Head of Social Services
Are you eager to drive significant change in the educational and holistic well-being of children from under-resourced communities in South Africa?
We prepare our graduates to achieve upward economic mobility, demonstrate good citizenship and become empowered to identify and realise their goals, dreams, and human potential by providing full scholarships at no cost to students from underprivileged communities. Our commitment extends over a 19-year period, encompassing a comprehensive, high-quality educational experience that adheres to national standards.
Christel House has established a global network of fourteen schools providing education from Grade RR to 12. Among these, our Cape Town centre, launched in 2002, stands as the first of potentially more Christel Houses to be established in Africa. This pioneer institution currently impacts twenty local communities by providing an all-encompassing 19-year educational journey. Our focus is on nurturing strong ethical values and providing a plethora of supportive services, which include professional health care, balanced meals, psychosocial counseling, and family assistance.
About the position: Christel House South Africa is seeking a Head of Social Services to lead its multidisciplinary student-support function. Reporting to the Chief Academic Officer, the role leads Admissions, Social Services, Counselling, Psychology and Nursing.
The successful candidate will connect Health & Social Services to academic and behavioural outcomes, oversee serious or high-risk matters, and demonstrate what changed for students and families, not merely what services were delivered.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Lead and hold accountable the multidisciplinary Health & Social Services team, aligning professional disciplines around shared student outcomes and reducing silos.
- Strengthen CHSA’s approach to character, agency, resilience, socio-emotional development and life skills across grades and programmes.
- Ensure fair and defensible admissions, backfill and socioeconomic verification, including home visits and documented decisions.
- Own the quality of safeguarding, child protection, case management, referral, escalation and intensive-support systems.
- Partner with Principals to strengthen attendance, punctuality, retention, behaviour support and reintegration after serious disruption.
- Oversee student health and mental-health services, nutrition, high-risk conditions, referrals and serious school-accident response.
- Strengthen parent and caregiver partnership, community intelligence, targeted family support and external referral pathways.
- Use reliable HSS data to identify risk, assess impact, improve prevention and resource allocation, and report candidly.
- Lead HSS strategy, budget, professional standards, compliance, partnerships and continuous improvement.
REQUIREMENTS & SKILLS:
- A recognised professional degree or equivalent qualification relevant to child, adolescent and psychosocial development.
- Current registration and good standing with the relevant professional body where the candidate’s profession requires registration.
- Relevant experience with children, adolescents and families affected by poverty and social adversity, including at least two years of leadership or supervision of a team.
- Experience in safeguarding and child protection, case management or referral systems, family engagement and complex student-support matters.
- The ability to lead people and systems, use data responsibly, manage priorities and resources, and report accurately.
- Working knowledge of applicable South African child-protection, education, health, privacy and professional requirements.
- A relevant master’s degree or advanced postgraduate qualification, and experience leading an established multidisciplinary team, will be advantageous.
Application Process: Closing Date for Applications is 30th October 2026
Please send your CV, a cover letter and evidence of your credentials to The Chief Academic Officer at recruit@sa.christelhouse.org
Ensure the subject line reads “HEAD OF SOCIAL SERVICES”.
Christel House champions equality and diversity. Appointment rights are reserved
ISASA