The Director of Academics is responsible for supervising the leadership teams and, by extension, the academic operations at all of VIA's Shanghai-area campuses. This person will drive and shape the growth of a network of high-quality, student-centered academic programs. Some travel is required. The successful candidate will be expected to perform the following tasks at a high level:
Academic Leadership
 In cooperation with the campus leadership teams, assure the proper and consistent implementation of the VIA program of studies and curriculum at all campuses and assure all students are on track to earn a VIA diploma.
 Guide teachers and content-area leaders in the analysis, revision and enhancement of the existing curriculum for all courses.
 Design and/or facilitate professional learning activities for teachers and leadership teams. This includes hosting a late-summer centralized training for all campus leaders, assisting with campus-level staff orientation and training sessions before and during each term, and providing targeted small-group or individual coaching sessions for staff as needed.
 In cooperation with the campus leadership teams, monitor the grading practices at all campuses and assure consistent and proper use of the Jupiter online school management system.
 Directly supervise and mentor the leadership teams at all campuses.
 Jointly participate in the formal evaluation of all teachers using VIA's formal observation procedure, and coordinate training sessions with campus based leadership to promote consistency in professional expectations and use of the rubric.

Campus & Network Operations
 Support campus leadership teams in designing their own campus-specific schedule and implementing VIA system-wide policies and procedures that support the organization's guiding philosophy of Knowledge, Innovation & Global Understanding.
 Determine and communicate clear expectations for uniform implementation of VIA policies, and clearly define the realms in which individual campuses do and do not have discretion and autonomy.
 Maintain frequent contact with campus leadership teams and be part of the core decision-making process for major issues.
 Meet with campus and community partners and facilitate a strong working relationship between these partners and the VIA organization.
 Analyze staffing needs for individual campuses, make projections, and cooperate with Human Resources and campus leadership to identify and evaluate potential new hires.
 Serve as a point of contact for colleges and universities when necessary.

Accreditation
 Have a strong working knowledge of AdvancED accreditation standards, procedures, expectations, etc., and guide the process of collective evaluation and revision of these items.
 Serve as a primary point of contact with AdvancED and assure that all matters related to accreditation attainment and maintenance are dealt with in a timely and professional manner.
 Work alongside campus leadership teams to support their growth in key areas related to accreditation standards, prepare for site visits, gather and summarize data and evidence, and other key tasks.
 Maintain thorough formal documentation of academic and operational aspects at both the campus and VIA network levels, and assist individual campuses with meeting high standards for documentation.
 Assure that all campuses implement routine systems of data collection and analysis which are consistent with accreditation standards.
 Provide training on any or all of the above items to various stakeholders within VIA.

Key performance goals for the Director of Academics during the 2018-19 school year:

1. Guide the leadership team at VIA-Kunshan in continuous improvement and preparation for an AdvancED Engagement Review during the 2018-19 school year. Host a successful Engagement Review and lead the collaborative creation of an action plan in response to the recommendations of the visiting committee.
2. Support the successful launch of VIA's new campus in Wuxi, and assure that academic and operational norms are established which are consistent with VIA expectations, policies and procedures.
3. Advance the process of curriculum building and revision to such a point where all core courses in VIA's program of studies have a year-long set of unit plans aligned to the Common Core, NGSS or equivalent and complete with learning objectives, essential questions, key concepts, etc.
4. Supervise the academic operations at all campuses to assure that every VIA student is enrolled in classes that are appropriate for their ability level and encourage the greatest possible amount of growth and progression toward college and career readiness.

Prerequisites:

1. Master's Degree in Educational Leadership (or equivalent field).
2. At least 5 years of classroom teaching experience and 3 years of division or campus-level leadership experience, including some professional experience in both an international and a Western (preferably American) secondary school.
3. Strong understanding of the American educational system, outcomes-based lesson/unit planning, effective strategies for promoting an active learning environment, and the ability to articulate these in detail to a community of educational professionals with diverse backgrounds.
4. Ability to travel independently in China and make day or overnight trips to various campuses on a recurring basis.

Compensation:
Yearly base salary of CNY 350,000+, commensurate with experience. Additional benefits include a housing allowance, annual flight allowance, fully paid health insurance, and visa support / reimbursement.