Head of College

Brighton College and Cognita are seeking an inspirational charismatic, and ambitious Head to drive the expansion of Brighton College (Singapore) into one of the region’s leading all-through schools (from Pre-Nursery to Year 13). This is an incredible opportunity for a proven senior leader to shape the ongoing development and growth of the school and work as part of a talented and experienced team of Heads across Cognita and the Brighton College Group. The successful candidate will combine a track record of highly successful leadership experience in education in the UK or internationally, with the cultural awareness and global perspective to inspire the entire College community and manage diverse stakeholder relationships. We are looking to appoint a Head with the energy and vision to lead a world-class academic institution, distinctive in its own right but with the Brighton College DNA at its core. First-class communication skills, with the gravitas to act as a visible leader and ambassador, are crucial, as is the commercial drive to build upon the school’s success. The Head of College is also accountable to a Board of Governors comprising representatives of Cognita and Brighton College UK. The Head of College will be responsible for the delivery of educational excellence, school strategy and parent experience, while working alongside central teams for marketing, human resources and finance support. The role reports into the Managing Director, Singapore Cog. The school is regulated by the SDWA in Singapore and has EduTrust Certification. The Cognita Asia team plays a vital role in managing this regulatory relationship effectively. This opportunity represents a career-defining, professional challenge for an educational leader, who shares our aim of developing well-educated, respectful, and intellectually curious young men and women ready to take a full, active, and positive role in the world.

The position is available from August 2027.

About Cognita:

Cognita is a global family of 84 schools in 20 countries, with around 100,000 students, 22,000+ colleagues, 14 curricula and nine languages of instruction.

Within Cognita, Brighton College is part of the Singapore Cog, alongside other schools across the region. Our strength lies in our diversity. Education is inherently local, so each Cognita school reflects the families and community it serves. When families choose a school, they are making a deeply personal and community-based decision, and Cognita gives schools the freedom to express and protect that local identity.

What unites us is a shared ambition to deliver consistently high-quality education alongside an exceptional experience for students and parents. Cognita provides the expertise, investment, systems, leadership and global learning that help schools become stronger, while allowing each school to remain true to what makes it distinctive.

Cognita’s vision is Thriving Schools, Inspiring Futures. Our mission is to build the world’s most trusted global schools platform, creating the conditions for schools to thrive; measurably and meaningfully

About the Role:

The Head of Brighton College (Singapore) will be responsible for leading a successful and thriving school, looking to build on the strong foundations already established in its Prep School and the formative years of its Senior School. Like all Brighton College leaders and teachers, they will understand the values of a British independent school education, the expectations of parents for the highest educational standards, and the needs of pupils who are very motivated to learn. This role will also oversee successful delivery of programmes that are integrated with its mainstream offerings, such as the Preparatory Course Primary and Secondary for intensive English Language acquisition.

The Head’s primary, over-arching responsibility will be to manage the school’s ongoing development, encompassing the following priority tasks:

• Strategic Leadership
• Academic & Pastoral Leadership & Teaching Excellence
• Growth & Operational Excellence
• People & Culture
• Talent Leadership & Development
• Engagement & Wellbeing
• Performance & Capability
• Community & Stakeholder Engagement 

Who we are looking for:

• First-class strategic thinker with the capacity to provide clear leadership in a changing and complex external environment.
• First-class communication skills with a demonstrable ability to act as an effective and compelling ambassador for Brighton College in a changing, competitive market.
• High levels of commercial acumen and a strong understanding of the business aspects of successful Headship.
• Firm understanding of the role of a Head of College in relation to the leadership of safeguarding, building a strong safeguarding culture and the development of a safe environment.
• Highly visible leader with charisma, energy, stamina and ambition to inspire and motivate others.
• High levels of emotional intelligence together with the cultural sensitivity and global perspective required to relate well to people at all levels and from diverse backgrounds.
• Empathetic relationship-builder with a sophisticated understanding of how to work effectively with multiple stakeholders, build strong teams, delegate effectively and bring
• out the best in colleagues.
• Sound judgement and a strong sense of personal and professional integrity.
• A genuine commitment to the Brighton College values, ethos and educational philosophy.
   

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Education or Bachelor’s degree with PGCE.
• NPQH or Master’s in Education is advantageous
• Experience in a successful British or British international school will be an advantage in demonstrating an alignment with the educational philosophy and standards which characterise Brighton College.
• Track record of highly successful school leadership which demonstrates an understanding of the challenges faced in an international school setting.
• Experience of leading, developing and motivating high calibre, diverse teams with a strong commitment to the continued professional development of all colleagues.
• Proven track record of successful delivery of the British curriculum and a demonstrable commitment to the importance of a broad learning environment.
• Evident commitment to educational innovation, including the opportunities and challenges presented by AI.
  Strong academic and intellectual credentials to command the respect of staff, pupils, parents and the wider community.
   

The Application Process

We are working with Odgers for this recruitment and interested candidates should submit their application to hosbrightonsg@odgers.com The deadline for applications for the position is 10 am October 14, 2026.

Applicants should submit:

• A copy of your curriculum vitae/résumé.
• A covering letter of no more than two pages. The letter should explain your reasons for applying, the attractions of the role and the relevance of your experience and your views on education. Please make your letter as specific as you can; a letter that is largely generic may result in your application not being given full consideration.

The review of files will begin as soon as applications are received. Shortlisted candidates will go through two rounds of panel interviews with senior leadership from Brighton and Cognita. Finalist candidates will be invited to Singapore in November to visit the school and meet with future colleagues and the Brighton College community. The Head of College will be selected after the site visit, final interviews, and reference checks. The successful candidate will assume their professional responsibilities in August 2027

Compensation and Benefits

• The most important thing is that we find the right candidate, and we will ensure that the salary and benefits package will be commensurate with the role.
• The benefits package will include relocation benefits, housing support, comprehensive medical coverage, school fee discount and variable pay.

Safeguarding and equal opportunities

Cognita Schools are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff, volunteers and other third parties to share this commitment. Safer recruitment practice and pre-employment background checks will be undertaken before any appointment is confirmed.

The College is committed to ensuring that the recruitment and selection of staff is conducted in a manner that is systematic, efficient and effective and which promotes equality of opportunity.