Ms. Emily Rankin Appointed Next Director of HIS

On behalf of the Board of Directors of Harare International School (HIS), Zimbabwe, Search Associates is pleased to announce the appointment of Ms. Emily Rankin as the school’s next Director, beginning in August 2027.

Ms. Rankin brings to HIS a depth of international leadership experience shaped across diverse school communities in Europe. She currently serves as Deputy Executive Head and Head of Academics at St. John’s International School in Belgium. Prior to this, she held several senior leadership roles at The English College in Prague, including Head of Upper School, Whole School Deputy Head, and Teaching and Learning Lead. Her career reflects a sustained commitment to academic excellence, collaborative leadership, and whole-school development within internationally minded contexts.

HIS Board Chair Mrs. Fadzai Muzorewa shared the community’s confidence in the appointment:

The Board was particularly impressed by the scope of Ms. Rankin’s leadership experience at the executive level, her clarity of vision, and her ability to translate strategy into measurable outcomes. Having already operated at the whole school level across academics, staffing, budgeting, and strategic planning, she brings the maturity, judgment, and leadership presence required for the role…Throughout the selection process, she demonstrated a thoughtful, balanced approach, combining high expectations with a strong commitment to community, collaboration, and care.

Ms. Rankin holds a Superintendent License and an Education Specialist degree in Administration from the University of St. Thomas Graduate School of Education, as well as a master’s degree in teaching from Hamline University. She is also a Fellow of the UK’s Chartered College of Teaching, having led schools to outstanding academic outcomes and developed an international teacher training program. Reflecting on her professional path, she shared:

In every educational role I’ve served in – from writing lesson plans to executing school improvement programs – I have seen the transformative power of student agency, strong teaching and learning, supportive relationship,s and effective systems. It is a privilege and a joy to foster these daily.

Colleagues and board members alike have noted Ms. Rankin’s strength in aligning vision with action, as well as her ability to clearly articulate a school’s identity in ways that support long-term growth and sustainability. Her leadership is grounded in a strong commitment to professional learning, wellbeing, and a deep sense of belonging across the school community.

Ms. Rankin expressed her enthusiasm for joining HIS and contributing to its continued development:

HIS is a remarkable, values-led school, and its commitments to curiosity, diversity and continuous growth are both compelling and necessary in today’s world. I am keen to support and empower leadership at every level to build on HIS’s many strengths as we look toward the future.

Beyond her professional life, Ms. Rankin is an avid reader and writer who values balance through weight training and time in nature with her family. She will relocate to Harare with her husband Ben and their two children, Ilona (9) and Lukas (6). She reflected warmly on this next chapter:

My husband Ben and I are delighted that our two children will be part of such a vibrant and warm community, and we are genuinely excited to get to know Zimbabwe’s rich cultural landscape and natural environment together as a family.

Search Associates extends its sincere thanks to all candidates who engaged in this process and to the many members of the HIS community whose insight and support contributed to the successful appointment of the school’s next Director.