Head of Secondary

Locations: Dubai and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Nord Anglia Education is looking to recruit two exceptional Heads of Secondary to join our high-performing international schools in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

We are seeking inspiring, strategic, and values-driven leaders who will champion outstanding teaching, learning, and student development across the Secondary School. These pivotal roles are central to achieving each school’s mission and vision, ensuring world-class academic, personal, and social outcomes for every learner. As key members of the Executive Leadership Teams, both Heads of Secondary will contribute meaningfully to whole-school strategy, continuous improvement, and long-term school development.

The role:

We seek individuals to join as Heads of Secondary, where your focus will be:

• Leading teaching and learning across all Key Stages, ensuring consistency, ambition, and high-quality classroom practice.
• Driving outstanding attainment, progress, wellbeing, and personalised learning pathways.
• Overseeing a cohesive, world-class curriculum that is progressive, connected, and aligned with international standards.
• Building leadership capacity across the Secondary School through coaching, mentoring, and distributed leadership.
• Leading professional learning, staff development, performance management, and talent growth.
• Strengthening communication and collaboration with students, parents, staff, and the wider school community.
• Managing staffing, resources, and budgets to ensure excellence and sustainability.
• Ensuring accountability through rigorous self-evaluation, assessment analysis, and reporting to internal and external stakeholders.
• Promoting innovation, enrichment, and engagement with Nord Anglia global initiatives (MIT, Juilliard, IMG, Global Campus).

The successful candidate will possess:

• Qualified Teacher Status with a minimum of two years of teaching experience (Essential).
• At least five years’ experience as a Senior Leader (Essential).
• Proven track record of leading teaching and learning, school improvement, and strategic change.
• Strong understanding of international curriculum pathways (IGCSE, A-Level, IB, BTEC, NEASC).
• Experience in pastoral care, wellbeing strategies, and student success frameworks.
• Excellent communication, leadership, and stakeholder-engagement skills.
• Ability to manage financial, human, and curriculum resources effectively.
• Experience working in an international school environment (Desirable).
• NPQH or postgraduate leadership qualifications (Desirable).

Please see the full job description here.

About us

Nord Anglia Education is the world’s leading international schools organisation, with 80+ schools educating more than 80,000 students across the globe. We are united by one philosophy: we are ambitious for our students, our people, and our family of schools.

Through our collaborations with MIT, The Juilliard School, UNICEF, and IMG Academy, students and teachers benefit from world-class experiences and cutting-edge global learning opportunities.

Joining Nord Anglia means being part of a supportive, innovative, and globally connected community of educators committed to excellence.

To apply

Online applications must be submitted through the Nord Anglia Education Careers Page and should include a CV.

Nord Anglia Education is an equal opportunities employer committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce. We welcome candidates from all backgrounds and expect all colleagues to uphold the highest standards of safeguarding and child protection.