Director of Teaching and Learning

The American International School of Johannesburg (AISJ), a PreK–Grade 12 international school serving more than 770 students across campuses in Johannesburg and Pretoria, South Africa, seeks a strategic and visible Director of Teaching and Learning who brings deep integrity and sound judgment to serve as its next school-wide instructional leader. For more than four decades, AISJ has provided a rigorous, inquiry-based education shaped by International Baccalaureate principles and anchored by four pillars: Academics, Arts, Athletics, and Service Learning. With students, faculty, and staff representing more than 80 nationalities, AISJ reflects the international character of the community it serves and pairs ambitious academic standards with an authentic commitment to belonging, learner agency, and instructional practices designed to support diverse learners and a wide range of learning needs. Central to this work is a faculty striving to deepen thoughtful instructional practice and meaningful professional learning.

AISJ is entering a purposeful phase of greater alignment and shared direction across its two campuses and four divisions. Johannesburg and Pretoria each bring distinctive traditions and professional cultures, and AISJ is committed to ensuring that students experience a consistently high standard of learning regardless of campus or grade level. With longstanding engagement in IB frameworks, including the Diploma Programme in the High School and Candidate School status for the Primary Years Programme, AISJ continues to refine curriculum pathways, elevate instructional practice, and design professional learning that is sustained, relevant, and grounded in classroom realities.

Reporting to School Director Michael Schooler and serving as a member of the Senior Leadership Team, the Director of Teaching and Learning will guide curriculum, instruction, assessment, and adult learning across both campuses. This role carries both strategic authority and a highly visible presence within classrooms and professional learning spaces. In close partnership with divisional Principals, Instructional Coaches, and faculty across grade levels, the Director will collaborate with educators throughout the school community, walking with teachers all year long as a thought partner, classroom presence, and steady source of guidance for instructional growth. The position calls for a leader who can translate institutional priorities into meaningful practice while ensuring that colleagues feel heard, challenged, and supported in their professional growth.

STRATEGIC PRIORITIES

The Director of Teaching and Learning will work in close partnership with AISJ’s faculty and leadership to advance school-wide academic and co-curricular systems and expectations, with emphasis on the following strategic priorities:

• Advance a clearly articulated PK–12 curriculum framework that ensures vertical progression and shared expectations across divisions and campuses while honoring teacher expertise and learner variability.
• Design and lead a sustained, classroom-embedded professional learning model that strengthens instructional practice and renews AISJ’s culture of instructional excellence.
• Lead, support, and develop the instructional coaching team, empowering coaches as trusted partners in advancing instructional practice and professional learning across both campuses.
• Ensure consistent implementation of shared priorities across the Johannesburg and Pretoria campuses through regular on-campus presence and equitable instructional leadership across both communities.
• Clarify systems for instructional decision-making, accountability, and professional support for educators so that strategic initiatives translate into meaningful, measurable impact on student learning.
• Model and guide disciplined use of data and evidence to inform program evaluation, curricular refinement, and continuous improvement.
• Serve as a clear and trusted ambassador for AISJ’s academic philosophy, communicating regularly with families and the broader community about curriculum, teaching, and learning.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS 

• Serve as a strategic member of the Senior Leadership Team, partnering closely with the School Director and divisional Principals to implement institutional priorities and ensure alignment between school-wide strategy and teaching and learning practice
• Lead and model the effective use of data for decision-making, including analysis of program effectiveness and standardized assessment results
• Monitor impact and manage the budget for curriculum and professional learning, ensuring responsible stewardship and alignment with institutional priorities
• Organize and facilitate weekly professional collaboration time that aligns with school-wide professional learning goals and classroom practice
• Ensure curriculum articulation across grade levels and divisions, maintaining vertical and horizontal alignment with international standards
• Promote a culture of inquiry, research-informed practice, and continuous professional growth
• Spearhead thoughtful integration of emerging pedagogical approaches, technologies, and instructional methodologies that enhance student learning
• Develop and implement a comprehensive coaching framework to support sustained instructional improvement
• Oversee assessment practices to ensure clarity of expectations and consistency across divisions
• Provide guidance on culturally responsive and inclusive practices to ensure AISJ’s curriculum reflects its commitment to diversity, equity, and belonging
• Provide oversight of the school-wide service learning program to ensure meaningful integration within the academic experience

QUALITIES AND ATTRIBUTES

AISJ seeks a Director of Teaching and Learning who combines instructional credibility with steady, principled leadership. The successful candidate will bring strategic clarity, strong professional judgment, and the relational intelligence necessary to build trust, listen actively, and lead across two campuses and four divisions. This individual will be both a systems thinker and an engaged instructional presence, equally comfortable shaping long-term direction and participating meaningfully in the daily work of classrooms.

AISJ values a leader who listens carefully, communicates transparently, and establishes clear expectations. The ability to balance teacher autonomy with shared institutional direction will be essential, as will the confidence to make thoughtful decisions and guide difficult conversations when needed. Above all, this leader will demonstrate cultural fluency, professional humility, and a deep commitment to student-centered learning within a highly diverse international community.

QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

• A Master’s degree in Education (preferably in Curriculum and Instruction or Educational Leadership)
• Valid teaching credential with at least five years of instructional coaching, curriculum coordination, or school leadership experience (a principal credential is highly desirable)
• Demonstrated experience leading cross-divisional curriculum alignment, assessment systems, and instructional improvement initiatives within a PK–12 school environment
• Proven experience designing and facilitating sustained professional learning and adult collaboration
• Deep understanding of inquiry-driven and concept-based pedagogies, including experience within International Baccalaureate frameworks
• Strong knowledge of PLC (Professional Learning Community), Adaptive Schools, and MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Support) frameworks
• Demonstrated ability to use data and evidence to inform instructional decision-making and program evaluation
• Experience working within international schools or similarly diverse educational environments is strongly preferred
• Strong understanding of school financial operations and the ability to align programmatic priorities with responsible resource management

https://www.strategenius.org/opportunity-aisj-director-teaching-learning