WHAT DOES AN ACADEMIC DIRECTOR DO?

Published: Oct 31, 2024 - The Academic Director provides strategic leadership to enhance academic programs with an international perspective, ensuring alignment with accreditation standards and quality development strategies. Leads program innovation and partnership initiatives, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and global engagement. Oversees faculty development, student support, and compliance with educational frameworks, driving academic excellence and economic sustainability in program offerings.

A Review of Professional Skills and Functions for Academic Director

1. Academic Director Duties

  • Licensing: Work towards or possess a Superintendent license.
  • Vision Development: Develop a shared vision for the education campuses that reflects the mission of SAO, community needs, and the population of children served, advocating for children as a priority.
  • Planning: Develop an annual continuous improvement plan that is data-driven and reflects current educational standards, including metrics for measurement and reporting structures.
  • Quality Assurance: Comply with Quality Assurance practices.
  • Communication: Develop, implement, and maintain effective communications with area schools, board members, and stakeholders.
  • Collaboration: Establish processes to communicate and collaborate effectively.
  • Enrollment Growth: Increase school enrollment through the utilization of special knowledge and lead the creation of instructional systems designed for high student achievement.
  • Team Management: Oversee the direction of the multidisciplinary school team.
  • Staff Oversight: Oversee the program staff and adjunct staff.
  • Operations Management: Oversee all operations of the school(s), including the management and organization of resources (human, fiscal, operational, and material) to accomplish school goals.
  • IEP Coordination: Oversee the coordination with the placing school district and other staff members in developing an Individual Educational Plan (IEP) and/or Behavior Intervention Plan for each child.
  • Compliance: Oversee the monitoring of IEPs for quality and compliance.
  • Family and Community Engagement: Oversee work with each student’s family, school, and community to ensure a high-quality education.

2. Director Of Academic Details

  • Database Management: Maintain and track educational databases, including providing quarterly reports to the Director of Education Services and referring school districts.
  • Documentation Review: Review school documentation and ensure that all necessary school paperwork is completed.
  • Reporting: Complete and oversee all reporting requirements.
  • Relationship Management: Collaborate with the Executive Director to manage the relationship, quality monitoring, and reporting for sponsored charter schools.
  • Staff Training: Oversee staff training as required for city and state licensing and accreditation. 
  • Presentation Skills: Prepare both oral and written presentations for Board-level committees, community agencies, grant proposals, or leading educational programs.
  • Professional Development: Attend agency or professional group seminars and conferences to increase professional knowledge, as well as knowledge of managing school programs.
  • Industry Knowledge: Keep informed and expand personal knowledge base regarding current trends and philosophies in education.
  • Licensing Compliance: Meet all required professional licensing continuing education requirements.
  • Teamwork: Perform consistently as a team member.
  • Policy Adherence: Follow the written policies and procedures of St. Aloysius Orphanage.
  • Staff Supervision: Directly supervise the staff of the St. Aloysius Education Centers in Butler and Hamilton County.
  • Professional Networking: Maintain professional relationships with professionals outside of St. Aloysius Orphanage.

3. Academic Director Responsibilities

  • Vision Development: Develop and encourage a shared vision for the future.
  • Strategic Planning: Take a leadership role in developing the strategic and operational planning.
  • Accreditation Management: Manage the development and submission of new course accreditation applications with TEQSA.
  • Academic Excellence: Maintain and enhance the academic standing of the SCEI (Higher Education).
  • Quality Assurance: Implement quality assurance and improvement procedures.
  • Policy Implementation: Implement SCEI (Higher Education)’s policies and strategies.
  • Board Communication: Establish and maintain communication with appropriate Boards and Committees.
  • Representation: Represent SCEI (Higher Education)’s interests, views, and needs in professional, industry, and government contexts.
  • Industry Relations: Initiate, maintain, and strengthen links between the SCEI (Higher Education) and relevant professional and industry bodies.
  • Education Pathways: Establish and maintain education pathways.
  • Staff Management: Take overall responsibility for academic staff management.
  • Recruitment: Participate in the recruitment, selection, and induction of academic and general staff.
  • Staff Development: Take responsibility for the performance management, mentoring, and staff development of academic, administrative, and support staff.
  • Conflict Resolution: Manage staff grievances in an appropriate manner.
  • Budget Management: Prepare the academic budget and monitor expenditure.

4. Academic Director Accountabilities

  • Sector Analysis: Provide an international and prospective vision of the evolution of the sector through studies and/or scientific research, participation in various conferences.
  • Quality Strategy: Accept and implement the quality development strategy of the sector, contribute to the policy of developing academic partnerships and international study mobility.
  • Program Improvement: Contribute to the continuous improvement and evolution of the programs in terms of content, methods, and means to be implemented.
  • Standards Implementation: Implement the academic references and standards according to the accreditation objectives.
  • Program Performance: Guarantee the economic performance of the programs in the sector.
  • Teacher Recruitment: Participate in the recruitment of teachers.
  • Mobility Supervision: Supervise the coherence of international study mobility.
  • Program Enrichment: Enrich the programs with international vision and innovative approaches to learning.
  • Program Leadership: Lead the college-preparatory program and academic culture.
  • Student Development: Establish innovative programs to enhance student development.
  • Faculty Development: Oversee the faculty professional development program.
  • Student Engagement: Meet with students to learn about their needs, expectations, and ambitions.
  • Teaching Oversight: Oversee quality teaching and learning of existing and new programs.
  • Compliance Management: Ensure compliance with relevant standards and frameworks (TEQSA, AQF, HESF, and TPB).
  • Program Innovation: Lead program innovation and new program development.
  • Community Leadership: Identify, develop, and lead a community of academic contributors

5. Director of Academics Functions

  • Vision Setting: Set a vision for how professional learning is defined to design and identify high-quality professional learning for all (students, staff, and families).
  • Professional Development: Identify and implement professional development sessions aligned to academics (teaching and learning) and mandatory trainings.
  • Calendar Management: Create a professional learning calendar and menu driven by distinct needs with opportunities for self-directed learning.
  • Cultural Responsiveness: Ensure professional learning opportunities are culturally responsive to support the needs of students and families.
  • Equitable Access: Ensure equitable access to high-quality, relevant, individualized, and collaborative professional learning for all educators.
  • Standards Definition: Define and design common expectations for excellence in professional development practices for the district.
  • Liaison Role: Serve as a liaison to other departments to create a district-wide professional development calendar and training menu.
  • Program Coordination: Organize professional development offerings that provide cohesion among content areas in the district.
  • Program Monitoring: Monitor and observe all PreK-12 programming, gathering suggestions from parents and students to determine training needs.
  • PLC Development: Develop a professional learning committee (PLC) with HR to support new-to-the-profession and new-to-the-district teachers and administrators.
  • Summer Program Oversight: Oversee the Pre-K through 12 summer school program with the Summer School Coordinator.
  • Standards Application: Use Connecticut Standards for Professional Learning to design or provide relevant, collaborative learning throughout educators' careers.
  • Data Analysis: Use data analysis platforms to inform academic and professional learning program needs.
Relevant Information
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