Brooklyn Emerging Leaders Academy Charter School (BELA), an all-girls high school located in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, is grounded in the core values of Sisterhood, Scholarship, Strength, and Service. BELA is deeply committed to ensuring that 100% of our students graduate prepared for postsecondary and beyond. Founded on the belief that academic preparation and life preparation are equally important, each BELA young woman embarks on her own personal and intellectual journey.

As an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School, BELA is committed to implementing the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) and Diploma Programme (DP) with fidelity. Staff members are expected to engage deeply with IB philosophy, instructional practices, curriculum development, and assessment frameworks. BELA invests in ongoing professional development and training to ensure all educators are equipped to deliver rigorous, inquiry-based instruction aligned to IB standards and practices.

Learn more at https://www.belahs.org.

About the Opportunity

BELA is a school that has built something real: a strong mission, a distinctive culture, and deep relationships with the young women it serves. After nearly a decade of growth as an IB World School, the organization is ready to bring on a Dean of Instruction to lead the academic infrastructure that turns that mission into daily results for students.

The Dean of Instruction is an instructional leadership role, not a classroom teaching position. This leader will own the non-teaching systems that make rigorous instruction possible: IB program fidelity, scheduling, academic data, assessment coordination, teacher coaching, student recruitment, transcript management, family communication around academic progress, and alignment between BELA's MYP and DP IB programs.

The right candidate is a deeply experienced educator and administrator who understands the IB framework, can coach teachers toward excellence, and can translate data into action. This person will serve on BELA's leadership team, engage with the Board of Trustees when needed, and be a genuine thought partner on academic strategy.

Key Responsibilities

IB Program Leadership and Compliance

• Serve as the school's primary point of accountability for IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) and Diploma Programme (DP) implementation, ensuring fidelity to IB requirements and standards.
• Supervise the MYP and DP coordinators.
• Manage the Diploma Programme timeline from Grades 10 through 12, ensuring clarity for staff, students, families, and community.
• Oversee internal and external IB assessment processes, including mock examinations, moderation, and submission deadlines.
• Support and advise teaching staff on DP administration requirements and ensure all moderation and final mark requirements are met on schedule.
• Serve as the Extended Essay (EE) Coordinator. 
• Oversee the CAS Coordinator in fulfilling IB programme requirements.
• Oversee the Personal Project Coordinator in fulfilling IB programme requirements.
• Serve as the primary liaison between BELA and the IB organization, including managing authorization, accreditation, and renewal processes.
• Ensure that teaching and learning consistently reflect the IB Learner Profile, Approaches to Learning skills, and inquiry-based pedagogical practices.
• Establish and maintain relationships with other IB schools in the region and contribute to the broader IB community through forums and school partnerships.

Scheduling, Academic Operations, and Data

• Own and manage the master academic schedule, including student programming, course offerings, and alignment across MYP and DP levels.
• Oversee the accuracy and timeliness of academic records, including gradebooks, transcripts, report cards, and the school’s student information systems.
• Work closely with the postsecondary team to ensure transcript accuracy, course sequencing, and graduation readiness data are current and actionable.
• Design, run, and present data reports and visualizations that track progress toward academic goals for the BELA community - leadership, staff, board, students and families.
• Use assessment results to inform curriculum review, development, and teacher support priorities.
• Ensure that the Grades 9 through 12 curriculum is well-organized and there is meaningful concurrency of learning across subjects and levels.

Collaborative Professional Learning

• Design and facilitate professional learning experiences that promote collaborative learning, reflective practice, and continuous improvement aligned with BELA's mission, values, and IB framework.
• Coordinate and lead Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), instructional rounds, learning walks, peer observations, and other collaborative learning structures.
• Create systems and opportunities for teachers to share best practices, analyze student work, engage in action research, and collaboratively solve instructional challenges.
• Collaborate with school leaders to identify professional learning priorities using instructional data, classroom observations, and staff feedback, and support teams in setting goals and monitoring progress.
• Foster a positive adult learning culture grounded in trust, accountability, inquiry, collaboration, and continuous growth.
• Serve as an active member of the Instructional Leadership Team by supporting schoolwide instructional improvement efforts, evaluating the effectiveness of professional learning initiatives, and serving as a thought partner to teachers and leaders.
• Attend Elena Aguilar coaching training throughout the year and attend in person training on the 28th + 29th of September 

Student Support and Family Communication

• Ensure that all students meet Regents and IB programme requirements and examination regulations, including applying to the IB for special assessment accommodations as warranted.
• Lead or support family communication around academic progress, including curriculum nights, student-led conferences, and individualized outreach.
• Support the Dean of Student Life in ensuring students with IEPs and English Language Learners receive appropriate academic accommodations in inclusive classroom settings.
• Lead the admission process for students entering the Diploma Programme.

Leadership Team Contributions

• Serve as a full member of BELA's senior leadership team, contributing to school-wide decision-making and strategic planning.
• Prepare and present academic data, program updates, and progress reports for the Board of Trustees as needed.
• Liaise with the Head of School to develop the annual IB Diploma budget and DP Action Plan.
• Prepare annual reports following each IB assessment session and provide content for BELA's website and external publications.
• Serve as an operational thought partner to the co-founders on academic infrastructure, resource allocation, and long-term program development.

Key Priorities in the First 12 Months

The Dean of Instruction will enter a school with a strong academic mission and an IB program that is already underway. Priorities in the first year will include:

• Build trust with the leadership team, staff, students, and families.
• Conduct a thorough assessment of current IB implementation, academic operations, and data systems, and identify the most urgent gaps.
• Take meaningful ownership of IB program coordination, including assessment logistics, compliance tracking, and staff support currently managed by the co-founders.
• Strengthen academic scheduling, transcript management, and postsecondary alignment systems.
• Establish clear coaching and professional learning structures for new-to-BELA teachers.
• Build strong working relationships with the leadership team and external IB contacts.
• Identify one or two high-impact academic systems improvements and implement them with measurable results.
• Establish stronger rhythms for family communication around academic progress and IB program expectations.

Shared Staff Commitments at BELA

All staff members at BELA play a role in building and sustaining a strong, joyful, and mission-aligned school community. In addition to the specific responsibilities of this role, the Dean of Instruction will be expected to:

• Share in the leadership of the school by taking on responsibilities that support BELA's learning environment and culture.
• Support school-wide operational responsibilities, including arrival, dismissal, lunch, hallway supervision, coverage, and other daily routines as needed.
• Lead or support school-wide initiatives, committees, events, and family engagement efforts.
• Support student recruitment events, open houses, Buddy Days, curriculum nights, student-led conferences, and other community-facing events.
• Support Regents, IB, SAT, and other testing coordination and proctoring responsibilities.
• Be committed to serving all students, including Students with Disabilities and English Language Learners, within inclusive settings and through a variety of support models.
• Enjoy and thrive in the lively and diverse world of urban adolescent young women while helping build a model of public education that serves them well.
• Design, facilitate, and participate in experiences and conversations related to race, gender, class, and identity in ways that empower students and strengthen community.
• Participate in BELA's annual overnight camping trip and service days at the start of the school year.

Candidate Profile

Qualifications and Experience

• Minimum bachelor's degree required. Master's degree in Education, Curriculum and Instruction, School Leadership, or a related field preferred.
• At least five years of experience in school-based instructional leadership, including significant experience in an administrative or coordinator role beyond classroom teaching.
• Demonstrated experience with IB MYP and/or DP curriculum, assessment, and program administration; IB Coordinator experience strongly preferred.
• Strong data analysis and reporting skills, including proficiency in Excel and experience producing data visualizations for leadership and board audiences.
• Experience coaching teachers and supporting professional development, including new staff onboarding.
• Familiarity with NYC public school systems, student information systems, and compliance requirements preferred.
• NYS certification in a relevant content area or school leadership preferred.
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills, including experience presenting to senior leaders, board members, and families.
• A self-starter with a high sense of initiative who can operate effectively with autonomy while staying closely aligned to school-wide priorities.
• Deep personal accountability and the ability to build accountability in others.
• Belief in and alignment with BELA's mission, core values, and educational philosophy.
• Experience in an all-girls school or with gender-responsive educational models is a plus but not required.

Compensation and Benefits

The salary range for this position is $115,000 to $130,000, commensurate with experience. BELA offers a comprehensive benefits package, including health, dental, and vision coverage, as well as professional development support.'
 

This is a full-time, in-person role based in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. This is an 11-month position.

Application Process

Brooklyn Emerging Leaders Academy Charter School has partnered with JoHo Talent Network to lead this search. To apply, please submit your resume and application materials through the JoHo Talent Network application portal.
 

BELA seeks individuals of all religious, ethnic, and racial backgrounds, sexual orientations, and gender identities to apply for this position. We are committed to maximizing the diversity of our organization, as we believe our community is strengthened by the experiences and perspectives of those who contribute to this work.

This job description reflects BELA's current assignment of essential functions and qualifications for the role. Nothing herein restricts management's right to assign, reassign, or eliminate duties and responsibilities at any time.