Key Responsibilities & Duties
As the Singapore Academic Manager, you will oversee all academic operations for BlueSky Education in Singapore. You will be instrumental in ensuring the effective delivery of our programs, curriculum development, and managing a team of educators. You will also play a key role in business development and strategic partnerships.
1. Academic Leadership & Program Management
- Curriculum Development: Develop new programs and continuously improve existing curricula based on emerging global trends in Green Technology, AI and Robotics, and Public Speaking and Leadership.
- Teacher Recruitment & Development: Recruit and develop highly qualified teachers and guest speakers. Provide training to ensure consistent, high-quality delivery across programs.
- Program Coordination: Work closely with Operations Managers and Camp Managers to ensure smooth execution of programs. Coordinate scheduling, resource allocation, and overall program delivery.
- Student Interaction: Serve as the primary contact for students, agents, and accompanying teachers regarding academic matters. Provide support with student placement, testing, and induction when required.
- Staff Appraisal & Development: Conduct regular lesson observations and provide feedback. Lead staff appraisals and contribute to their development.
- Teaching: Conduct 10 hours of teaching per summer and winter camp to stay connected to the ground and gain firsthand insights; and step in to teach whenever needed to support the program.
2. Partnership Development with Schools and Private Learning Institutions
- Business development collaboration: Support the sales team in meetings with clients, providing academic expertise during discussions related to curriculum and program design.
- Program Design: Work alongside the sales team to design tailored programs that meet the needs of clients and students.
- Client Familiarization (Fam) Trips: Host ad-hoc client fam trips in Singapore, in collaboration with Operations Managers, to showcase BlueSky’s offerings.
- Strategic Partnerships: Represent BlueSky Education in key industry events, including trade shows and conferences. Attend as a speaker or to network, generating partnership opportunities for both academic and commercial objectives.
- Fundraising presentation: Represent BlueSky Education academically during fundraising and commercial sales pitches to prospective clients or partners.
- Webinars & Outreach: Organize and conduct webinars to promote BlueSky Education’s programs, and participate in school outreach initiatives to raise brand awareness.
3. Teaching and Academic Management
- Teaching: Conduct 10 hours of teaching per summer and winter camp to stay connected to the ground, gain first-hand insights, and contribute to cost management and the efficient use of teaching hours and resources.
- Teacher Management: Ensure the highest standards of teacher conduct, classroom delivery, and overall teaching quality.
- Timetabling & Resource Management: Allocate teaching staff to appropriate classes and ensure all materials and resources are available, utilized effectively, and managed efficiently.
- Quality Assurance: Ensure academic programs meet required standards, align with BlueSky Education’s mission, and maintain a high level of academic integrity and performance.
Knowledge, Qualifications, and Experience Essential:
- Bachelor’s degree (preferably in Education, English, or related field).
- A minimum of 8 years’ teaching experience, particularly with young learners who are non-native English speakers.
- Experience managing curriculum development and teaching staff in an international education environment.
- Proven experience in program delivery in a residential or summer camp setting.
- Strong customer orientation, with the ability to understand and respond to client and student needs.
- Commercial business acumen and experience working in a growth-stage company, comfortable with the fast-paced, dynamic nature of an expanding organization.
- Team player, able to collaborate across cross-cultural teams.
- Able to multitask and adapt to the growing needs of the business.
Desirable:
- Previous experience as an Academic Manager at an international school or English language school.
- Young Learners teaching qualification (e.g., TESOL, CELTA).
- Educational management experience in a summer or residential setting.
- Experience preparing students for exams such as Cambridge or IB, and handling exam administration.
Skills, Abilities, and Competencies:
- Excellent communication skills with the ability to engage effectively with students, staff, and clients.
- Proven leadership capabilities, including experience in managing and developing a team of educators.
- Exceptional organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple programs and priorities.
- Ability to work effectively under pressure, maintaining quality and standards while meeting deadlines.
- Strong administrative skills, including scheduling, resource management, and staff coordination.
- Extensive experience with MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
Personal Attributes:
- Positive and passionate disposition, inspiring enthusiasm in others.
- Commitment to delivering high standards in academic programming.
- Ability to build strong rapport with students, clients, and staff.
- Respect for diversity and commitment to equal opportunities.
- Proactive approach to personal learning and development.
- Demonstrates a ‘can-do’ attitude and a hands-on approach to work.
- Strong problem-solving skills with a focus on delivering solutions efficiently.
Working Arrangements:
Competitive Salary: Aligned with market standards and commensurate with experience and qualifications.
Central Provident Fund (CPF): Employer contributions in accordance with Singapore’s CPF regulations to help you save for retirement, housing, and healthcare needs.
Annual Leave: Generous leave entitlement to support work-life balance.
Medical Benefits: Comprehensive medical coverage, including outpatient consultation and hospitalization insurance.
Flexible Working Arrangements: Work from home one day per week
Performance Bonuses: Recognition and rewards for exceptional contributions and achievements.
ABOUT BLUE SKY EDUCATION
As a global education services provider with presence in Singapore, Australia, China, Malaysia, Japan and Vietnam, BlueSky Education provides international study-tours, short-term and skills-based programmes.
Our online and in-person short courses are designed to prepare students for their future with a variety of programmes which cater to skills needed in the years to come, whether that be learning how to become our planet’s steward with our Sustainable Future Programme, how to be business ready in our Startup & Innovation Programme or how to become a fantastic speaker in our Public Speaking & Leadership programme.
Our residential study-tour programmes in Singapore are hosted at prestigious universities and boarding schools such as the National University of Singapore (NUS), Hwa Chong International Boarding school, Dunman High school hostel, etc.
There is something for everyone at BlueSky Education and we want students to come away with not only better English skills, communication skills but also life skills which they can take with them through life far after the programmes have ended.
