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Deputy Head – April 2026
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Job overview
About Cognita:
About King’s College Riyadh:
- Brings 140 years of educational excellence to Saudi Arabia
- Offers a holistic curriculum, adapted from King’s UK to suit the Saudi context
- Provides exceptional pastoral care and a strong sense of community
- Creating outstanding career development opportunities within an international school network
Job Overview:
Key Responsibilities:
Academic Leadership & Holistic Education
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Establish and sustain high-quality, research-informed teaching across all subjects.
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Develop and implement a broad, structured, and coherent curriculum that supports student success.
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Promote high standards of behavior and a positive learning culture that fosters excellence.
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Ensure valid, reliable, and proportionate assessment practices are used to track progress.
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Provide strategic oversight into special educational needs and inclusive learning practices.
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Uphold and drive the school’s ethos, vision, and strategic direction.
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Develop a culture of high staff professionalism, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
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Lead professional development programs, ensuring high-impact training and mentoring.
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Drive evidence-informed school improvement strategies to sustain excellence and innovation.
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Forge strong partnerships with parents, the local community, and educational networks.
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Oversee day-to-day school operations, including timetable, events, and logistics.
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Ensure compliance with safeguarding policies, prioritising student and staff welfare.
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Manage financial and human resources effectively, ensuring efficiency and sustainability.
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Implement risk management and ensure policies and procedures support school-wide effectiveness.
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Enhance the school’s reputation and parental engagement through strong communication.
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Support the admissions and retention strategy, ensuring an outstanding parent and student experience.
- Act as an ambassador for the school, championing its mission and values.
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Strong leadership, communication, and organizational skills.
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Expertise in curriculum development, student performance monitoring, and instructional leadership.
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Proven ability to manage teams, resolve problems, and maintain relationships with stakeholders.
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Bring 140+ years of British educational excellence to the heart of Riyadh.
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Play a pivotal role in an ambitious school on an exciting growth journey.
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Join a supportive leadership team that values innovation, creativity, and collaboration.
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Inspire teachers, empower students, and leave a lasting legacy.
Interviews will take place online/ in person.
The school reserves the right to interview and appoint strong candidates before the official closing date, and therefore we would encourage candidates to apply early in the process.
Thank you for your interest in King’s College Riyadh. Due to the large number of applications expected, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
King’s College Riyadh and Cognita are committed to safeguarding the welfare of children and young people and expect 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.
About King's College Riyadh
King’s College Riyadh is the first UK private school brand to open a branch campus in Saudi Arabia. It is a genuine partnership with King’s College UK, who have been educating students both from the UK and abroad for 140 years.
Following a hugely successful start in 2021, King's continues to expand and will open to Year 7 in August 2025 and will eventually open through to Year 13 (age 18) to ensure pupils can complete their full King's education in Riyadh. Unlike most other private international school in Riyadh, King’s is fully co-educational from Pre-School to Year 7.
King’s College Riyadh
- brings 140 years of outstanding experience to Riyadh;
- offers a truly holistic curriculum based on that of King’s UK but adapted to the context of Saudi Arabia;
- ensures outstanding pastoral care and strong sense of community;
- offers outstanding opportunities for career development within an international network of schools.
The partnership with King’s College UK is a great source of strength. Significant collaboration in areas such as vision and ethos, curriculum planning, professional development and co-curriculum opportunities, ensure that we maintain the highest international standards. Through the strength of our partnership, both pupils and staff in Riyadh benefit from the expertise and reputation King's College UK has built in the UK over the past century and half.
We combine an academic focus with the development of new skills and interest through sport, music, the arts and a range of other activities. Underpinning our curriculum is the value we attach to pastoral care. We understand that pupils fulfil their potential when they feel happy, supported and at ease in their surroundings. All members of staff, therefore, work hard to build a strong sense of community and promote supportive relationships, ensuring that children know that they always have a peer or adult to whom they can talk.
Location and Campus
Situated within minutes of the King Khalid Road in Diriyah, King’s College Riyadh is well located and easily accessible from the city.
Our campus has been redeveloped by award winning architects to offer the highest quality facilities and learning environment to our students. The School has a wide array of specialist spaces including equipped Science and Design Technology laboratories, art and music studios, IT lab, dedicated library and specialist Early Years play areas, indoor and outdoor sports areas.
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