Summary
Cognita is seeking a School Improvement Partner (Digital) to support and challenge leaders across 14 schools in the UAE and wider GCC. The role focuses on evaluating school quality, supporting improvement plans, conducting quality assurance visits and helping schools prepare for inspections and accreditation. The successful candidate will bring senior school leadership experience, a recognised teaching qualification, and knowledge of digital learning and AI in education. Applications close on 6 November 2026.
The posting
As published on cognita.com. Pulled from the employer's site and shown as they wrote it.
Working with us
Together, Cognita schools provide a uniquely global education that goes beyond grades, developing academic excellence alongside adaptability, agency, and the positive attitudes that prepare young people to grow, thrive, and find success in a rapidly evolving world.
Cognita Middle East has 14 schools within its portfolio, across the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Oman. At Cognita, we know every student is unique. We nurture their distinct personalities and strengths. We support them academically, socially, and emotionally, wherever they are in the world, wherever they’re starting from. We protect what’s special about them, while offering them rich knowledge, opportunities, and best practices. And they get to be part of something bigger; ensuring they get an education that’s, quite literally, world class.
Job Overview
Job Overview
We’re looking for an aspirational school leader to join our Education team as School Improvement Partner (Digital) working alongside 14 schools: 8 in Cog UAE and 6 in Cog GCC.
This is first and foremost a school improvement role. You will support the Heads of School Improvement and challenge school leaders to strengthen the quality of education, leadership and student outcomes. You will use your strong understanding of digital learning and AI to enable better teaching and learning, and success will be measured by impact on students, not by technology adoption.
What you’ll do
- Support and challenge school leaders on self-evaluation and School Improvement Plans, and monitor whether agreed actions are making a measurable difference
- Carry out quality assurance, including visits, lesson observation, learning walks and scrutiny of work, and challenge weak practice with evidence and care
- Triangulate evidence, including insight from digital and AI platforms such as Flint AI, to evaluate school quality and impact
- Help schools prepare for, and learn from, inspection and accreditation, with safeguarding and inclusion at the heart of all evaluation
- Support the implementation of Flint AI, embed it in everyday practice, train staff and link it to TILP
- Help schools apply the Group AI Policy and adopt the Digital Ecosystem
- Lead the Digital Learning Leads network across Cog UAE and Cog GCC, and pilot new approaches through Education Innovation
- Share effective practice and build sustainable capability in schools, and support new schools and partner brands to align with Cognita Standards
Initially reporting to the Director of Education, East, then moving in due course to the Head of School Improvement, with a dotted line to the Head of EdTech and Digital Learning.
We are looking for an experienced school leader whose thinking starts with the quality of teaching, learning and leadership. You will bring:
- Successful senior leadership in schools (Head, Deputy or Assistant Head), with demonstrable impact on teaching quality and student outcomes
- A strong understanding of quality assurance, self-evaluation and evidence-informed improvement
- Experience of school evaluation, governance, peer review or inspection
- Experience of leading or overseeing digital learning in a school, and a sound, current understanding of digital learning and AI in education
- The ability to triangulate evidence, including data from digital and AI platforms
- Excellent communication, coaching and influencing skills with senior leaders
- Experience in international schools or across multiple curricula, and a recognised teaching qualification
It would be an advantage if you also have:
- Experience of schools in the UAE or wider GCC
- A master’s degree or a senior leadership qualification
- Experience as an external reviewer
Help us create the conditions for schools to thrive, measurably and meaningfully. Closing date for applications will be Friday 6 November 2026.
Cognita is committed to safeguarding the welfare of children and young people and expects the same from its employees. All new staff will be subject to detailed and enhanced pre-employment clearance, including identity checks, criminal background checks for all countries lived in, qualification checks, employment checks to include an exploration of any gaps in employment, and satisfactory reference checks for all employment in the last 10 years.