Vice Principal - ISNA Schools (K–12)
Mississauga, Ontario · Full-Time, Permanent · On-Site
Campus placement: ISNA Elementary School (JK–Grade 8) or ISNA High School (Grades 9–12), determined by the strengths of the successful candidate.
About ISNA Schools
ISNA Schools is a K–12 Islamic independent school in Mississauga, Ontario, serving 480+ families across two campuses: ISNA Elementary School (IES) and ISNA High School (IHS). Guided by our IHSAN values - Ikhlas (sincerity), Humility, Service, Ambition, and Naseeha (sincere counsel) - we deliver the Ontario curriculum within a nurturing Islamic environment, developing students of strong character, academic excellence, and conscientious citizenship. ISNA Schools is entering an exciting period of institutional growth, including strategic campus planning, a modernized governance and policy framework, and an expanding academic program.
The Opportunity
We are seeking an accomplished educational leader to join our administrative team as Vice Principal. Reporting to the campus Principal (who reports to the Executive Director), the Vice Principal provides instructional and operational leadership that motivates staff toward superior performance and provides the best possible opportunities for student growth - academically, personally, and spiritually.
Because ISNA Schools operates as one K–12 system, we are hiring for leadership capacity rather than a single panel. The successful candidate will be placed at the campus that best fits their strengths, and should be comfortable leading across grade levels and subject areas. Candidates with experience in either elementary or secondary settings - or both - are encouraged to apply.
Leadership as Amanah - The Islamic Dimension of This Role
At ISNA Schools, school leadership is an amanah - a sacred trust. The Vice Principal is a murabbi: an educator-mentor whose personal example teaches as powerfully as any lesson. You will help lead students in salah and dua, mentor staff in weaving Islamic values and tarbiyah authentically through the Ontario curriculum, uphold the adab and akhlaq of our community, and help every child see that excellence in learning and excellence in character are one pursuit. We are therefore seeking an educator whose faith, knowledge, and personal practice equip them to carry this trust. This is a call to educators who live their Islam with sincerity - not a requirement for formal religious scholarship. Our Islamic Studies and Quran specialists carry the scholarly program; the Vice Principal's role is to lead by example.
Key Responsibilities
Aligned with the Ontario Leadership Framework (OLF) and the Education Act of Ontario, the Vice Principal will:
- Instructional leadership - Set high standards and expectations for the Ontario curriculum, Islamic values, and good citizenship; lead continuous improvement in curriculum, assessment, and teaching methods in cooperation with subject leads and teaching staff.
- People leadership - Observe, coach, evaluate, and motivate teaching and support staff; participate in the selection and orientation of new personnel; provide the Principal with recommendations on appointments, promotions, and performance matters; plan and conduct faculty meetings.
- School operations - Develop and administer the daily school routine; coordinate scheduling and timetabling, supervision duties, testing (e.g., EQAO), student records, attendance, and transportation authorizations; support annual budget planning for facilities and operations.
- Student success and culture - Maintain a standard of student behaviour built on respect; resolve student behavioural issues with fairness and consistency; identify intellectual, physical, social, and emotional needs affecting student success and coordinate responses with teachers, parents, and support personnel.
- Compliance and policy - Ensure adherence to all applicable federal and provincial laws and regulations, Board policies and procedures, staff handbooks, and Islamic protocols; train staff on policy compliance.
- Community and communication - Maintain effective communication with staff, students, and parents; actively participate in parent–teacher and community engagement; support enrolment goals, fundraising activities, and grant applications.
- Institutional improvement - Contribute to school improvement planning and system-wide initiatives; recommend changes that improve administration, supervision, and student development across ISNA Schools.
Required Qualifications
- Able to fully participate in and help lead the school's Islamic religious life - including joining and, when needed, leading congregational salah and dua - and to model Islamic conduct, character (akhlaq), etiquette (adab), and dress to students and staff as a daily example. Sincere personal practice and sound everyday knowledge of Islamic worship are what this requires; formal Islamic scholarship is welcome but not expected.
- Bachelor's degree from a recognized university.
- Minimum five (5) years of experience in education (teaching and/or school administration), including demonstrated leadership or management responsibility (e.g., department head, coordinator, vice principal, program lead, or equivalent hard management experience managing people, budgets, or operations).
- Demonstrated versatility across multiple subject areas and/or grade levels, with the ability to lead teachers outside one's own teaching specialty.
- Strong working knowledge of the Ontario curriculum and provincial education requirements.
- Excellent interpersonal, communication, conflict-resolution, and organizational skills; sound judgment and the highest standard of professional integrity.
- Commitment to upholding ISNA Schools' Islamic conduct expectations and dress code in all professional settings, and to living the IHSAN values - Ikhlas, Humility, Service, Ambition, and Naseeha - in daily leadership.
- Legally entitled to work in Canada; a satisfactory Vulnerable Sector Check is a condition of employment.
Strong Assets (Preferred, Not Required)
- Ontario College of Teachers (OCT) certification in good standing.
- Principal's Qualification Program (PQP Part 1 and/or Part 2) or willingness to pursue it.
- Master's degree in Education, Educational Leadership, or a related field.
- Leadership experience in both elementary and secondary panels, or in independent/faith-based schools.
- Formal Islamic education (e.g., an Islamic Studies degree or ijazah, hifz or advanced tajweed, Arabic proficiency).
- Experience designing or leading tarbiyah/character education, Quran or Islamic Studies programming, Ramadan and Eid programming, or Islamic student life, and integrating faith authentically with the Ontario curriculum.
- Experience with EQAO administration, IEP/special education processes, timetabling systems, and school information systems.
Compensation and Working Conditions
- Expected salary range: $85,000–$100,000 annually, commensurate with qualifications, certifications, and experience, paid semi-monthly.
- Participation in the staff benefits program; six (6) weeks of paid vacation inclusive of school holiday periods; nine (9) paid personal/sick days; two paid days off for each Eid falling within the school year.
- Standard hours Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m., with flexibility required based on school operational needs.
How to Apply
If you meet the required qualifications and are excited by this role, we encourage you to apply even if you don't hold every preferred asset - we are hiring for leadership capacity and character, and we invest in our leaders' growth.
Apply through the ISNA Schools career centre with (1) a résumé and (2) a cover letter of no more than two pages describing your leadership philosophy and how you would live our IHSAN values as a Vice Principal. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis; the posting remains open until filled, with priority given to applications received by Monday, August 3, 2026. Internal candidates apply through the internal career centre and are considered through the same process.
ISNA Schools is committed to a fair, respectful, and dignified hiring process. We thank all applicants; only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Accommodations are available on request at any stage of the recruitment process in accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code and the AODA. ISNA Schools is a religious educational institution. The ability to lead and model the school's Islamic religious life is a bona fide occupational requirement of this leadership role, as permitted under s. 24(1)(a) of the Ontario Human Rights Code. Applicant screening is supported by artificial intelligence tools (candidate relevancy ranking) within our applicant tracking system; all hiring decisions are made by people.
