Academic Director

Job Description

The Role

The Academic Director is directly responsible to the Head/Deputy Head and is a member of the management team, a group which meets regularly with the Head to co-ordinate the management of the College. In addition to duties shared by all teachers, the Academic Director has overall responsibility for the quality of the academic program and especially the following:

Academic Planning

- Responsibility for the annual academic plan (as part of the College’s strategic planning process); - Timetabling (creating and managing the master academic schedule); - Allocation of teaching staff; - Student course selection; - Room allocations; - Academic deadlines; - Scheduling of faculty meetings; - Chairing meetings of the Academic Committee; - Liaising with the IT staff on educational matters; - Responsibility for the College calendar to ensure a balance between academic deadlines, co-curricular and residential activities.

Evaluation of the Academic Programme

- Student academic counseling; - Follow up on student performance (both in terms of final attainment and attendance; - Grades and reports, student records; - Support to students with special educational needs

- Responsibility for recruitment, supervision & evaluation and setting of professional development targets for teaching faculty, librarian, lab technician, registrar & assistant and any other potential position in the academic area; - Preparation of reports for the Head on academic matters and the library

Examination Administration and Coursework Assessment

- Schedule and seating plans for all internal and IB examinations; - Invigilation schedule; - Facilitate the administration of various specialized exams required for university entrance in the UK (BMAT, HAT, TSA, etc.)

Academic Resources

The Academic Director is responsible for the budget and management of all academic spending (planning and execution of the budget). He/she coordinates the preparation of the academic component of the budget for:

- Library; - Departmental resources; - Academic equipment and furniture; - IB expenses; - Reprographic equipment

Curriculum Development

The Academic Director is responsible for reviewing the forward academic plan in consultation with the Head, and for planning and costing proposed new curriculum components, including staffing requirements. The Academic Director is also responsible for aligning the academic program with the UWCCR educational model as defined by the internal competences project and experiential education model.

Accreditation

UWC Costa Rica is a CIS member school starting the accreditation process in the fall of 2015. This position oversees this process in collaboration with the IB Diploma Coordinator, the Human Resources Coordinator, and the rest of the Management Team.

Staff Professional Development

The Academic Director is responsible for coordinating and approving professional development for all teaching staff, communicating approvals and any issues arising from professional development to the Head and Financial Director.

Supervision

The Academic Director is responsible for the coordination of the Academic Committee (department coordinators for each subject), and the supervision, evaluation, and recruitment of teachers, librarian, registrar and lab technician. The Academic Director also oversees students’ disciplinary processes as required by the school policies and collaborates with the Deputy Head in following procedures with regard to student behavior according to the Code of Conduct.

As a senior member of the staff, the Academic Director may be delegated other administrative tasks from time to time by the Head.

Recruitment Process Timeline:

Dec. 2, 2015: Application submission deadline. Please note that the school reserves the right to fill the position with an exemplary candidate before this deadline.

Dec. 3-4, 2015: Short listed candidates will be selected for Skype interviews

Dec.4-9: Skype interviews

Dec. 13-14: School visits for top 2 candidates

New teachers will start their positions 1 Aug. 2016 New Director will start their positions 25 July 2016