Head of Performing Arts with the ability to teach Music – August 2026 start

Fortes Education; Dubai; On-site; AED 300,000 - 400,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading education provider in the UAE is seeking a Head of Performing Arts to teach Music and lead the Secondary Performing Arts Faculty. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in educational practices and technology, and be committed to enriching students’ learning experiences. This position offers excellent tax-free salary, furnished accommodation, and medical insurance, among other benefits, with a start date in August 2026. The role is based in Dubai, a vibrant and desirable location.

Benefits

Excellent tax-free salary

Furnished accommodation

Relocation allowance

Medical insurance

Annual air-ticket

Tuition fee concession for dependants

State-of-the-art facilities

Professional development opportunities

Qualifications

• Outstanding role models with a strong academic background and work ethic.
• Able to inspire students and contribute to extracurricular activities.
• Committed to enriching learning opportunities in and out of the classroom.

Responsibilities

• Teach Music across Key Stages 3, 4, and 5.
• Lead the Secondary Performing Arts Faculty including Music and Drama.
• Serve as Musical Director for school performances and competitions.
• Maintain and improve music programs, including one-on-one instruction.

Skills

Global educational practices

Communication skills

Technology fluency

Dynamic and enthusiastic attitude

Education

B.Ed. or B.A & PGCE in Music with QTS

Job description

About us

Fortes Education has been a leading education provider in the UAE for over four decades with premium international schools and nurseries that have experienced outstanding success and growth. Our schools offer the most innovative and character-building education in the entire Middle East region. Our core ethos and philosophy of education is Positive Education (PosEd).

Through PosEd, our schools foster active engagement in learning, celebrating character strengths and accomplishments. We encourage children to cultivate fulfilling relationships with others and seek meaning and purpose in their own lives. We enable children to become happy learners and develop into innovative thinkers, confident young adults, and life‑long learners. Our students develop resilience, a growth mindset and deep character strengths that allow them to flourish in an ever‑changing world.

About Sunmarke School – Where Amazing Happens

Sunmarke School provides an ambitious and inspiring, values‑based education that nurtures the hearts and minds of students so that they can flourish and achieve their dreams. Powered by our unique signature programmes, Sunmarke is a uniquely innovative school, transforming young lives. This was reflected in Sunmarke School winning the coveted ‘Most Innovative School’ award at the Which School Advisor ceremony in Dubai and London and by our world‑class IB results ranking in the Top 68 schools globally and twice in the Top 3 in Dubai. These are matched by our A Level and GCSE results which place us in the top 10 schools in Dubai.

Sunmarke is an all‑through school which offers a premium education across a fantastic range of pathways for students including the National Curriculum of England, GCSE/IGCSE, ‘A’ Levels, BTEC and the IB Diploma Programme. We also offer a suite of Signature Programmes unrivalled in Dubai. With unique experiences in Environmental and Sustainability Studies, students learn in Forest School settings, as well as utilising cutting‑edge hydroponic technology to examine how science can support sustainability in future terrains. Our world‑class STEAM centre and curriculum offers students an incredible opportunity to apply their learning in solving real‑world problems, from Foundation Stage through to Year 9. We run best‑in‑class mini‑MBA programmes for our Year 10 to 13 students in conjunction with the Peter Jones Academy and Wharton Investors programme, to ensure their future success in business and entrepreneurship.

We are technologically very innovative and have a world‑class AI and Robotics lab that offers unrivalled experiences in these fast‑changing areas. Additionally we run comprehensive AI programmes for students in all core subjects, as well as deepening other subjects through Augmented and Virtual Reality AR/VR experiences. We have outstanding performing arts opportunities with fantastic facilities and amazing teachers to help our more creative students truly find their voice. We are home to the Fortes Pro Sports Academy where international professional sports coaches work exclusively with our students to reach new heights of performance and to elevate our students to national and international titles.

Sunmarke School was judged by the Dubai School Inspection Bureau (DSIB) as a ‘Very Good’ school in our 3rd year of operation and ‘Outstanding’ in our British Schools Overseas (BSO) inspection in 2019.

We present an exciting opportunity to join our all‑through school and to play an important part in our journey to ‘outstanding’. Sunmarke School, Dubai is one of our flagship schools, located at a prime location in Jumeirah Village Triangle.

About you

We seek to appoint an outstanding Head of Performing Arts with the ability to teach Music for an August 2026 start.

We are looking for certain qualities

• Skilled in the best global educational practices
• Committed to developing and inspiring every student, to believe that they can and will succeed
• Tech‑savvy, fluent in using apps and technology to extend and enrich each student’s learning experience
• Outstanding role models who embody our core values
• Passionate about providing enriched learning opportunities for children in and out of the classroom
• Excellent communicators who can ignite a passion for learning in our students
• Able to make a significant contribution to our extra‑curicular activities (ECA) programme and wider campus life
• Strong academic background, work ethic, well‑organised with excellent interpersonal skills
• Dynamic, enthusiastic, and well‑qualified holding as a minimum, a B.Ed. or a B.A & PGCE in Music along with QTS

The successful candidate will

• Teach Music across Key Stages 3, 4, and 5
• Lead the Secondary Performing Arts Faculty which includes the Music and Drama departments
• Serve as the Musical Director for the school student orchestra and all secondary productions
• Lead on secondary music concerts and external competitions to give students a platform to perform and excel
• Lead on maintaining and improving the quality of the music programmes, including the external music academy and the one‑to‑one music instruction across all school levels

Our Offer

• Excellent tax‑free salary
• Furnished accommodation
• Relocation allowance (applicable to overseas appointments only)
• Medical insurance for self
• Annual air‑ticket and paid vacations
• Tuition fee concession for up to 2 minor dependants
• State‑of‑the‑art facilities and amenities in a newly built campus in a prime location in Dubai
• An enthusiastic learning community of students, teachers, parents, and board members, who are dedicated to maximising student achievement and creating positive learning opportunities in and out of the classroom
• Working within a team of highly driven and supportive colleagues
• Excellent professional development
• Working in Dubai, one of the world’s most sought‑after work and travel destinations

Application Process

If you have the passion, energy and commitment to drive accelerated outcomes for young people, we will welcome your application. In return, you will join a rapidly evolving organisation that can offer you a central role in our future growth plans.

Candidates are invited to complete our Online Application by visiting https://forteseducation.com/Careers/Current-Openings.

Interviews will take place either face‑to‑face in Dubai or by video conferencing if the applicant is not based in Dubai.

The closing date for applications is the 10th of January 2026. Please note that due to the expected volume of applications, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview. The school reserves the right to make suitable appointments before the official closing date, and therefore we would encourage candidates to apply early in the process. The appointment start date will be August 2026.

Safer Recruitment Statement

Fortes Education is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. Policies for safer recruitment are aligned with the recommendations of the International Task Force on Child Protection. At Sunmarke School, 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 and volunteers to share this commitment. Successful applicants will be subject to various background checks, including receipt of satisfactory references, proof of relevant qualifications, identification, and police checks, including overseas checks.