Head of Computer Science (Whole School) – GEMS Education

GEMS Education is hiring a Head of Computer Science to lead the subject across an entire school, shaping curriculum, mentoring teachers, and making sure computer science education genuinely prepares students for a future where digital and computational skills matter enormously. This is a whole-school leadership role, not just a classroom teaching position, meaning the responsibilities extend to curriculum design, department leadership, and representing computer science as a subject within the school’s broader academic strategy.

Expect the role to involve designing progressive, age-appropriate computer science curriculum from early years through to senior years, mentoring and developing other computer science teachers, and staying current on how the subject continues to evolve, from foundational programming concepts through to emerging areas like AI literacy. GEMS Education integrates cutting-edge advancements through extensive networks and high-level partnerships, giving this role real institutional backing for innovative curriculum design rather than working in isolation.

A strong candidate brings both genuine computer science subject expertise and real teaching leadership experience, comfortable setting direction for an entire department while still staying hands-on with curriculum and occasionally the classroom itself.

Computer science education shapes whether students leave school genuinely prepared for a world increasingly built on digital and computational literacy, and the quality of whole-school subject leadership determines whether that preparation is coherent and progressive or fragmented across different teachers and year groups. A strong Head of Computer Science builds curriculum that scaffolds properly from foundational concepts through to more advanced and emerging topics, which directly affects how well-prepared GEMS students are for university study or careers in technology-adjacent fields. Because GEMS Education operates a large network of schools, strong subject leadership at this level also protects the brand's broader reputation for academic quality, parents increasingly evaluate schools partly on the strength of STEM and computer science provision specifically. Effective mentorship of other computer science teachers within the department also has a multiplying effect, a strong head of department raises the capability of the entire teaching team, not just their own individual classroom performance. In a competitive private education market where schools actively compete for enrollment based partly on academic reputation, strong computer science leadership is a genuine differentiator that parents notice and value.

A whole-school Head of Computer Science role is a significant step up in educational leadership responsibility, combining subject expertise with genuine departmental and curriculum leadership, exactly the kind of experience that positions a teacher for further progression into assistant principal, vice principal, or broader academic leadership roles over time. Working within GEMS Education specifically provides access to the group's extensive networks and high-level educational partnerships, giving a department head exposure to curriculum innovation and professional development opportunities that a smaller, independent school could not offer at the same scale. Because GEMS operates multiple schools across the UAE, strong performers in this kind of leadership role often have genuine internal mobility options, whether moving to a larger school, a different curriculum stream, or into group-level curriculum development roles. Computer science as a subject specialty also remains in strong demand globally, and leadership experience in this specific subject area is highly portable across international schools and education systems, not just within the UAE. The mentorship and curriculum design skills developed in this role are also transferable to broader educational leadership positions regardless of subject specialty. For a computer science educator ready to move into leadership, this role offers substantial scope, institutional support, and a credible path toward senior school leadership over time.

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or a related field; a teaching qualification (PGCE or equivalent) is required
• Substantial teaching experience in computer science, with prior department or subject leadership experience
• Strong curriculum design skills across a wide age range, from early years through senior school
• Genuine, current knowledge of computer science education trends, including emerging areas like AI literacy
• Proven ability to mentor and develop other teachers within a department
• Strong communication skills for representing the subject within broader school academic strategy
• Comfortable balancing leadership responsibilities with ongoing classroom teaching