Job Description

This position forms part of the national brand office support structure for the schools in the brand group and works in alignment with the academic strategy for the Group that is under the custodianship of the Central Academic Team (CAT). This position therefore has a matrix accountability function xe2x80x93 being responsible directly to the brand management as well as having an accountability responsibility to the Group Academic Head in CAT.

This is a professional leadership position, the incumbent will need to exercise influence and authority over schools and their teams to deliver on the academic strategy of the group and the brand.

Key Areas of

Responsibility Include:

• Alignment of brand academic strategy with Group strategy and focus on brand differentiation
• Leading review and development of the brand academic strategy in consultation with the Central Academic Team and brand management
• Working with schoolsxe2x80x99 leadership to align brand value propositions with the academic strategy.
• Communicating and monitoring performance goals against the strategy.
• Definition and development of the tactics, goals, and processes to achieve that strategy.
• Oversight of brand implementation against strategy.
• Development and oversight of professional development and associated activities to improve brand performance.
• Budget and cost management - Develop and manage the academics function budget.

• Academic performance benchmarking and improvement
• Driving data literacy in the schools by communication of findings and collaborative agreement with school management of improvement strategies.
• Monitoring implementation of the performance improvement strategies at brand level.
• Set measurable targets for each subject(s)/department/phase/teachers/mentor/Principal where applicable, monitor the target achievement and work with the principals in ensuring the required support is in place to achieve those targets
• Develop a strategic and tactical plan to drive academic excellence for all phases in the brand

• Teaching and Learning
• Working with the central team to develop school competency in the brand for the implementation of progressive teaching and learning methodologies and technologies.
• Oversight and leadership of implementation and impact monitoring of agreed strategies.
• Oversight of implementation of the framework for the use of ICT in teaching and learning
• Oversight of implementation of appropriate technologies to support learning and teaching in the brand.
• Oversight of implementation of appropriate alternative methods including hybrid, online etc at both subject and full school level for the brand
• Oversight of the brand adoption of learning management systems as next phase of blended learning.
• Ensure and assure development of teacher skills in brand schools.

• Curriculum alignment and monitoring
• Ensure brand implementation of the appropriate differentiation and standardisation projects that will enable common assessments and benchmarking including but not limited to timetable efficiencies and models.
• Oversee implementation of scope and sequence project in brand schools.
• Identify and support projects to share best practise and learning material.
• Seek high impact, low cost solutions for offerings of strategic subjects such as FAL and for low impact, high volume subjects such as life orientation
• Support the running of brand differentiated curricula where appropriate.

• School effectiveness and efficiencies
• Collaborative work to ensure effective and efficient staffing and other resource models for schools in the brand aligned with impact assessments and group standards.
• Ensure school compliance with the requirements of national and provincial requirements in the academic space.
• Identify and promote implementation of common resources where suitable between the schools in the brand and with other brands xe2x80x93 making use of both traditional and digital platforms.
• Ensure that brand represented on all matters related to the student information system insofar as related to academic matters. Coordinate input and manage compliance.

• Innovation
• Evaluate trends and products to identify those with the potential for impact on teaching and learning and work with CAT to implement and adopt where appropriate.
• Monitor and evaluate impact and adoption.

• Differentiation (brand and divisional)
• Ensure inclusion of brand differentiators as well as compliance in terms of global competencies and RDI
• Develop and implement programmes/ competitions/ other differentiators in the academic space in collaboration with CAT.
• Development of the brand academic strategy and policy to drive the delivery of our value proposition, i.e. Academic pillars aligned to IB and IEB requirements.

• Data driven decision making
• Ensure brand compliance with common assessments as standardised assessments across schools.
• Develop robust and relevant measurement mechanism and process to ensure that the quality of the academic delivery is in line with the Academic excellence target of the Brand.
• Use benchmark testing data to compare and develop performance and align performance goals and strategies.
• Embed a goal-oriented approach to results including deliberate use of data from Jumptrak baseline and benchmarking, ACER IEB, and grade 12 final results.
• Implement the timetabling and load management strategy of the Group and contribute to its refinement
• Drive use of KITSO and other data tools to improve school management of performance.
• Contribute to central development of tools for data driven decision making.

• Research and Analysis
• Contribute to divisional research by conducting analysis of key areas of academic performance through data collection and analysis in brand and central projects.
• Keeps abreast of educational trends and assesses for impact and implementation where appropriate.

• Quality Assurance
• Implement the quality assurance frameworks including performance measurement.
• Establish a QA and growth-oriented mindset in each school to support the aims of quality assurance.
• Ensure compliance with the evaluation and monitoring procedures and tools.

• Oversee authorisation and verification visits of newly introduced curricula.
• Ensure that schools working towards their first matric cohort are implementing the required plans and monitor progress of the cohorts.
• Training and capacity development

• People Management
• Support brand management of staff and assist with senior appointments
• Give regular, actionable feedback to the brands and schools.
• Support transformation objectives.

• Stakeholder Relationship Management
• Partner with brand leadership to quality assure differentiation as well as divisional compliance
• Strategically manage relationships with principals, MDs, COOs, and teachers.
• Represent brand in academic matters with CAT
• Ensures and enables clear and open communication that includes regular feedback and information sharing.
• Drive adoption of the Hub and other centralised information systems and services.
• Report to Management Committees and provide Brand input to central reporting.
• Contributes to brand marketing & communication strategies.
• Ensure compliance with requirements for academic work across the division are known and understood and engage with the relevant bodies to ensure compliance.
• Be the brand spokesperson when it comes to general academic matters (PR) where necessary.
• Manage and leverage relationships with the Academic partners of the Brand: IB, suppliers of learner management system, academic applications.
• Develop strategic relationships and partnerships locally and internationally, which are in alignment with the Brand Academic Strategy.
• Ensure that all new contracts or transactions are in line with the Group and Brand policies and that the relevant Functionsxe2x80x99 reviews and approvals is solicited when required.

Qualifications:
Preferably a masterxe2x80x99s in education but an NQF Level 8 (Honours level) would be acceptable for a person with sufficient leadership experience in education. Qualification and experience must be in teaching academic subjects at school level.

• 5 yearsxe2x80x99 Teaching experience (academic subjects IEB and IB knowledge and experience)
• 3 - 5 years' Management experience
• Knowledge and understanding of Independent Examination Board (IEB) processes and policies.
• Knowledge and understanding of International Baccalaureate PYP Program

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