Vice Principal – Culture, Operations & Community Female

Downe House Riyadh is seeking a passionate and highly skilled Vice Principal – Culture, Operations & Community to join our growing team from August 2026
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The successful candidate will inspire, challenge and support students to achieve their full potential while contributing positively to the academic and pastoral life of the school.

We welcome applications from reflective, innovative practitioners who are eager to make a meaningful impact within a supportive and ambitious learning environment.

Cognita is a global leader in independent education. Founded in 2004, we are a growing community of 100+ schools in 16 countries - in Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia and the Middle East - serving more than 85,000 students. Each of our schools are proudly unique, however our collective purpose is to create an environment where everyone can, ‘Thrive in a rapidly evolving world’.

At Cognita, we know every student is unique. We nurture their distinct personalities and strengths. We support them academically, socially, and emotionally, wherever they are in the world, wherever they’re starting from. We protect what’s special about them, while offering them rich knowledge, opportunities, and best practices. And they get to be part of something bigger; ensuring they get an education that’s, quite literally, world class.

Opened in September 2022, Downe House Riyadh delivers a world-class British curriculum in partnership with one of the UK’s most celebrated girls-only private schools. With over a century of excellence, Downe House UK consistently ranks among the country’s top five all-girls’ schools.

Located in the prestigious Aqeeq neighbourhood in northern Riyadh, the school offers a British curriculum enriched with Downe House UK’s tradition and expertise. The programme is carefully adapted for Saudi Arabia, ensuring girls achieve excellence in Arabic and Islamic Studies alongside core subjects.

The close partnership between the Riyadh and UK schools is evident in both philosophy and practice. At the heart of the Downe House ethos is the individual: every girl’s strength, challenges, and interests are recognised, with bespoke pathways that foster confidence and success.

• A first-class British education leading to IGCSEs and A Levels
• Academic excellence in girls’ education
• Exceptional pastoral care and opportunities for personal growth
• A wide range of co-curricular activities

The school nurtures intellectual curiosity, creativity, and respect for others through strong pastoral systems, personalised tutoring, and a spotlight on every student.

• Pre-Prep:
  Nursery to Year 2 (ages 2–7)
• Prep:
  Year 3 to Year 8 (ages 7–13)
• Senior:
  Year 9 to Year 13 (ages 13–18)

Boys and girls are admitted from Pre-School to Year 4.

The state‑of‑the‑art campus features dedicated libraries, central atriums, science and design labs, art studios, a 450‑seat theatre, music, dance, and drama facilities, IT labs, and both senior and learner swimming pools.

The Vice Principal – Culture, Operations & Community will play a pivotal leadership role in ensuring the smooth, compliant, and culturally attuned operation of the school. This post‑holder will oversee the administrative and operational functions of the school, ensuring full alignment with Ministry of Education requirements, national regulations, and both local and international frameworks, while supporting the school’s pastoral and academic leadership teams.

This role requires an individual with deep contextual understanding of working within the Kingdom, strong professional credibility with parents and external bodies, and the ability to balance operational rigour with sensitivity, discretion, and cultural intelligence.

• Oversee the day‑to‑day administrative and operational functions of the school, ensuring systems run efficiently, professionally, and in line with school priorities.
• Lead and manage non‑teaching operational teams, ensuring clarity of roles, accountability, and high standards of service.
• Support the Principal in strategic operational…