Position: Academic Director
Reports to: Center Director
Department: Global Operations
Location: Cape Town
Why work with us:
- You will change the world. CIEE builds bridges between different people, different countries, and different cultures. We help young people participate in high-quality international exchange and study abroad programs that bring the world together. We change lives, our alumni change the world. Be part of the change!
- You will be part of a fast-paced, international, diverse, and collaborative team of professionals. CIEE operates the largest nonprofit network of study abroad locations, with facilities and staff in almost 30 countries. Additionally, we help international participants from over 130 countries come to the USA each year. Committed to excellence and solving whatever problem the world throws at them, CIEE professionals work on international teams, and are dedicated to advancing our 80-year-old mission to make the world a more peaceful place.
Who we are:
CIEE is a nonprofit study abroad and intercultural exchange organization that transforms lives and builds bridges between individuals and nations through study abroad and international exchange experiences that help people develop skills for living in a globally interdependent and culturally diverse world.
Who you are:
In collaboration with/under the supervision of the Center Director, the Academic Director leads the coordination, quality assurance, and planning of all courses and educational programming. The position is responsible for instructor staffing, finalization of syllabi, the course evaluation process, and program development. The Academic Director is also available to teach courses in their area of expertise. More generally, it is the job of the Academic Director to provide intellectual leadership and to ensure a rigorous, engaging, and supportive learning environment.
What you’ll do:
- Academic oversight and development of all programs, including Open Campus Block, Global Internship, High School, Faculty-Led and Custom programs, as well as direct enrollment programs at local universities, as applicable
- Recruitment, evaluation, hiring, training, and management of instructors
- Curriculum development and monitoring compliance of CIEE’s academic policies
- Design and deliver academic orientation sessions for all programs, highlighting academic policies maintained by CIEE Academic Affairs. Organize course schedules (class hours and classroom use) for all programs
- Observe courses and offer constructive feedback to improve instructional quality and ensure the successful delivery of established learning objectives.
- Teach in area of expertise, as workload allows
- Supervise the Department staff, including Coordinators responsible for instructor support
- Manage requests for course registration changes, academic accommodations, course withdrawals, grade appeals, etc.
- Schedule all courses and provide oversight of co-curricular activities.
- Review instructor and course evaluations for all courses taught by the Center’s instructors and create action plans for instructor improvement and development, as well as suggest modifications to course structure and content, as appropriate
- Offer academic, and where appropriate, professional guidance to students through appointment-based office hours
- Oversight of placements into Academic Projects (practice-based seminars with established minimums for hours of field-based work through an internship site, service-learning project, or directed independent research hours)
- Participate in the writing and editing of academic program materials (promotional materials, website copy, bulletins, handbooks, course syllabi, etc.)
- LMS (Canvas) management, including regularly reviewing course sites, attendance records, and syllabi to ensure that courses and instructors meet the learning objectives
- Respond in a timely manner to all questions, issues, problems and needs of stakeholders (students, home schools, site staff, enrollment advisors, etc.)
- Participation in the emergency staff-on-duty telephone rotation system
- Other duties as required
What you’ll bring:
- Readiness to grow and develop yourself, our client group, and our Company
- Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion
- Relevant work experience in Cape Town
- Master’s degree Minimum required
- A minimum of three years’ teaching in a university with a student-centered approach
- Ability to reconcile statistics and prioritize within a complex administrative environment
- Strong communication skills, both written and verbal, and must be enthusiastic about working as a motivator and educator to our students
- Must possess confidence, experience, and sound judgement within academics to provide effective leadership and oversight to instructors, adjunct faculty and other professionals
- Flexible and able to respond quickly to changing circumstances. Ability to work occasional weekends and evenings and some weekend or overnight program-related
- Strong computer skills and the ability to learn new programs quickly (Microsoft Office Suite, Canvas, Salesforce, etc.). Familiarity with online teaching is a plus
- Detailed knowledge of local culture and history, an understanding of the local higher education system, and the network to recruit local instructors
- Ability to embrace CIEE’s Core Values (Excellence, Integrity, Respect, Inclusion and Problem Solving) and culture
Diversity Matters:
CIEE believes that diversity matters and that professionals with diverse backgrounds provide diverse approaches and ideas to solving problems and finding ways to advance our mission to bring the world together. Candidates from underrepresented groups with diverse backgrounds and experiences are strongly encouraged to apply.
A background check will be conducted as a condition of employment.
Must have authorization to work in Cape Town. Please submit a resume and cover letter via Linkedin or via [email protected]. Applications closed on Tuesday, 23rd June 2026. Applicants must be available to start on the 1 September 2026.
Pay: R500 000,00 - R600 000,00 per year
Work Location: In person
