Lead Dorm Parent

Position: Lead Dorm Parent

Position :                                                                         Lead Dorm Parent - two positions, one male and one female

Contract term:                                                              August 2027 - July 2029

Reports to:                                                                     Head of Residential Life

Functional reporting for trips and activities : Head of Auxiliary Programs and Outdoor Education

School contribution:                                                  Assigned division with one teaching day each week.

How to Apply:

All applications must be submitted via the school’s website. Candidates should prepare and upload an updated resume and a list of at least three professional references. 

In lieu of a cover letter, please submit a short video introduction of no more than three minutes, and share it as an unlisted YouTube link in the “Website, Blog or Portfolio” field. 

Your video should cover: 

• A brief introduction of yourself 
• Why you’re interested in this role 
• Why you believe you’d be a good fit
• Anything else that will help us get to know you

About Canadian Academy

Canadian Academy is a not-for-profit, secular, gender-inclusive international school located in Kobe, Japan's seventh largest city. CA is accredited by CIS and WASC, an authorized three-program International Baccalaureate World School, and is a member of TABS, The Association of Boarding Schools.

Canadian Academy faculty and staff inspire minds and nurture compassion by providing a rich and engaging program that develops students' skills, promotes curiosity and a love of learning, and prioritizes well-being. Secondary students follow the IB Middle Years Programme in Grades 6-10. Most students pursue the IB Diploma Programme in Grades 11 and 12, while others follow a personalized pathway leading to a CA Diploma.

CA offers opportunities for exploration in the arts, athletics, outdoor education, service and more. Our athletics and performing arts programmes are enriched through participation in the Asia-Pacific Activities Conference, in partnership with 11 other schools in the region. CA is the only APAC member school in Japan.

Position Summary

Canadian Academy's residential programme currently serves 40 students in Grades 9-12 and is expected to grow. The school is seeking two Lead Dorm Parents, one male and one female, to provide consistent operational leadership and appropriate coverage across the residential community.

The Lead Dorm Parent is a highly student-facing role. During assigned residential duties, they act as the shift lead: organizing workflow, guiding colleagues, maintaining routines and responding to student needs. They build trusted relationships with students, support a safe and inclusive community and help daily dorm life run calmly and consistently.

The Head of Residential Life retains responsibility for residential strategy, policy, formal disciplinary decisions and significant parent communication. Lead Dorm Parents exercise professional judgement within established procedures and promptly escalate safeguarding, serious welfare, disciplinary or operational concerns.

The role combines residential work with a school-day contribution. Each Lead Dorm Parent will be linked to a school division and will complete one full teaching day each week of cover teaching or other assigned teaching responsibilities, when required.

Key Responsibilities

Residential Leadership and Daily Operations

• Act as the shift lead during assigned morning, afternoon, evening, weekend and overnight duties.
• Organize the workflow for each shift, allocate responsibilities and ensure clear briefings and handovers between residential staff.
• Oversee daily routines, including room checks, check-ins, meals, evening study, curfews, room expectations and preparation for the school day.
• Respond calmly and consistently to routine student issues, making appropriate decisions within school policy and escalating significant concerns.
• Maintain an active and visible presence in the dormitories and contribute to a welcoming, respectful and well-organized residential environment.

Student Support and Well-Being

• Build strong, appropriate relationships with students through regular participation in dorm life and a genuine interest in their experiences.
• Provide day-to-day pastoral support and notice changes in attendance, behaviour, mood, health, relationships or engagement that may require follow-up.
• Work with the Head of Residential Life, counselors, nurses, learning support staff, teachers and other colleagues to support individual student needs.
• Follow agreed student support plans and communicate relevant information through appropriate handovers and record-keeping systems.
• Promote independence, responsibility, healthy routines, positive relationships and a strong sense of belonging among boarding students.
• Support student leadership, student voice and opportunities for students to contribute positively to the residential community.

Residential Programmes, Trips and Activities

• Support and supervise a varied programme of residential activities that encourages participation, connection and student well-being.
• Work with the Head of Auxiliary Programs and Outdoor Education on the planning and delivery of residential trips and activities.
• Lead either the fall break or spring break residential trip and act as a supervising member of staff on the other trip, working alongside assigned faculty.
• Take agreed time in lieu for break-trip duties, normally during the week immediately before or after the trip, subject to operational needs.
• Complete required planning, risk assessment, student briefing, communication and logistical tasks for trips under the school's approval procedures.
• Maintain effective supervision and duty of care during off-campus activities and respond appropriately to changes or incidents.

Teaching and School Contribution

• Be linked to an assigned school division and contribute to communication between the school day and the residential programme.
• Plan and deliver any assigned teaching in accordance with the expectations of the relevant division and school policies.
• Attend relevant division meetings, training and professional learning where these are compatible with residential responsibilities.

Communication, Records and Family Engagement

• Maintain accurate and timely attendance, welfare, incident and duty records using the school's designated systems.
• Provide clear handovers and ensure that important student information reaches the appropriate residential and school staff.
• Communicate routine information to parents or guardians when asked or authorized to do so by the Head of Residential Life.
• Refer formal disciplinary decisions and disciplinary communication with parents or guardians to the Head of Residential Life and relevant administrators.
• Attend residential staff meetings and contribute constructively to the review of routines, student support and operational practice.

Safety, Safeguarding and Operations

• Follow all safeguarding, health and safety, emergency response and residential procedures.
• Report safeguarding concerns immediately through the school's established procedures and maintain appropriate confidentiality.
• Support emergency drills and help students understand evacuation, accountability and other safety expectations.
• Identify and report maintenance, security or facilities concerns and follow up through the appropriate operational channels.

Working Pattern

• This is a full-time role combining residential duties and school-day teaching or cover responsibilities.
• Residential duties include mornings, afternoons, evenings and weekends according to the published rota.
• Each Lead Dorm Parent will have two protected days off each week, usually Friday and Saturday or Friday and Sunday.
• One of the five teaching days each week will be allocated to cover classroom teaching or other assigned teaching responsibilities within an assigned school division, for the full school day.
• The role includes two overnight on-call duties each week.
• Flexibility is required during trips, emergencies, major school events and other periods of residential need. Equivalent time in lieu will be agreed where additional duties are required.

Required Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree and a recognized teaching qualification. Candidates currently enrolled in a qualification program who are close to finishing will also be considered.
• Successful experience teaching and supporting high school-aged students.
• Experience in boarding, residential life, pastoral care, student activities or a closely related setting.
• Level II child safeguarding training, or willingness to complete and maintain the required school safeguarding training.

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills with students, colleagues and families in an international community.
• Ability to lead a shift, organize workflow, guide colleagues and respond calmly to student or operational concerns.
• Strong organization, judgement and record-keeping skills, including confidence using Google Workspace and student management systems.
• Willingness and ability to work mornings, evenings, weekends, overnight on-call duties and residential break trips.
• Strong understanding of adolescent development and a commitment to student well-being and safeguarding.

• Previous experience in an international school or boarding school.
• Experience leading overnight trips, outdoor education, student activities or residential programmes.
• Training or experience in first aid, crisis response, mental-health support or restorative practice.
• An additional language that can better support our International boarding community and families.
• Familiarity with the IB Middle Years Programme or Diploma Programme.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Commitment

To provide the best possible learning and living environment for our highly diverse, multicultural and international student population, Canadian Academy actively seeks to recruit faculty and staff from groups traditionally underrepresented in international schools. Candidates are warmly encouraged to apply and to reach out for more information about our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and justice.

Canadian Academy offers competitive compensation and benefits for this role, including housing on or near the school campus.