Founding Director for New Art School

About the role

The Founding Director will take the new Art School from concept to reality and then lead its operations. This founder‑style mandate includes establishing governance, building the campus, designing programmes and ensuring commercial sustainability.

Key responsibilities

• Establish governance, legal structure and controls; develop business plan, budget and operating model with the Board.
• Design and launch core academic programmes, build faculty, curriculum and accreditation pathways.
• Lead search, design, fit‑out and phased build‑out of a minimum viable campus and oversee facilities, health & safety and student experience.
• Drive financial sustainability through tuition, short courses, partnerships, IP commercialization and philanthropy; own P&L and report to the Board.
• Recruit, build and lead a high‑performing team; act as public face with government, industry, creative community, partners and funders; lead fundraising and partnership development.

Required profile

• Proven track record of building organisations from scratch (school, company, studio, etc.).
• Experience in post‑secondary or TVET‑level creative education, including programme, faculty or curriculum management.
• Demonstrated ability to raise funds personally (grants, philanthropic capital, or commercial investment).
• Credible public voice with strong standing in the African/East African creative ecosystem and international reputation.
• Strong commercial and general‑management instincts, comfortable with business planning, budgets and P&L.

Required skills

• Governance and legal structuring for educational institutions.
• Business planning, budgeting and financial management.
• Fundraising and partnership development.
• Curriculum design and accreditation processes.