Chief Academic Innovation Officer

Newark Academy•Livingston, NJ

2d•$140,000 - $160,000

About The Position

Newark Academy seeks a Chief Academic Innovation Officer (CAIO) to shape the future of its academic program by examining longstanding assumptions about teaching and learning and leading the development of new approaches. Working closely with the Head of School and the Assistant Head for Teaching & Learning, the CAIO will consider what students learn, how they learn, how they demonstrate learning, and how the school prepares them for college and life beyond. This work centers on challenging and joyful learning, intellectual curiosity, student agency, and strong relationships. The CAIO will collaborate across divisions and departments to build support for ambitious ideas and guide their thoughtful, sustainable implementation. As a member of the senior leadership team, the CAIO will provide strategic leadership for academic scheduling and program design, recognizing that the organization of time, courses, and resources shapes students’ opportunities and experiences. The role works in close partnership with the Assistant Head for Teaching & Learning, division principals, department chairs, and other school leaders, and reports to the Assistant Head for Teaching & Learning. This is a full-time, 12-month position beginning July 1, 2027. The base pay range is $140,000–$160,000, with salary dependent on factors including education and experience. Benefits include paid time off, paid holidays, retirement, medical, dental, and vision insurance, short-term and long-term disability, life insurance, and other benefits.

Requirements

Significant successful experience in teaching and academic leadership.
Demonstrated success leading meaningful academic or institutional change.
Deep understanding of educational philosophy, curriculum, assessment, and research on teaching and learning.
Strong understanding of artificial intelligence and its implications for teaching, learning, assessment, and the development of independent student thinking.
Familiarity with the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme and the opportunities and challenges of advanced college-preparatory education.
Ability to question conventional practices, think strategically, exercise sound judgment, and translate ambitious ideas into practical, sustainable change.
Collaborative leadership style and demonstrated ability to earn trust, build consensus, and engage colleagues in meaningful institutional improvement.
Exceptional communication, interpersonal, organizational, and project management skills.

Nice To Haves

Experience with academic scheduling, complex program design, or the strategic allocation of academic resources.
Advanced degree in education, educational leadership, or a related field.

Responsibilities

Partner with the Head of School, Assistant Head for Teaching & Learning, division principals, and academic leaders to develop and advance a long-term vision for the academic program.
Examine academic structures, including curriculum, departmental organization, course requirements, academic pathways, assessment, and use of time, and identify opportunities for meaningful change.
Develop and lead a multi-year academic innovation plan, establishing priorities and translating the school’s educational vision into concrete initiatives.
Guide the school’s response to artificial intelligence and other developments affecting education, with attention to independent thinking, intellectual development, teaching, learning, and assessment.
Help shape the future of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme and Advanced Placement opportunities in support of the school’s broader educational vision.
Explore models for experiential learning, research, collaboration, and partnerships that connect academic study with the world beyond the classroom.
Examine how academic expectations relate to student well-being and the overall student experience, seeking ways to strengthen academic excellence and balance.
Study exemplary educational programs and emerging practices at independent schools, colleges, universities, and other organizations, and translate relevant insights into opportunities for Newark Academy.
Build trust and institutional alignment around academic priorities by meaningfully engaging faculty, students, and administrators in change.
Foster intellectual curiosity, thoughtful experimentation, and continuous improvement, encouraging faculty to question assumptions and explore new possibilities for teaching and learning.
Partner with the Assistant Head for Teaching & Learning and division principals to support faculty in developing, piloting, evaluating, and implementing educational approaches.
Establish goals, timelines, and measures of success for major initiatives, and use evidence of student learning and experience to evaluate their impact.
Engage faculty, students, and families in conversations about the future of teaching and learning.
Partner with Admissions, Advancement, and Marketing & Communications to communicate the academic program’s distinctive strengths and future direction.
Help strengthen a school culture that values not only student achievement but also student contributions.
Provide strategic leadership for the annual academic scheduling process, ensuring that the schedule advances the school’s educational priorities.
Examine how the school day, academic calendar, course offerings, and faculty responsibilities might evolve to create new teaching and learning opportunities.
Lead exploration and development of scheduling models that support interdisciplinary study, experiential education, academic choice, student well-being, and effective use of faculty expertise.
Collaborate with division principals, department chairs, and academic leaders to balance student interests, program requirements, faculty responsibilities, and institutional resources.
Perform other duties as assigned by the Head of School.