Dubai Schools Director

Dubai Schools are seeking an outstanding and highly qualified Dubai Schools Director to join in August 2024.

Job Purpose

To implement the vision of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum

“We have a responsibility to equip our students with new skills and knowledge that will help them pursue excellence and success in the future. The ‘Dubai Schools’ initiative represents a new phase in our long-term educational plan created to support the sustainability of our development journey.”

The Dubai Schools Director has the responsibility to strategically deliver the Dubai Schools Mission, to be a beacon of Academic Excellence, combining an inquisitive teaching approach and future-focused skill set delivery, we work hand-in-hand with the community to nurture students to become independent and empathetic learners. We offer an American Education that will be guided by Arabic principles, Islamic Values, Science & Technology, which will foster future-ready graduates, driven by pride, academic robustness and tolerance. 

The Dubai Schools Director will report to the Taaleem School Executive Board (SEB), leading and guiding School Principals and their teams to deliver high quality education in each of our schools, with the aim of achieving excellent outcomes from the various Regulatory Inspection Boards. The postholder will promote excellence in school leadership and academic operations and contribute to the growth and success of the organisation.

The Dubai Schools Director will have an understanding of the U.S. Common Core State Standards, lead the U.S. curriculum schools through supporting and challenging Principals with establishing high standards and delivery of effective teaching and learning to enable students and staff to succeed.

Managing and monitoring of performance is required through systematic and rigorous self-evaluation processes using both internal and external data. The postholder will devise and execute strategies for delivering continuing improvement in the schools. The postholder will lead Governance, in partnership with the Knowledge Fund, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Education Officer, to hold the schools accountable.

Key Accountabilities

Strategic Leadership

• The Dubai Schools Director will be exclusively focused on managing and quality assuring all activities within the Dubai Schools portfolio. 

•The Dubai Schools Director will play a pivotal role in ensuring the highest standards across all facets of Dubai Schools.

• Their primary responsibility will be to meticulously quality assure every aspect of the portfolio, inclusive but not exclusive to education, recruitment, professional development, marketing and admissions.

• The Dubai Schools Director will be capable of developing and implementing robust quality assurance frameworks to guarantee excellence in educational delivery, administrative efficiency, stakeholder satisfaction and to achieve project KPIs as determined on an annual basis.

Educational Leadership

• The Dubai Schools Director will line manage each Dubai School Principal and hold them responsible for academic outcomes and continuous improvement. In addition, this role will include working closely with the leadership of Taaleem Finance, Marketing, HR and Operations, as well as other stakeholders, to understand and drive support needed for the Dubai Schools Project.

• Prepare Dubai Schools for inspections and accreditations within appropriate timelines.

• Coach, mentor, guide and lead the senior education leadership teams to continually improve upon standards, the results of which will be reflected in improvements in outcomes for students and the inspection report.

• Work with school leaders and where applicable, the Governing Body to develop a consistent educational strategy across the Dubai Schools Cluster.

• Build the Dubai Schools Cluster’s reputation as an employer of choice attracting the very best talent from across the globe. • Take measures to improve academic outcomes by creating an environment that encourages learning and a culture of high achievement.

• Support and advise school leaders to ensure all statutory education regulations, within the UAE and with regard to US Curriculum Accreditation (NEASC), are adhered to.

• Maintain a strong, current knowledge of the latest pedagogical developments within the U.S. Common Core State Standards and globally

• Lead by example in encouraging colleagues across the Dubai Schools Cluster to be outward facing in their approach.

Team Development & Relationship Management

• Recruit, retain and develop a team of outstanding educationalists and leaders to support the growth of the Dubai Schools Cluster.

• Facilitate and host events which empower the development of leadership and effective practice across the Dubai Schools Cluster.

• Be a ‘critical friend’ to the Principals, evaluate performance and support their leadership in the pursuit of excellence.

• Build a strong working relationship with all parties with specific focus on partner stakeholders.

• Act as the academic representative at Taaleem Board level.

• Represent Taaleem and ‘Dubai Schools’ at partner stakeholder meetings.

External Engagement

• Effective engagement with The Executive Council of Dubai, The Knowledge Fund Establishment and the Knowledge and Human Development Authority, providing reports, presentations and other key documentation as required.

• Be a compelling ambassador for the Dubai Schools Cluster and play a key role in building the schools credibility as leading education providers, through appropriate forums and thought leadership presence.

• Proactively manage relationships with awarding and accrediting bodies.

• Proactively manage counterpart relationships with all stakeholders including Students, Parents and Faculty.

• Work closely with the relevant business leaders in the school and members of the SEB and Heads of Department at Central Office to ensure that: o Enrolment targets are ambitious yet realistic, and the school is well placed to meet these targets. o Annual budgets and staffing are carefully planned for and reviewed to ensure fiscal prudency, and that spending is aligned with the school’s strategic development and improvement plans

Requirements

Education

Essential: PHD or relevant Masters Degree in Education/Educational Leadership

Desirable: State Principal License

Experience

Essential: Experience of the international education sector -Minimum of two positions as Principal/Executive Principal of a K-12 international school offering the U.S Common Core State Standards -Previous experience of leading a Schools Group or Cluster either within the UAE or globally.

Desirable: -Previous experience of leading an American Curriculum School offering the New York State Curriculum Standards

If you are interested in applying for this position, please click apply and ensure a copy of your CV is attached to accompany your application.

Taaleem is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. At Taaleem, we hold ourselves to a high standard of effective practices in relation to child protection, and we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. We expect all staff to share this commitment. Successful applicants will be subject to various background checks including receipt of references, proof of relevant qualifications, identification, and police checks, including overseas checks.