Corporate Head of Academics - School Strategy

LEAMS Education; Dubai; On-site; AED 391,000 - 558,000; Full time

Job summary

LEAMS Education in Dubai, United Arab Emirates seeks a Corporate Head of Academics - School Strategy to shape group-wide educational strategy and raise student attainment across its British and CBSE schools.

You will oversee curriculum and assessment frameworks, drive school improvement, monitor performance data, lead professional development, and partner with Principals to implement ambitious academic priorities.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of academic leadership experience across multiple schools or large education organisations.
• Strong knowledge of British curriculum frameworks and CBSE environment.
• Extensive familiarity with UAE education regulations and inspection expectations.
• Experience leading school improvement planning and implementation.

Responsibilities

• Define and implement a coherent academic strategy across all schools within the group.
• Oversee curriculum design and implementation across British and CBSE schools.
• Review assessment frameworks to provide reliable information about student progress.
• Lead school improvement initiatives based on performance evidence and priorities.
• Develop group-level academic policies, standards and operational guidance.
• Translate audit findings into clear improvement actions with accountability.

Skills

Strategic educational leadership

Multi-school governance

Curriculum development

Data-driven decision making

Education

Master's degree in Education or related field

Doctorate or NPQH preferred

Job description

Corporate Head of Academics - School Strategy Job Snapshot Role: Corporate Head of Academics - School Strategy Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates Industry: Education Management Function: Educaiton Management Experience: Minimum 10 years Job Type: Full-time Position Overview Corporate Head of Academics - School Strategy in Dubai, United Arab Emirates is a senior Education Management opportunity for an accomplished academic leader with extensive experience across British and CBSE school systems. LEAMS Education is hiring a Corporate Head of Academics to shape group-wide educational strategy, strengthen teaching and learning standards, drive school improvement, oversee curriculum and assessment frameworks, and raise student attainment across multiple schools. Country: United Arab Emirates City: Dubai Industry: Education Management Function: Educaiton Management Salary: 35000-50000 Estimated salary range based on similar jobs in the job city; please confirm the final offer with the employer. Gender: Any Candidate Nationality: Any Job Type: Full-time

Key Responsibilities

• Define and implement a coherent academic strategy across all schools within the group.
• Ensure academic priorities reflect the organization 's vision, mission and long-term educational objectives.
• Oversee curriculum design and implementation across British and CBSE schools.
• Maintain consistency in teaching and learning expectations while respecting the requirements of individual curriculum frameworks.
• Develop group-level academic policies, standards and operational guidance.
• Review assessment frameworks to ensure they provide reliable information about student progress and attainment.
• Set expectations for effective teaching, curriculum delivery and instructional quality across schools.
• Lead school improvement initiatives based on performance evidence and identified priorities.
• Use internal academic data to identify attainment gaps, emerging trends and areas requiring intervention.
• Benchmark school performance against relevant inspection frameworks and international standards.
• Work closely with Principals to establish measurable improvement priorities.
• Collaborate with Phase Heads and Heads of Departments to strengthen teaching practice and curriculum execution.
• Monitor student attainment and progress across schools using structured performance indicators.
• Challenge underperformance and support school leaders in developing focused corrective action plans.
• Lead the design and implementation of academic audits.
• Conduct school reviews to evaluate curriculum effectiveness, teaching standards and assessment practice.
• Translate audit and review findings into clear improvement actions with defined accountability.
• Monitor implementation of academic recommendations and evaluate their impact.
• Develop professional learning priorities based on observed teaching needs and performance evidence.
• Shape high-impact professional development programmes for teachers and academic leaders.
• Build leadership capability among Principals, middle leaders and department heads.
• Promote the sharing of effective teaching strategies and academic best practices across the group.
• Support curriculum innovation where changes can improve student engagement, progression or achievement.
• Review new educational approaches before group-wide implementation.
• Provide strategic guidance on assessment design, moderation and reporting.
• Strengthen consistency in academic tracking and student performance analysis.
• Analyse academic performance data at school, phase, department and group level.
• Prepare executive-level reports that translate data into actionable academic priorities.
• Present academic performance insights to senior leadership and relevant stakeholders.
• Establish clear accountability for academic outcomes across the school network.
• Support new school openings by designing appropriate academic structures and curriculum frameworks.
• Advise on staffing models, subject structures and academic leadership requirements for new schools.
• Contribute to school licensing, inspection readiness and accreditation processes.
• Ensure academic frameworks meet relevant regulatory and curriculum requirements.
• Represent LEAMS Education during academic forums, inspections and regulatory engagements.
• Maintain current knowledge of UAE education regulations and inspection expectations.
• Support schools in preparing evidence for external reviews and inspections.
• Review inspection findings and ensure appropriate follow-up action is implemented.
• Promote alignment between curriculum intent, classroom delivery and measured student outcomes.
• Encourage a culture of continuous improvement and professional accountability.
• Facilitate cross-school academic collaboration and professional exchange.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of academic programmes and strategic initiatives.
• Advise senior leadership on emerging educational trends and their potential relevance to the group.
• Support succession planning for key academic leadership positions.
• Maintain strong communication with school leadership teams across diverse educational settings.
• Drive consistent expectations for quality while enabling schools to respond appropriately to their individual contexts.

Ideal Profile

Candidates should hold a master 's degree or higher in Education or a closely related field. A doctorate or recognised senior leadership qualification such as NPQH is preferred. Applicants should have at least 10 years of academic leadership experience. A minimum of 5 years should have been spent in a senior leadership role within a school group, large education organisation or regulatory environment. Candidates must demonstrate a proven record of improving academic performance across multiple schools or complex educational settings. Strong knowledge of British curriculum frameworks is required. Comprehensive understanding of the CBSE curriculum and Indian school education environment is also essential. Applicants should have substantial familiarity with UAE education regulations and inspection expectations. Experience leading school improvement planning and implementation is required. Candidates should demonstrate expertise in curriculum development, assessment frameworks and teaching quality. Previous responsibility for academic audits, school reviews or quality assurance processes is highly valuable. The successful candidate should be confident interpreting complex academic performance data and translating findings into strategic action. Experience supporting school setup, accreditation or regulatory approval will be advantageous. Applicants should have strong executive communication and stakeholder management capabilities. The role requires the ability to influence Principals and senior academic leaders without relying solely on direct operational authority. Candidates should demonstrate sound judgement, strategic thinking and the ability to prioritise across multiple schools. Strong team-building and leadership development skills are essential. Applicants must be comfortable operating across culturally and academically diverse school environments.

Skills Set

Academic strategy Education leadership Multi-school management School improvement British Curriculum CBSE Curriculum Curriculum development Curriculum governance Teaching and learning standards Assessment frameworks Academic audits School reviews Quality assurance Student attainment Student progress analysis Academic performance data Data-driven decision making Inspection frameworks UAE education regulations School accreditation Regulatory inspections School setup Academic policy development Curriculum innovation Assessment moderation Professional development Teacher development Leadership development Principal coaching Department leadership Performance benchmarking Academic reporting Executive reporting Strategic planning Education governance School improvement planning Academic accountability Educational quality Stakeholder engagement Cross-school collaboration Succession planning Continuous improvement

Why Join Us

This position offers the opportunity to influence teaching quality and student achievement across an entire portfolio of schools rather than within a single campus. The Corporate Head of Academics will have direct input into curriculum strategy, academic governance, leadership development and school improvement across both British and CBSE educational environments. LEAMS Education provides a platform for an experienced academic leader to shape group-wide standards, introduce evidence-based improvements and work closely with senior school leaders on long-term educational performance. The role also offers exposure to school development, regulatory engagement and new-school academic planning within the growing UAE education sector. The position includes a competitive salary and benefits package together with the opportunity to work within a collaborative corporate leadership team focused on measurable educational impact and sustainable school improvement.

About the Company

LEAMS Education is an established education provider in the United Arab Emirates operating a diverse portfolio of British and Indian curriculum schools. The group focuses on academic quality, school improvement and professional development while supporting consistent standards across its educational network. Through coordinated leadership, curriculum oversight and continuous evaluation, LEAMS Education works to strengthen teaching effectiveness and student outcomes across its schools.