Deputy Head of School (Academic)

The Deputy Head of School (Academic) provides strategic across all academic functions of the School, ensuring the delivery of high quality teaching and learning aligned to both the School’s vision, mission, and Strategic Plan, and Cognita’s “Teaching for Impactful Learning and Progress (TILP)”. She/he is a member of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) and reports directly to the Head of School. Responsibilities: The Deputy Head of School will assume responsibilities and duties, including but not limited to: Academic Leadership Strategy: - Partners with the senior leadership team to ensure effective daily operations and alignment to the School’s vision and mission; - Drives educational practices, ensuring standards are aligned with the School’s vision and mission and Strategic Plan, and TILP; - Ensures a school-wide approach to the evaluation of the quality of teaching and learning; ensuring that Heads of Primary and Secondary are held to account for improvement aligned with whole-school agreed policies. - Leads accreditation compliance and continuity; - Oversees assessment frameworks (e.g. MAP, etc ) and ensure data is analyzed and used to drive improvement and evaluate impact. Staff Leadership Development: - Leads workforce planning in collaboration with school leadership; - Drives consistent standards across the faculty; - Ensures data-informed teaching and targeted interventions are embedded in practice; - Oversees role clarity through regular review of academic job descriptions; - Oversees recruitment of high-quality teaching staff; - In partnership with the Head of School, oversees leadership appointments and responsibilities; - Contributes to the Head of School in enhancing and developing (along with the Principals and AP’s) the teacher appraisal framework; - Leads school-wide staff professional development programmes; - Ensures goal-setting and performance review frameworks are embedded and effective. Student Outcomes Experiences: - Oversees admissions decisions aligned with School policies and procedures; - Leads the school’s approach to the use of student voice to evaluate academic provision, including Voice of the Learner, ensuring that data is used to drive improvement and evaluate impact. - Leads monitoring and evaluation of student progress and achievement across the School; - Ensures robust admissions assessment procedures; - Ensures effective student welfare and discipline frameworks; - Drives development of student competencies for 21st Century leadership. Curriculum and Accreditation: - Oversees, in conjunction with the Head of School and Principals, the curriculum design, implementation and evaluation; - Ensures the School remains at the forefront of educational innovation; - Accreditation – coordinates the preparation of the School self-study, the team visits, and other liaison with accreditation and authorization bodies and the local Ministry of Education; - IB liaison: Through liaison with the Head of School, works with Principals and Curriculum coordinators to ensure the School is prepared for programme evaluation; that teachers have the opportunity to become workshop leaders and that ISHCMC develops a close relationship with the IB Asia Pacific Region office in programme evaluations, staff release as workshop leaders, and planning and coordinating IB workshops at ISHCMC. Financial Stewardship: - Leads academic budgeting aligned to strategic priorities; - Ensures effective and disciplined budget management. Stakeholder Management: - Leads effective communication with staff and community; - Keeps Head of School informed; - Provides strategic reports to the Head of School on various aspects of the school’s operation as required; - Represents the School in internal and external forums. Leadership Deputisation: - Acts on behalf of the Head of School when required; - Contributes to strategic planning and school development; - Undertakes additional duties as required. The job holder’s responsibility for promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children and young person’s for whom s/he is responsible, or with whom s/he comes into contact will be to adhere to and ensure compliance with the relevant Cognita Safeguarding; Child Protection Policy and Procedures at all times. If in the course of carrying out the duties of the role, the job holder identifies any instance that a child is suffering or likely to suffer significant harm either at school or at home, s/he must report any concerns to the School’s Designated Safeguarding Lead or to the Head of School or indeed to the Cog Managing Director or Safeguarding Manager - Asia so that a referral can be made accordingly to the statutory services. How to Apply: Complete this application before the closing date. The Closing Date for Applications is: 10 June 2026 . Cognita Schools are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff, volunteers and other third parties to share this commitment. Safer recruitment practice and pre-employment background checks will be undertaken before any appointment is confirmed. We believe having a diverse workforce makes us better, smarter and happier and so welcome applicants from all backgrounds, genders, and races. We have an unwavering commitment to being fair and equitable in our recruitment process. Early applications are encouraged, we reserve the right to interview and appoint prior to closing date for the right applicant.