the ISB Advancement team has achieved a global reputation for excellence and innovation in the field. Today, it comprises a team of around 10 individuals working together to support the school in meeting its goals and objectives. Connected to the broader objectives of the school, the team has developed ways of working around key concepts, including The Lifecycle of School Engagement, The Periodic Table of Advancement, and Experience Design.
Insights into Advancement at ISB
We invite all interested candidates to look at some of the resources in the links below to catch a glimpse of the day-to-day work of the ISB Advancement team.
The ISB Experience Room (https://vimeo.com/264022540)
Learning in Action (https://learninginaction.isb.be/unpacking-challenge-at-isb/home/)
The ISB Annual Report 2021 (https://annualreport.isb.be/2020-21/home/)
ISB Comes Home (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpoALxT1O-U)
Our Advancement Quest 2021-22 (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vLufg9-h4hlUBN0XToeppT5Bkb3fGblL/view)
The Director of Advancement
Reporting to the ISB Director, the Director of Advancement is a member of the Learning Leadership Team and sits on both the Board of Trustees Advancement Committee and Assisted Places Committee.
The Director Advancement is accountable for the following:
The Advancement team
Recruit, lead and develop the ISB Advancement team in support of the school’s mission and in the delivery of agreed key performance indicators.
Set budgets, allocating resources and people to agreed priorities and areas of focus.
Conduct annual appraisals and ensure that all members of the team have access to appropriate professional development opportunities.
Synthesise the operations of the team in a regular report to key stakeholders, including the ISB Board of Trustees.
Oversee the development of key policies, strategies, and practices that are in line with all Board policies and schoolwide agreements.
Brand and reputation management
Represent ISB to a range of external stakeholders in support of the school’s brand and reputation.
Coordinate all crisis communications on behalf of the school.
Budget, organise and supervise external relations in order to ensure a strong positive image of ISB both in the Brussels region and internationally.
Act as spokesperson for the school for all matters related to the Press.
School admissions and enrolment management
Oversee the admissions process in accordance with the school’s Admissions Policy.
Design the experience of admissions at ISB to enhance the school’s reputation.
Meet enrolment targets as outlined in the annual budget and the school’s long-term plans.
Provide data-informed reports on enrolment, as well as broader market trends.
Lead the periodic review of the Admissions Policy, in collaboration with the Advancement Committee.
Marketing & communications
Build and update the school’s 3-year marketing plan.
Budget, organise and supervise all marketing and promotional activities for the school.
Oversee all school communications in accordance with the school’s Communications Policy.
Maintain and communicate clear guidelines on the school’s brand, as well as the use of social media, and official publications.
Maintain and develop the school’s website and all other communication platforms (internal and external).
Regularly gather feedback from all stakeholders by means of a coordinated feedback strategy.
Fundraising, alumni relations, and community engagement
Build and engage the school’s alumni network in support of the school’s mission and priorities.
Budget and oversee all school reunions, both local and international, and school anniversaries.
Meet fundraising targets as outlined in the annual budget and school’s long-term plans.
Provide a point of contact between the school and its US-based ISB Foundation (501c3).
Liaise with the school’s Family Association to ensure that there is an effective exchange of information and feedback on the experience of life and learning at ISB.
The successful candidate will have many of the following skills and competencies, as well as the willingness to grow in these areas.
Leadership experience, skills, and qualities
Previous experience in several of the areas pertaining to Advancement.
Capacity to write on behalf of the organization.
A passion for learning and leading and a demonstrated capacity for leadership.
A commitment to innovation as a strategy for continuous improvement.
An understanding of, and commitment to, the ISB mission and vision.
A future focus, thinking about the school that ISB is required to be today and tomorrow.
An effective listener to the many voices that contribute to the story of our school.
An ability to energise and inspire others with a personal presence that instills trust, confidence, and warmth.
A coherence-maker, seeing patterns and trends, as well as communicating these effectively to those within and outside of the team.
An ability to embody the school’s core dispositions of respect, responsibility, reflection, and provide an example to others in terms of commitment, empowerment, and drive.
A proficiency in aligning people’s strengths with roles, responsibilities, and positions.
Personal qualities
Understanding of and supportive of the work of other team members.
Focused on designing the experience of life and learning at ISB.
A systems thinker and problem solver.
Develops good relationships with colleagues (collaborative team-player).
A high level of communication and organizational skills.
Flexible and adaptable and able to work in a changing, multicultural environment.
Fluency in English and, preferably, local language(s).
Strong technology literacy.
Application process
Interested candidates should send a cover letter and curriculum vitae to:
Mr James MacDonald
ISB Director
director@isb.be
The closing date for applications is 15 January 2022.
All enquiries are kept confidential.
The International School of Brussels (ISB) is excited to announce a rare leadership opportunity beginning Summer 2022.
About ISB
ISB was founded in 1951 as the American School of Brussels (Belgium) with four teachers on hand to welcome twenty-seven students between the ages of 5 and 11. In the spring of 1953, with a population of more than one hundred students, the School moved to its current leased location in Watermael-Boitsfort, on the outskirts of Brussels. The School is adjacent to the Forêt de Soignes and became known as the International School of Brussels.
In the early years, the whole School was housed in the Château: today it is the base for the School’s administrative support services including an attractive area to welcome prospective families and other visitors.
Meanwhile, in a beautiful and secure 15 hectares campus, both the Lower School and Upper School sections have their own well-resourced, purpose-built buildings. In addition, the school has excellent facilities for athletics, health, and fitness, for the performing arts, for professional development, and a café where parents can meet.
ISB is a well-managed and highly respected school. It has a distinguished reputation within the international school community for pedagogical innovation and for sharing best practices. This reputation combined with its excellent working conditions allows it to attract high calibre staff at all levels and in all roles.
Entry to ISB is non-selective and it is widely regarded as a beacon school for inclusivity: it is committed to building a balanced community of learners with a diverse range of talents and abilities, including those of exceptionally high academic ability and a carefully managed
number of students with diagnosed learning disabilities.
The School’s mission is to develop independent learners and international citizens in an environment where all students are included, challenged, and successful and the community engages in an ongoing, critical conversation about how to interpret that mission at the start of the third decade of the 21st century.
The School is constituted as an 'Association Sans But Lucratif' (a not-for-profit organization) under Belgian legislation and it has no religious or national affiliations. ISB does not receive any state subsidies but is recognized by the Belgian authorities and therefore parents who send their children to ISB are compliant with the education law.
Since 1980, ISB has been accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (“MSA”) and by the Council of International Schools (“CIS”). These accreditations were renewed in December 2019.
Location
Watermael-Boitsfort is an attractive residential area in the southeast quadrant of the city with easy access by public transport and car to the centre. A fleet of buses transports students daily from across the city and beyond.
Brussels is a bilingual city (French/Dutch)and the capital of Belgium, with a metropolitan area population of 2.5 million. For more than half a century, Brussels has been a centre for international politics, serving as headquarters of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and of the European Union. It is a green, well-organised and safe city in which to live.
In terms of the arts, gastronomy, and architecture, it makes an extremely attractive home, and within easy reach of a host of major European cities. Travel, both locally and internationally, is easy and affordable.
About Advancement at ISB
Advancement at ISB incorporates a number of connected school functions that support the school in the achievement of its mission. Working with a dynamic team and in collaboration with a wide range of school stakeholders, the Director of Advancement has strategic responsibility for each of the following:
Brand and reputation management
School admissions and enrolment management
Marketing
Communications (both internal and external)
Alumni relations
Fundraising and community engagement
Over the past few years, the ISB Advancement team has achieved a global reputation for excellence and innovation in the field. Today, it comprises a team of around 10 individuals working together to support the school in meeting its goals and objectives. Connected to the broader objectives of the school, the team has developed ways of working around key concepts, including The Lifecycle of School Engagement, The Periodic Table of Advancement, and Experience Design.
Insights into Advancement at ISB
We invite all interested candidates to look at some of the resources in the links below to catch a glimpse of the day-to-day work of the ISB Advancement team.
The ISB Experience Room (https://vimeo.com/264022540)
Learning in Action (https://learninginaction.isb.be/unpacking-challenge-at-isb/home/)
The ISB Annual Report 2021 (https://annualreport.isb.be/2020-21/home/)
ISB Comes Home (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpoALxT1O-U)
Our Advancement Quest 2021-22 (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vLufg9-h4hlUBN0XToeppT5Bkb3fGblL/view)
The Director of Advancement
Reporting to the ISB Director, the Director of Advancement is a member of the Learning Leadership Team and sits on both the Board of Trustees Advancement Committee and Assisted Places Committee.
The Director Advancement is accountable for the following:
The Advancement team
Recruit, lead and develop the ISB Advancement team in support of the school’s mission and in the delivery of agreed key performance indicators.
Set budgets, allocating resources and people to agreed priorities and areas of focus.
Conduct annual appraisals and ensure that all members of the team have access to appropriate professional development opportunities.
Synthesise the operations of the team in a regular report to key stakeholders, including the ISB Board of Trustees.
Oversee the development of key policies, strategies, and practices that are in line with all Board policies and schoolwide agreements.
Brand and reputation management
Represent ISB to a range of external stakeholders in support of the school’s brand and reputation.
Coordinate all crisis communications on behalf of the school.
Budget, organise and supervise external relations in order to ensure a strong positive image of ISB both in the Brussels region and internationally.
Act as spokesperson for the school for all matters related to the Press.
School admissions and enrolment management
Oversee the admissions process in accordance with the school’s Admissions Policy.
Design the experience of admissions at ISB to enhance the school’s reputation.
Meet enrolment targets as outlined in the annual budget and the school’s long-term plans.
Provide data-informed reports on enrolment, as well as broader market trends.
Lead the periodic review of the Admissions Policy, in collaboration with the Advancement Committee.
Marketing & communications
Build and update the school’s 3-year marketing plan.
Budget, organise and supervise all marketing and promotional activities for the school.
Oversee all school communications in accordance with the school’s Communications Policy.
Maintain and communicate clear guidelines on the school’s brand, as well as the use of social media, and official publications.
Maintain and develop the school’s website and all other communication platforms (internal and external).
Regularly gather feedback from all stakeholders by means of a coordinated feedback strategy.
Fundraising, alumni relations, and community engagement
Build and engage the school’s alumni network in support of the school’s mission and priorities.
Budget and oversee all school reunions, both local and international, and school anniversaries.
Meet fundraising targets as outlined in the annual budget and school’s long-term plans.
Provide a point of contact between the school and its US-based ISB Foundation (501c3).
Liaise with the school’s Family Association to ensure that there is an effective exchange of information and feedback on the experience of life and learning at ISB.
The successful candidate will have many of the following skills and competencies, as well as the willingness to grow in these areas.
Leadership experience, skills, and qualities
Previous experience in several of the areas pertaining to Advancement.
Capacity to write on behalf of the organization.
A passion for learning and leading and a demonstrated capacity for leadership.
A commitment to innovation as a strategy for continuous improvement.
An understanding of, and commitment to, the ISB mission and vision.
A future focus, thinking about the school that ISB is required to be today and tomorrow.
An effective listener to the many voices that contribute to the story of our school.
An ability to energise and inspire others with a personal presence that instills trust, confidence, and warmth.
A coherence-maker, seeing patterns and trends, as well as communicating these effectively to those within and outside of the team.
An ability to embody the school’s core dispositions of respect, responsibility, reflection, and provide an example to others in terms of commitment, empowerment, and drive.
A proficiency in aligning people’s strengths with roles, responsibilities, and positions.
Personal qualities
Understanding of and supportive of the work of other team members.
Focused on designing the experience of life and learning at ISB.
A systems thinker and problem solver.
Develops good relationships with colleagues (collaborative team-player).
A high level of communication and organizational skills.
Flexible and adaptable and able to work in a changing, multicultural environment.
Fluency in English and, preferably, local language(s).
Strong technology literacy.
Application process
Interested candidates should send a cover letter and curriculum vitae to:
Mr James MacDonald
ISB Director
director@isb.be
The closing date for applications is 15 January 2022.
All enquiries are kept confidential.
