Director of Studies

Job Title: Director of Studies

Location: Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Starting date: As soon as possible

Role reports to Technical Lead

Open to Residents of Saudi Arabia with the legal right to work, visa transfers are possible.

DRS is looking for a Director of Studies based full-time in a training academy in Riyadh on behalf of the leading academic publisher and assessment organization. The incumbent will oversee the day-to-day implementation of 6 new training pathways designed to develop new teachers, teaching assistants, and school leaders who will be based in the academy full time during the first year of the programme.

This will be the first year these training programmes are delivered with a newly recruited academic team. This role will, therefore, require excellent management and communication skills (Arabic and English) and a highly responsive and adaptable individual able to manage competing demands and multiple internal and external stakeholders to ensure quality training provision.

The Director of Studies will be committed to educational quality and will create a positive learning environment to support the academic success of trainees. They will be responsible for the academic team, which will include two PD Managers and the trainers for each training pathway. They will ensure that programme implementation meets quality standards and that regular technical programme reporting takes place in line with an agreed monitoring and evaluation framework. They will work in close collaboration with programme partners and technical and programme management colleagues based in KSA.

Key accountabilities:

• Ensuring a positive learning experience for academic staff and trainees
• Recruitment, induction, training, and development of new academic staff, including course leaders
• Line management of two Professional Development Managers
• Conducting observations and providing feedback through ongoing coaching conversations
• Maintaining and reporting on key teaching & learning programme indicators
• Ensuring the programme delivery across all training pathways meets technical standards
• Monitoring and managing risk
• Liaising closely with the programme management and technical teams based in KSA and Organization, feeding back key information to inform programme design and escalating any concerns about programme implementation to the Technical Lead
• Oversight of components of the programmes delivered by Organization partners including a professional development provider, assessment provider and English language provider.

Key relationships (internal and external)

• Internal project colleagues in the Partnership for Education at Organization (including the programme management and technical teams based in KSA and Organization)
• External project partners, including professional development providers, assessment providers, and English language providers
• The client

What is the major impact of this role on the business?
This role is crucial to the successful implementation of all training pathways, ensuring training programmes meet the required quality standards and trainees achieve academic success in a supportive learning environment.

Decisions and Recommendations

• Decisions around day-to-day course implementation and course quality
• Risk management escalating where appropriate to the Organization Programme Management and Technical teams

Essential knowledge

• Knowledge of pedagogy and adult learning theory
• Knowledge of training principles
• Knowledge of MS Office and online teaching tools
• Knowledge of English and Arabic

Essential skill(s) & experience

• Degree in a relevant area (Master / PhD would be an advantage)
• Teaching qualification and teaching experience
• Extensive knowledge and experience in management and delivery of teacher training
• Experience in a leadership role within a school / educational management role
• Experience in managing, supporting, and evaluating teachers/trainers
• Experience in line management / coordinating teaching teams
• Experience in maintaining records and reporting
• Experience in budget management

Key competencies (organisational values)

• Able to quickly establish and maintain positive professional relationships with high-level internal and external stakeholders
• High level of autonomy and ownership of work
• Decisive, clear, and engaging
• Collaborative and considerate
• Flexible and adaptable

Key competencies (functional)

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in Arabic and English
• Able to manage and influence a wide range of internal and external stakeholders
• Negotiating and influencing skills
• IT skills (including learning management systems)
• Project management
• People management, including coaching skills
• Budget management

Key competencies (leadership)

• Achieving – being responsive, decisive, and accountable to further our mission
• Inspiring – role models optimism, motivation, authenticity
• Inclusive – curious, open-minded, and ready to learn from others
• Trusted & trusting – enables individuals, teams, and organisations to collaborate with integrity
• Confidence with humility – has confidence in her/his abilities, with the willingness to learn and adapt