Dean of Academics, Secondary School (Ormonde)

Independent Schools Association of Southern Africa; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 400,000 - 500,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent educational organization in Johannesburg is seeking a qualified Dean of Academics for their Secondary School. This role involves managing the academic program, collaborating with academic leaders, and supporting staff, students, and parents. The ideal candidate should have a Bachelor's in Education, SACE certification, and at least 4 years of leadership experience in education. This is a full-time position with a focus on developing a high-performance academic environment.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 4 years experience in a high-expectations school setting.
• Experience in an instructional leadership role.
• Strong ability to build relationships and improve performance.

Responsibilities

• Manage the academic programme to ensure effective operations.
• Collaborate with school leadership on curriculum management.
• Provide support to staff, students, and parents.

Skills

Supervisory experience

Curriculum knowledge

Data management

Effective assessment methods

Detail-oriented

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Education

SACE certification

Job description

Dean of Academics, Secondary School (Ormonde)

Dean of Academics, Secondary School (Ormonde)

• Full Time
• 2026 School and Instructional Leadership (South Africa)
• Experienced

We are looking for an outstandingDean of Academics at our Ormonde Secondary!The role of Dean of Academics is primarily an administrative one, with the key responsibility of ensuring the smooth day-to-day running of the school’s academic programme.

The Dean of Academics collaborates with the school leader for Academic Affairs to manage curriculum and instruction, thereby fulfilling the Nova Pioneer’s educational objectives. The Dean of Academics is the primary point of contact for all educational staff, students, and parents about their specific program. The Dean of Academics establishes a professional tone for the program and serves as a positive role model for both faculty and students.

ABOUT NOVA PIONEER

Imagine a world in which every young person across Africa attends a school that truly sets them up for success in the 21st century. A school that cares about individual students and allows them to explore the world around them. A school that focuses more on developing skills than on memorising content. At Nova Pioneer, we have done more than just imagine this future we are bringing it to life. Nova Pioneer is a pan-African, independent network of schools offering high quality, accessible education from pre-primary through secondary school. Nova Pioneer uses a unique, enquiry-based learning approach that encourages students to ask “why” instead of telling them the “what”. It allows them to form their own thinking through exploration, investigation and collaboration. Nova Pioneer currently has 16 schools in South Africa and Kenya with a vision to launch 100 schools and reach tens of thousands of students across the African continent in the next decade. To learn more visitwww.novapioneer.com .

ABOUT THE ROLE

The key functions of the Dean of Academics can be categorised as follows:

• Year planning
• Day-to-day administrative functions
• Supporting the Deans of Instruction and Students
• Cambridge examinations officer
• Student academic support
• Recruitment
• Teaching/ staff support

THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES WITHIN EACH FUNCTION ARE GENERALLY AS FOLLOWS:

Year planning

• Formulating the year´s academic calendar
• Setting up the google assessment calendar
• Assisting with building the timetable
• Assist with staff allocation in the timetable
• Assisting with building and running the PD programme for the start of the year and terms
• Create academic support programme with input of teachers/ HODs

Day-to-day administration

• Ensuring smooth running of the timetable
• Setting and ensuring adherence to important academic deadlines
• Managing Ed-admin markbooks and reporting in conjunction with the Dean of Operations
• Leading staff on report compilation and ensuring quality control
• in conjunction with the Dean of Instruction, supporting HODs and lead teachers in running their teams, ensuring quality control in all aspects of teaching and learning, and hosting bi-monthly HOD meetings
• Creating internal exam and invigilation timetables, and monitoring of all internal exam processes and procedures
• Administering the subject-choice process for Grade 8s and AS/A level students in conjunction with the school leader and the post-school success manager
• Address staffing issues around classroom instruction/ professionalism etc.
• Putting accountability measures in place to support staff in delivering on teaching and learning
• Creating and updating academic policies for the senior school

Supporting the Deans of Instruction and Students

• Manage a team of teachers, looking after their welfare, conducting observations and feedback sessions
• Participate in whole school observational walkthroughs
• Conduct results analysis sessions with staff
• Run PD sessions when required
• Help the Dean of Students with managing discipline and conducting disciplinary enquiries e.g. drug-testing

Cambridge examinations officer (All year round as we do 2 sitings per year)

• Ensure implementation of the Cambridge curriculum across all subjects
• Ensure exam entries are completed on time
• Building the exam and invigilation timetable
• Preparing exam venues and candidate cards
• Communicating all necessary exam information to candidates and parents
• Liaising with the science team to ensure practical exams run smoothly
• Training invigilators according to Cambridge standards
• Running Cambridge exams strictly according to Cambridge regulations
• Liaising with any Cambridge inspectors that may arrive to conduct observations
• Processing any concession candidates by the required deadline
• Chief invigilator
• Setting up a student results portal and communicating results logins to candidates
• Ensure smooth receiving, storing and distributing Cambridge results certificates to students
• Receiving, analysing and distributing results to teachers
• Registering staff for Cambridge training and following up on completion thereof

Private candidates (All year round as we do 2 sittings per year)

• Updating website at beginning of the year- send requests to marketing
• Fielding information requests on private candidate exams (Customer service!)
• Monitoring entry form sheet in order to track and register private candidates
• Liaising with candidates in the system to provide provisional entry statements, and following up on and making corrections.
• Collecting and storing candidate agreement forms
• Liaising on payment, tracking and following up on payment before stipulated deadlines
• Communicating finalised statements of entry, exam TT and procedures to candidates once full payment is received.
• Arranging pre-exam campus visits for candidates, and conducting campus visits
• Setting up student results portal and communicating results logins to candidates

Student academic support

• Provide subject-choice counselling
• Support students in arranging academic support with teachers
• Address concerns raised by students around classroom instruction
• Help students analyse results and their implications for graduation pathways
• Support the student academic portfolio leader in formulating and implementing student support plans
• Liaise with the school counsellor on support measures for students with specific academic challenges
• Provide transcripts and letters of reference for students applying to tertiary institutions
• Academic data analysis in conjunction with School Leader and Dean of Instruction to formulate and implement interventions to improve academic performance

Recruitment

• Assisting the Head of School and Talent to draft job advertisements
• Screening and shortlisting CVs
• Conducting phone screening
• Conducting in person interviews and assessments of candidates
• Liaising with Talent if a suitable candidate has been found
• Providing high school specific onboarding to new teachers
• Drafting and sending out school-wide communications to parents on important academic issues
• Facilitating parent meetings with teachers
• Meetings parents to discuss deep academic concerns with specific students
• Scheduling and conducting results analysis meetings with parents after the release of Cambridge results, and providing advice on graduation pathways and subject-choices
• Addressing parent concerns around instructional issues
• Presenting talks at parent evenings and open days on the schools academic programme
• Conducting campus tours

ABOUT YOU

• Experience supervising others
• Knowledge of curriculum, instructional methods/strategies, and curriculum differentiation
• Knowledge of child development, learning, and behaviour
• Knowledge of effective assessment methods, data management and interpretation
• You have a minimum Bachelor’s Degree in education and are SACEcertified
• You have at least 4years of experience in a rigorous, high-expectations school setting, including at least one instructional leadership role (e.g., department head, grade lead, teacher coach, deputy positionetc.)
• You are widely recognised as a highly effective teacher and can model what great, inquiry-based teaching looks like
• You have a track record of improving other people’s performance through coaching and building uncommonly strong relationships
• You have an exceptional ability to think strategically, and yet you sweat the small stuff—people see you as unusually detail-oriented and conscientious
• You are driven by data and know how to use data from student assessments to strengthen and differentiate student learning
• You are excited about our organisational culture—and in particular, you are fired up to challenge yourself by embracing mutual vulnerability and a firehose of feedback
• You have a desire to further develop your learning design skills and apply them to transform the lives of African youth

Nova Pioneer is a place where our people experience tremendous growth, fast! We invest heavily in the growth of our people because it leads to greater mastery in both us and our students. “Novaneers” work harder and work longer hours than at most schools but as a result, the growth they experience is extraordinary. Nova Pioneer has a highly energetic, entrepreneurial environment where our people get to bring their creative and innovative ideas to life. We look for people who are flexible and who are able to adapt and respond quickly to adversity with a positive, can-do attitude (there are no problems, only solutions!). We welcome challenges and roll with the punches because it makes us, and our students, better. There is no problem too big for us! We work hard but we also have a lot of fun together. We bring infectious energy and enthusiasm to everything we do because joy fuels the hardest work and learning. Read more about our culture principleshere .

Nova Pioneer, in line with thePOPIA(Protection of Personal Information Act) will attempt to ensure the confidentiality of all applicants for this role. All reasonable measurements will be in place to protect personal information but it will be used for recruitment and employment purposes. By submitting your application with Nova Pioneer, you are recognising and accepting this disclaimer.

Closing Date

31/12/2025