Director – JESS Dubai

An outstanding opportunity for a dynamic, mission-aligned leader in one the oldest and most successful not for profit international schools in the region.

A feature of Dubai since 1975, JESS is a values-based, inclusive not for profit school which achieves outstanding academic results while offering an education of extraordinary breadth. Warm, welcoming and oversubscribed, JESS Dubai thrives because of its focus on individuals and their relationships with one another.

Long rated “outstanding” by the Dubai School Inspection Bureau, JESS Dubai educates over 2,560 pupils from more than 70 countries in one Secondary and two Primary schools on two campuses. A third campus may open in the near future. The School is a member of HMC, COBIS and IAPS, and is inspected by BSO.

The three schools stretch across the JESS Jumeirah and JESS Arabian Ranches campuses respectively. JESS Jumeirah is a four-form entry Primary school with 753 students, aged 3 to 11, located on a 4-acre campus in Al Safa, Dubai. JESS Arabian Ranches is a through-school with over 1,811 students, aged from 3 to 18, and sits within an 8-acre site in the heart of the Arabian Ranches community. The secondary school follows the English National Curriculum in Years 7 to 9, iGCSE in Years 10 and 11, and the IB Diploma and BTEC pathways in Years 12 and 13. JESS Dubai delivers a world-class education to a truly international student base: three schools, two sites, one JESS.

Following fifteen years of service at JESS, eight years as the Head of Secondary and seven years as Director, Mr Shane O’Brien will be finishing his time at the school at the end of the 2025-26 academic year to pursue new challenges. Like Mr. O’Brien, the new Director will report to a Chair and Board, and the successful candidate will continue to build on the remarkable successes of the school’s predecessors.

The new Director must be excited and inspired by the vision, mission and values of JESS (all explored in the candidate brochure) which are critical to this thriving stand-alone school. They must be able to maintain and, if possible, enhance all that is already outstanding while at the same time providing the vision to lead significant change ranging from ambitious build projects, bold new initiatives in areas like Performing Arts and, quite possibly, the founding of a third JESS campus. They will also have to build new external relationships within and beyond Dubai, so ambassadorial skills are essential.

Simply put, JESS Dubai is one of the great international schools, and for a candidate ready to lead a large, values-driven community with ambition as bold and bright as its legacy, the role offers an exceptional opportunity.

JESS Dubai will offer a highly competitive package to the successful candidate. The position is available from August 2026.

For a preliminary, confidential conversation about the role, please contact Jean Sullivan, Head of International Search at JeanSullivan@rsacademics.com with a copy of your CV/résumé.

The deadline for applications is Thursday 1 May 2025 at 10:00 (UK) / 13:00 (Dubai)  

To apply, candidates should complete an application form electronically and submit it to RSAcademics, together with a letter of application, CV/résumé, and completed data sharing agreement.  Please click the Apply Now link on the right side of this page. You will be taken to an online portal where you will be able to download the application materials.

Please follow the instructions provided to complete your application. Guidance on the letter of application can be found in the candidate information. Please make sure your letter is tailored to this role; an application letter that is largely generic is discouraged and may lead to your application not being considered.

Should you have any queries relating to uploading your application documents, please contact Alison Hooper, Project Coordinator, at applications@rsacademics.com. Alison can also be reached by calling +44(0)1858 383163.

JESS Dubai is committed to safeguarding and promoting the wellbeing of all our students, and we expect all staff to share this commitment. We follow safer recruitment practices according to international standards. All applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening, including checks with past employers and international child protection authorities; safeguarding-related questions will be asked throughout this appointment process.

The safeguarding responsibilities of the role are indicated in the candidate information.

RSAcademics is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and to promoting diversity and inclusion in schools.