Reports To: Executive Director
Liaises With: Academic Coordinators, Heads of Departments, and the Senior Leadership Team SLT
Job Purpose:
The Head of Teaching and Learning is a senior academic leader responsible for driving the highest standards of instructional quality across the secondary school. This dual-focus role ensures rigorous quality assurance of classroom practices while designing and executing a world-class Continuous Professional Development CPD framework to elevate faculty performance and maximize student outcomes.
Key Responsibilities
Quality Assurance & Academic Standards
- Instructional Audits: Establish and lead a transparent, data-driven system of lesson observations, learning walks, and work scrutinies to ensure teaching aligns with international best practices.
- Curriculum Alignment: Partner with Academic Coordinators to ensure the written, taught, and assessed British and Nigerian integrated curriculum meets established benchmarks e.g., Cambridge and delivers on exceptional learning outcomes
- Data-Informed Intervention: Analyze standardized assessment data alongside classroom observation metrics to identify gaps in instructional quality and implement rapid intervention plans.
- Student-Centric Feedback: Develop and manage student and parent feedback mechanisms regarding teaching quality to ensure a responsive learning environment.
- Training of Observers: Train and calibrate HODs and other observers so that there is uniformity in lesson observation expectations and measurements
2. Continuous Professional Development CPD & Faculty Growth
- Strategic CPD Mapping: Design, implement, and evaluate an annual professional development roadmap that aligns individual teacher goals with overall school strategic objectives.
- Instructional Coaching Culture: Establish and oversee a peer-coaching and mentorship framework, moving the school culture from static annual appraisals to active, continuous pedagogical growth.
- Modern Pedagogical Integration: Source and deliver training on cutting-edge educational trends, optimization of tech including AI integration in the classroom, 21st century learner skills, differentiated learning for neurodiverse students, and inquiry-based learning.
- Onboarding Excellence: Design and lead the pedagogical onboarding program for newly recruited local and expatriate faculty to ensure rapid integration into the school’s academic culture.
Leadership, Innovation & Culture
- SLT Advisory: Serve as a core member of the Senior Leadership Team, presenting regular executive briefs on teaching standards, faculty growth metrics, and instructional risk management.
- Culture of Innovation: Champion action research projects among staff, encouraging teachers to test, document, and share innovative teaching methodologies.
- Resource Optimization: Manage the academic CPD budget and vet external educational consultants, workshops, and certification programs to ensure a high return on investment.
Person Specification & Qualifications
Education & Certifications
- First degree in Education or related discipline
- Master’s degree in Education, Educational Leadership, Curriculum and Instruction, or a highly relevant academic field would be an added advantage
- Advanced Certification in the Cambridge curricula framework e.g., Cambridge Trainer status
- Relevant certifications in instructional coaching, school leadership, etc., would be an added advantage
- Not older than 45 years
Experience & Skills
- Minimum of 6–8 years of successful teaching experience in a reputable international school offering the Nigerian and Cambridge curriculum
- At least 4 years in a middle or senior leadership role e.g., Head of Department, Deputy Head Academic performing similar function
- Proven experience designing and implementing teacher appraisal systems, rubric-based lesson observations, and data-driven school improvement plans.
- Deep understanding of adult learning principles andragogy with a documented history of designing and facilitating impactful workshops for diverse, multicultural faculties.
- Exceptional interpersonal, emotional intelligence, and diplomatic skills—able to deliver rigorous, critical feedback in a way that inspires growth rather than defensiveness.