Director of Academic and Instructional Programs 2026-2027

Tempe School District No.3•Tempe, AZ

About The Position

The Director of Academic and Instructional Programs is responsible for ensuring the district/school educational objectives are aligned to state frameworks and to instructional practices that yield the highest standards of student achievement, instructional excellence, and community support in all subject areas. The director oversees the planning, development, assessment and improvement of academic and instructional programs (e.g. Native American Program, Science, Mathematics, Physical Education, Fine Arts, Gifted and Talented, Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID), Montessori, World Language Program, International Baccalaureate (IB), Social Studies and English Language Arts). We’re looking for someone who is an active collaborator, highly motivated, visionary and innovative leader. The director works in collaboration with teachers, administrators, district staff and district leadership to determine school and district academic, instructional and professional learning needs and on-going plans for support. Also the director provides leadership to the district in complying with federal and state regulations as applicable to areas of supervision. This is a rare opportunity for an individual to step in and be a part of transforming an organization's outcomes and student learning environments. It also represents a chance for this person to be part of the senior leadership team of the company, and enjoy significant personal and professional growth along the way.

Requirements

State of Arizona administrative certification. Applicants must have on file in the Human Resources Department a copy of the appropriate valid certificate or evidence of eligibility to be appropriately certified by the Arizona Department of Education.
Successful experience as central office supervisor.
A demonstrated history of building a strong, cohesive team that excels in customer service and support.
A strong commitment to service and personal accountability.
A minimum of five (5) years of administrative and/or management experience.
A minimum of five (5) years of teaching experience.
Ability to successfully implement organizational change.
The ability to make big ideas and complex concepts simple, easy to understand and compelling.
Ability to express ideas and concepts clearly and concisely in both oral and written form; use language and medium appropriate to the audience.
Leadership experience in implementing and directing a variety of large-scale projects and/or operations in an urban district.
Excellent organizational, written, communication and problem-solving/creative thinking skills.

Responsibilities

Develops the short and long-term instructional programming vision for TD3 and works to establish a culture of high expectation and shared responsibility for equitable access to high quality and relevant instruction.
Works to create authentic partnerships between district offices and schools that fosters a culture of continuous learning focused on supporting administrators and teachers to improve student outcomes.
Creates a system of data driven reporting for continuous improvement in the implementation of instructional programming throughout the district.
Proactively identifying information that has the potential to be impactful and elevate issues along with resolution options to the Chief Academic Officer (CAO) in a timely manner.
Facilitates discussions on emerging issues and trends enabling collaborations and partnerships across multiple constituents; engages in dialogue to identify opportunities, problem solve and find solutions.
Identifies and meets key partners to obtain input and to help influence decision-making and change in the organization.
Builds strong relationships across the schools and departments and develops trusted and transparent relationships to understand the core instructional needs and drivers to create and implement solutions proactively and thoughtfully.
Provide open communication and partnership across schools, departments and leadership teams to support a culture of accountability, service, inclusion, equity and high-performance.
Collaborate with schools to develop academic and instructional programs designed to improve student achievement and teacher effectiveness.
Works collaboratively with district leadership and school leadership teams to align school initiatives with district strategic plans and initiatives.
Develop and implement a vision for the district’s instructional practices, academic programs and set a vision and goals for instructional programs to ensure instructional support in every classroom for every TD3 teacher.
Collaborate with the CEO’s cabinet, executive team members and district stakeholders to ensure strategic planning and academic initiatives are in alignment with the district’s mission, vision, core values, culture and strategic plan goals.
Apply research and best practices to inform theories of pedagogy and ensure consistent delivery of high-quality instruction aligned to state adopted standards.
Demonstrate strong project management skills for coordinating and advising on the process of developing and implementing academic programming and instructional practices throughout the system.
Provides assistance to principals, teachers and other staff in the area of effective instructional practices, academic programs, pedagogy and techniques.