Director of Curriculum - Teaching and Assessment

Gems Education UAE; Dubai; On-site; AED 30,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

GEMS Education in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, is seeking a Director of Curriculum to shape curriculum strategy, teaching quality and assessment across Pre-Prep to Sixth Form. The role leads curriculum development, strengthens evidence-informed teaching and aligns assessment with curriculum intent, supporting innovative learning across the GEMS School of Research and Innovation.

The successful candidate will drive continuous improvement, collaborate with senior leaders and maintain rigorous

Qualifications

• Senior Education Management opportunity requiring experienced academic leader who can shape curriculum strategy, teaching quality, assessment and continuous improvement across the school.

Responsibilities

• Lead the strategic development and continuous improvement of curriculum across all phases of the school.
• Ensure curriculum design provides appropriate breadth, depth, challenge, coherence and progression for every learner.
• Work with senior and middle leaders to align subject curricula with whole-school educational priorities.
• Review curriculum sequencing to ensure knowledge and skills develop logically from one stage of learning to the next.
• Provide strategic oversight of teaching, learning and assessment across Pre-Prep, Prep, Secondary and Sixth Form.
• Champion evidence-informed teaching approaches that improve student understanding, retention and achievement.

Skills

Curriculum leadership

School improvement

Job description

Director of Curriculum - Teaching and Assessment

Job Snapshot

• Role: Director of Curriculum - Teaching and Assessment
• Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
• Industry: Education Management
• Function: Educaiton Management
• Experience: Significant curriculum leadership and school improvement experience
• Job Type: Full-time

Position Overview

Director of Curriculum - Teaching and Assessment in Dubai, United Arab Emirates is a senior Education Management opportunity for an experienced academic leader who can shape curriculum strategy, teaching quality, assessment and continuous improvement across the school. GEMS Education is hiring a forward-thinking Director of Curriculum to lead curriculum development, strengthen evidence-informed teaching, align assessment with curriculum intent and support innovative learning across GEMS School of Research and Innovation.

Job Details

• Country: United Arab Emirates
• City: Dubai
• Industry: Education Management
• Function: Educaiton Management
• Salary: 30000-45000 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

Role Context

The Director of Curriculum will provide strategic leadership for curriculum design, teaching, learning and assessment from Pre-Prep and Prep through Secondary and Sixth Form. The role will ensure that curriculum provision is ambitious, coherent, inclusive and appropriately challenging while maintaining clear progression across every phase of the school. Working closely with the Principal, Senior Leadership Team, Lead Practitioners and teaching staff, the Director will translate the educational vision of GEMS School of Research and Innovation into consistent classroom practice. A major focus will be evaluating the impact of teaching and learning through assessment data, student outcomes and quality assurance, then converting those findings into practical improvement priorities.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the strategic development and continuous improvement of curriculum across all phases of the school.
• Ensure curriculum design provides appropriate breadth, depth, challenge, coherence and progression for every learner.
• Work with senior and middle leaders to align subject curricula with whole-school educational priorities.
• Review curriculum sequencing to ensure knowledge and skills develop logically from one stage of learning to the next.
• Provide strategic oversight of teaching, learning and assessment across Pre-Prep, Prep, Secondary and Sixth Form.
• Champion evidence-informed teaching approaches that improve student understanding, retention and achievement.
• Support leaders and teachers in translating curriculum intent into consistently effective classroom delivery.
• Establish clear expectations for high-quality teaching and monitor implementation across departments and phases.
• Lead quality assurance processes that evaluate curriculum implementation and the impact of classroom practice.
• Use lesson observations, learning reviews, student work, assessment information and other evidence to identify strengths and improvement priorities.
• Analyse student outcomes and assessment data to evaluate curriculum effectiveness.
• Identify patterns in attainment and progress and coordinate strategic responses where performance is below expectation.
• Ensure assessment systems are appropriately aligned with curriculum content, sequencing and intended outcomes.
• Strengthen formative and summative assessment practice so teachers receive reliable information about student understanding.
• Support departments in developing meaningful assessment approaches that inform teaching rather than simply measure performance.
• Promote effective use of data while ensuring that professional judgement and curriculum knowledge remain central to decision-making.
• Lead curriculum review cycles and ensure identified actions are implemented, monitored and evaluated.
• Work alongside Lead Practitioners to develop high-impact teaching approaches and strengthen professional practice.
• Design and support professional development linked to curriculum, pedagogy, assessment and school improvement priorities.
• Coach and challenge leaders to improve curriculum implementation within their departments or phases.
• Promote appropriate innovation in curriculum design while maintaining academic rigour and clear educational purpose.
• Lead the purposeful integration of technology where it improves learning, assessment, personalisation or access to curriculum.
• Support the effective use of AI, digital platforms and emerging technologies within appropriate teaching and learning contexts.
• Evaluate innovative learning approaches to determine whether they produce measurable educational value.
• Ensure technology supports rather than distracts from strong curriculum design and high-quality teaching.
• Promote inclusive curriculum planning that supports diverse learner needs without reducing academic ambition.
• Ensure appropriate challenge and progression for high-performing students while strengthening support for learners requiring intervention.
• Collaborate with inclusion and pastoral teams where curriculum adaptations or targeted academic support are required.
• Support the development of interdisciplinary and future-focused learning opportunities where they add clear curriculum value.
• Strengthen connections between curriculum, university pathways, industry exposure and future career readiness.
• Contribute to the development of Sixth Form pathways and ensure appropriate academic progression into higher education and employment.
• Maintain oversight of curriculum documentation, policies and quality assurance records.
• Support inspection, accreditation and external review processes through accurate evidence and clear evaluation of educational provision.
• Provide the Principal and Senior Leadership Team with informed recommendations based on curriculum evidence and student outcomes.
• Contribute to strategic planning and whole-school improvement priorities.

Ideal Profile

The successful candidate will be an experienced educational leader with a strong record of curriculum development, teaching improvement and assessment leadership. Applicants should demonstrate deep understanding of curriculum design, sequencing, progression and quality assurance across multiple phases or subjects. Significant experience in school leadership is required, particularly where responsibilities have included teaching and learning, curriculum, assessment or academic standards. Candidates should be able to interpret assessment data and student outcomes accurately while maintaining a strong understanding of the educational context behind those results. A proven ability to evaluate teaching quality and translate findings into effective professional development and improvement strategies is essential. The successful leader should have strong knowledge of evidence-informed pedagogy and be able to support teachers in applying research to classroom practice. Experience integrating educational technology, AI or innovative learning approaches will be particularly valuable within the GEMS School of Research and Innovation environment. Applicants should demonstrate the ability to challenge established practice constructively and lead change while maintaining staff engagement. Strong communication and influencing skills are essential for working effectively with senior leaders, Lead Practitioners, teachers and wider stakeholders. The role requires a leader who combines strategic thinking with operational discipline and can maintain focus on measurable student outcomes.

Skills Set

• Curriculum leadership
• Curriculum development
• Curriculum design
• Curriculum sequencing
• Curriculum progression
• Teaching and learning leadership
• Assessment leadership
• Formative assessment
• Summative assessment
• Quality assurance
• School improvement
• Academic standards
• Student outcome analysis
• Assessment data analysis
• Progress tracking
• Evidence-informed teaching
• Instructional leadership
• Pedagogical development
• Teacher coaching
• Professional development
• Lead Practitioner collaboration
• Curriculum review
• Learning evaluation
• Lesson observation
• Student work scrutiny
• Academic intervention
• Inclusive curriculum
• Differentiated learning
• High-achiever provision
• Educational technology
• Artificial intelligence in education
• Digital learning
• Personalised learning
• Innovation strategy
• Interdisciplinary learning
• Sixth Form curriculum
• University pathways
• Career readiness
• Inspection readiness
• Accreditation support
• Strategic planning
• Change leadership
• Senior leadership collaboration

Why Join Us

This position offers an experienced academic leader the opportunity to influence the entire learning architecture of a future-focused school. The Director of Curriculum will have strategic responsibility not only for what students learn, but also for how teaching is delivered, how assessment is used and how educational quality is continuously improved. GEMS School of Research and Innovation combines traditional academic ambition with substantial investment in AI, robotics, machine learning, VR and AR, Web3, drones, autonomous technologies and specialist innovation environments. This creates a distinctive setting for a curriculum leader who can evaluate emerging approaches critically and integrate them where they provide genuine educational value. The role also provides significant influence over professional development, quality assurance, curriculum strategy and student outcomes across the full educational journey from Pre-Prep to Sixth Form. Within the wider GEMS Education network, the position offers strong exposure to system-level innovation and further senior leadership opportunities.

About the Company

GEMS Education is a long-established international private education provider with a global network of schools and more than six decades of experience. GEMS School of Research and Innovation in Dubai combines academic ambition with advanced technology, personalised learning, university partnerships and industry engagement. The school serves students from Pre-Prep and Prep through Secondary and Sixth Form, using innovative facilities and future-focused curriculum pathways to connect strong academic foundations with the skills required for higher education, emerging industries and long-term success.