Seoul Foreign School Seoul, South Korea Chief Financial Officer July 1, 2017 www.seoulforeign.org
Mission Statement
Seoul Foreign School, centered in Christ, inspires educational excellence and promotes Christian values, personal integrity and responsible global citizenship through a dynamic international experience.
The Position Seoul Foreign School (SFS) seeks a Chief Financial Officer beginning July 2017 to serve as a member of the Senior Administrative Team, overseeing all finance and operations. The individual selected for this position will work closely with the Head of School and Assistant Head of School for Academics along with other administrators to manage all non-academic school-wide affairs, including the supervision of four direct reports, 85 employees, and an operating budget of USD $54 million. The next phase of development for the school will be completing the construction of a new high school building, a major project complementing recent advancements in the school’s academic program.
School History SFS is the seventh oldest international school in the world and the oldest in Korea, with a 100-plus year history of mission-focused education. Since its founding in 1912, Seoul Foreign has maintained its commitment to educating responsible, internationally-minded citizens, becoming the first school in Korea to offer the International Baccalaureate Diploma, the IGCSE, and the National English Curriculum. As of 2016, the School has also become a PYP and MYP Candidate School.
The School Today, Seoul Foreign School is a non-profit international school serving 1,450 students Pre-K through 12th grade. With 261 faculty members, Seoul Foreign School is widely recognized as the city’s leading international school, with a strong commitment to educational excellence and international diversity. Sixty percent of students are U.S. citizens, while the remaining 40% represent nearly 50 countries, with the largest populations from the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Japan, India, and Germany. The school’s unique global environment is complemented by its ongoing dedication to Christian values, which contribute to the caring community and character development of each student at SFS. The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates
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The Head of School reports to a Strategic Board, responsible for upholding the school’s mission, providing fiscal oversight, formulating policies, and developing strategic plans that create a guiding vision for the school’s continuous improvement.
Academics Academics at Seoul Foreign School fall under multiple sections with the Elementary (Pre-K2, Pre-K3, Pre-K4, Kindergarten, and Grades 1-5) and Middle Schools (Grades 6-8) , transitioning to the new PYP and MYP programs. In the British division, student learning adheres to the standards set by the National Curriculum of England. In the High School (Grades 9-12), students generally pursue the IGCSE Program in grades 9 and 10 and the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program in grades 11 and 12, markers of SFS’s commitment to academic achievement across grade levels. Seoul Foreign has worked to create a cohesive academic program across grade levels, guided by their early adoption of the IB model, an emphasis on 21st century skills, and the framework of Understanding by Design, which helps to focus outcome-oriented student learning. At present, SFS is proud to be a Primary Years Programme (PYP) and Middle Years Programme (MYP) candidate school, working closely with the International Baccalaureate Organization to implement a school-wide curriculum that frames student learning in the context of interdisciplinary thinking, service, creativity, collaboration, and critical thought. Across the board, the IB reputation for high standards supports SFS’s commitment to excellence, while the ideal of creating a better world through education aligns with the Christian mission of the school.
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College Acceptances The following is a selection of schools to which members of the Class of 2016 have been accepted: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
American University (DC) Arizona State University Barnard College Baylor University Berklee College of Music Boston College Brown University Carnegie Mellon University Dartmouth College Duke University Ecole Hoteliere de Lausanne Emerson College Emory University The George Washington University Hope College Knox College Loyola University-Chicago Michigan State University New York University Northwestern University Oberlin College Pennsylvania State University Pepperdine University Princeton University Purdue University Santa Clara University Stanford University Syracuse University United States Military Academy University College London University of Bristol University of British Columbia University of California-Berkeley University of Edinburgh University of Michigan University of Notre Dame University of Pennsylvania University of Sydney Virginia Tech Washington University in St. Louis Wellesley College Yale University
Arts and Athletics With five large-scale productions each year and formal drama coursework from grade 6 onward, theater takes center stage at SFS. The music program is similarly robust, with 95% of students participating in one of the many instrumental and vocal ensembles: from preschool onward, student musicians have the opportunity to perform in some of the school’s 25 annual recitals and concerts. In the visual arts, students delve into 2- and 3-D media from an early age, experimenting with digital art in the upper grades, and exploring traditional Korean art and its techniques. At the culmination of each arts program, students may choose to pursue an IB course that prepares students to continue their studies of drama, music, and art at the post-secondary level. Athletics is another robust part of life at SFS, with upwards of a dozen different sports offerings and ample athletic facilities, including an on-campus pool. While students learn to play competitively, sports at SFS are also considered an avenue toward character education, with Crusaders developing responsibility, dedication, commitment, teamwork, and leadership skills that will serve them well throughout their time at the school and beyond.
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School Life Seoul Foreign School’s non-denominational Christian affiliation manifests itself in both the curriculum and other aspects of school life: while students practice various religions, all students study Christianity’s history and present, and character education and extracurricular activities encourage each individual to live out lives in keeping with the Christian faith. Through the School Wide Extracurricular Program, Seoul Foreign School creates an environment that values depth of commitment, with students demonstrating consistent and dedicated involvement in the activities of their choice rather than simply dabbling in an array of different offerings. In this way, students learn to make intentional about time management and hone skills associated with selfreflection, even as they explore art, music, computer programming, intramural sports, and more. In addition, SFS has robust and competitive programs in Forensics and Model United Nations, offering opportunities for students to hone their talents in the realms of public speaking and debate. Other notable offerings include the annual Discovery Week, a high school program in which students pursue weeklong experiential learning opportunities that may include overseas travel, service, and opportunities to explore Korean history and culture up close.
Physical Campus Seoul Foreign School is situated on a park-like campus of 26 acres atop a hill that provides a place of calm in the midst of the bustling city. The campus is characterized by a blend of traditional Korean features and more contemporary architecture, with academic buildings for each division and athletic The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates
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facilities. SFS also boasts purpose-built art facilities such as the Lyso Center for the Performing Arts, which features a 700-seat theater and smaller black box along with music rehearsal studios, practice rooms, and a composition lab. The 420-seat Robb Hall Theater is used regularly for assemblies in addition to special performances and events.
Seoul, South Korea As both South Korea’s capital and largest city, Seoul is home to a population of approximately 10 million, a number that includes more than 250,000 foreigners. Seoul is notable for its mix of traditional and modern. The city, which was founded in 18 BCE, is home to five UNESCO heritage sites. Yet Seoul has also being recognized as the world’s most wired city, home to Fortune 500 companies such as Samsung, LG, and Hyundai-Kia. As such, Seoul is one of the world’s largest metropolitan economies, with a high quality of life, efficient public transportation, cutting-edge medical care, and low crime rates. Seoul’s many neighborhoods offer a wealth of art, culture, shopping, and dining. In addition to being the birthplace of K-pop, an up-and-coming food destination, and bustling 24-hour city, Seoul is a developing model of urban design, with landscapes parks and green spaces becoming an increasingly prominent feature of the cityscape. Outside Seoul, mountains and national parks offer further opportunities for walking and hiking, and the beach beckons a few hours to the west.
Key Requirements of the Ideal Candidate Seoul Foreign School seeks an internationally-minded candidate with the experience and dedication to support the school in its mission of continuous growth and improvement. The school seeks candidates who demonstrate most, if not all, of the following: The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates
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• Significant experience in leading and managing an organization of similar size and/or stature as SFS • International, culturally sensitive outlook • The ability to work as part of a team, with a ‘can-do’ attitude and a willingness to work flexible hours outside of the regular school day • Proven ability as an innovative, results-oriented, self-motivated, energetic, creative problem solver • Experience in and proven knowledge of current approaches to staff supervision and evaluation • Ability to engage in multiple tasks, to motivate and inspire others, and to lead change successfully • Excellence in written and oral communication with a wide variety of stakeholders • An entrepreneurial attitude to developing opportunities within the exciting city of Seoul • Ability to support the Christian Mission of the School
Key Responsibilities The new Chief Financial Officer will be charged with the following responsibilities: • Supervise and work with the School Business Manager and the Financial Controls Manager in the preparation of the annual budgets for the Operating and Plant Funds of the School; • Supervise the School Business Manager who is responsible for the overall operation of, and the development of policies and procedures for the School Business Office; • Report to and advise the Finance Committee and Compliance Committee of the School Board; • Prepare the annual audit of the School’s financial statements; recommend an auditor to the SFS Board. Interface and coordinate with the auditor appointed by the SFS Board; • Develop the annual salary and benefit packages for the various classes of employees; • Manage and monitor the short-term investments of the School to maximize returns following the investment guidelines established by the SFS Board Finance Committee; The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates
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• Liaise with the administration and authorities/legal advisors to ensure the school meets local legal requirements/compliance issues; • Manage risk to ensure the safety of personnel and students in their use of the facilities and to maintain appropriate levels of insurance to protect the property and to cover the liability of the school; • Supervise the Director of General Affairs, the Director of Human Resources, the Director of Operations, Communications and Marketing, and the Nurse’s Office personnel; • Oversee the revision and development of Administrative Regulations, their approval through the Head of School, as well as the subsequent distribution to faculty and staff; • Approve all hiring of new classified staff and approve annually the salary computations for the classified staff; • Supervise the Business Office function of purchasing through overseas purchasing agents utilizing the purchase order system; • Oversee the school’s Transportation Department including buses, minivans, and sedans; • Oversee the preparedness of the faculty for emergency situations and training; • Manage and evaluate the School’s food service and catering operations; • Perform other duties as assigned by the Head of School.
To Apply Interested and qualified candidates should submit electronically in one email and as separate documents (preferably PDFs) the following materials: • A cover letter expressing their interest in this particular position • A current résumé • A list of five (5) professional references with name, phone number, and email address of each to: Greg Britton Search Consultant greg.britton@carneysandoe.com
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