Director of Teaching and Learning

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Are you ready to lead the future of learning? At academyEX, we believe education should be bold, relevant, and driven by purpose. We are an innovative education provider offering cutting-edge postgraduate education designed to meet the needs of working professionals, industry, and a rapidly evolving world. With a strong commitment to applied learning and real-world impact, we are looking for a visionary and experienced academic leader to join our team as Director of Teaching and Learning. This is a rare opportunity to shape the academic direction of a progressive tertiary institution and to influence how postgraduate education meets the needs of diverse learners across Aotearoa New Zealand and beyond.

As Director of Teaching and Learning, you will play a central role in the academic leadership of academyEX. You will be responsible for the strategic oversight, teaching and learning, and innovation of our Master's degree programmes, and will support the development and implementation of future programmes. Your role will span academic strategy, curriculum design, teaching excellence, staff leadership, and research integration—ensuring that our programmes are intellectually rigorous, professionally relevant, and transformative for learners.

You will lead and support a team of academic staff and postgraduate research Advisors, championing pedagogical innovation and culturally responsive teaching practices. With a deep understanding of tertiary education, you will embed research-informed teaching, empower staff to deliver exceptional learning experiences, and promote continuous improvement grounded in data, learner feedback, and emerging educational developments.

Working closely with the Chief Executive and fellow ELT members, you'll also contribute to organisation-wide strategy, planning, and decision-making, helping to position academyEX as a leader in future-focused postgraduate education.

Key Responsibilities

Academic Leadership

• Lead the design, development, and delivery of future-ready Master's programmes aligned with industry needs, emerging trends, and learner expectations.
• Champion innovative pedagogy, assessment strategies, and digital learning to elevate learner engagement and success.
• Drive quality assurance, continuous improvement, and integration of research-led teaching across programmes.
• Continue to the development and implementation of new programmes.

Postgraduate Research and Supervision

• Oversee the postgraduate research Advisor/Supervisor team, ensuring high standards in supervision and academic guidance.
• Lead onboarding and development of Advisors, building a strong research community and culture.
• Teach, advise, and supervise postgraduate research students.
• Be research active, contributing to the academic discourse and the integration of teaching and research.

People and Organisational Leadership

• Line manage key members of the academic team.
• Foster collaboration across teams and build partnerships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Lead professional development for academic staff, mentoring them in curriculum, assessment, and supervision practices.
• As a member of the ELT, shape organisational strategy, drive innovation, and contribute to business planning and budget management.
• Leverage insights into educational trends and learner needs to influence strategic decisions.

About You

You'll be a strategic thinker and experienced academic with a passion for learner-centred education. You'll bring:

• A doctoral qualification (PhD or equivalent) in a relevant field.
• Proven experience in leading postgraduate academic programmes and research supervision.
• A strong track record of curriculum design, teaching innovation, and quality assurance in higher education.
• Experience in line management, mentoring, and fostering high-performing academic teams.
• Excellent interpersonal and leadership skills, with a collaborative mindset.
• Experience in executive or strategic leadership roles is highly desirable.

About Us

academyEX isn't your typical education institute. We're game-changers and visionaries, making education a lifeline - accessible, practical, and impactful for the future. With a small but mighty team based primarily in Tāmaki Makaurau, our kaupapa spans Aotearoa and beyond. Our mission is to reshape post-graduate and adult education to reflect our ever-evolving world, empowering learners to create impactful futures for their communities, whanau, and for future generations. Our programmes foster challenging conversations and meaningful interactions with experts and academics shaping tomorrow's world. To date, we've enhanced the knowledge and skills of over 8,000 postgraduate students through our NZQA-approved qualifications.

Our team is passionate, creative, and united by a common purpose: to create impact. We're a highly engaged and hardworking whanau, within an environment that is social, informal, and fun. Here, you can create the most impactful work of your career, supported by colleagues who genuinely care and will back you all the way.

Here's what you can look forward to

• Professional Development: Advance your career with further qualifications.
• Technology: Engage with cutting-edge technology to innovate in your work.
• Community: Join a community of industry leaders and innovators, collaborating with some of the greatest minds in Aotearoa and beyond.
• Location: The Lab (our 'head office') on Khyber Pass is conveniently located within walking distance to Newmarket, Mt Eden, CBD, and the Domain. There's affordable parking nearby, and easy access to major bus and train routes. Plus, you're spoiled for choice with coffee and kai options nearby
• Te Ao Māori: Engage in regular waiata, reo, and other kaupapa Māori practices to develop your knowledge and skills, in alignment with our commitment to Ti Tiriti o Waitangi.

If you've read this far and this opportunity still excites you, we'd love to hear from you

Please apply online, providing a cover letter addressing the criteria above and detailing your motivation to apply for the role.