Work at ACS
- About Us
- Teaching & Working at ACS
- Professional Development
- Working & Living in Lebanon
- HR Office
- Career Opportunities
About Us
We at ACS have a deep connection to each other and our school. For many of us, it is not just a place of employment or learning. It is a second home where we share a set of values and expectations and enjoy mutual support and respect. The deep Lebanese and American roots of this unique institution date to 1905 when the faculty of the American University of Beirut established a school to educate primarily American expatriate children of faculty, missionaries and diplomats. Over the last 120 years ACS has evolved to become a vital and influential player in the Lebanese educational landscape as an exemplar of student-centered, inquiry-based teaching and learning and as early adopters of best practices and innovation. For instance, ACS was the first school in Lebanon to offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) degree, the first school to adopt Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and the first school to host a TEDx event.
Today ACS’s student body is over half Lebanese. Many of our students stay at ACS for the majority of their primary and secondary school education. As a result, ACS is not your typical international school; rather, it looks and feels more like a US independent school operating overseas.
Please click on the videos below to hear members of the ACS community speak about their school and to hear students honor their teachers on Teacher Appreciation Day.
Why ACS
Teacher Appreciation Day
Teaching & Working at ACS
ACS Beirut provides a unique educational experience for children in grades Nursery through 12, one that is more student-centered and empowering than other schools in Lebanon. Our teachers don’t stand in the front of the classroom and dispense their knowledge to students. Rather, our teachers are experts in their subject areas who use that expertise to collaborate with students in their learning. They are guides, they are referees, they are thought-provokers, and they forge productive relationships with their students. To be a successful teacher at ACS requires the following:
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expertise in one’s subject area
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a willingness constantly to reflect on and tweak one’s practice
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a desire to collaborate with colleagues across the division and the entire school
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an ability to develop supportive, mutually respectful, collaborative relationships with students
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an awareness that parents are partners in the education of their children and that these relationships often require diplomacy, empathy, and the ability to listen
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a commitment to working with students outside of classrooms in activities, clubs, athletic teams, and field trips
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strength to articulate ideas and opinions but also to adhere to the mission, values, vision, and strategic direction of the school
Working as Staff
Our facilities, security, business, human resources, IT, and health teams play important operational roles. Without them, the school, quite simply, would not function. As a reflection of this, all children of faculty and staff are eligible for tuition remission as per our school’s policy.
We know that well-informed staff are more effective staff. We provide opportunities for all team members to learn more about our academic program, pedagogical trends, and strategic initiatives. As important, we encourage ACS staff to get to know the students and to take advantage of opportunities to share their expertise and to volunteer at events. As always, we expect all employees to adhere to ACS core values and to incorporate these into their daily work and interactions with each other and all those in our community.
Professional Development
ACS strives to provide numerous and varied professional development opportunities for faculty and staff. These include regularly scheduled in-service days throughout the year, during which we focus on school-wide or divisional initiatives. We also utilize the expertise of outside consultants as needed to help us home in on a particular aspect of pedagogy, curriculum, or other topic in education. For example, Bridget Doogan recently completed a 4-day “Adaptive Schools” certificate program with 60 of our faculty members.
We send faculty and staff to relevant professional development conferences or more specialized programs. These can be initiated by the school or individual faculty members, and are approved based on the connection to our mission, pedagogical practices, and strategic initiatives. Decisions are made by the Professional Development Committee, which includes the Head of School and other members of the Leadership Team.
As a member of the Near East South Asia Council of Overseas Schools (NESA), we benefit from the wide variety of online and in-person professional development opportunities that NESA provides.
Working & Living in Lebanon
ACS is located in cosmopolitan Beirut, a city of approximately 2.5 million residents once dubbed the “Paris of the Middle East.” Arabic is the official language but both English and French are spoken widely. Lebanon is known for its rich culture, delicious cuisine, splendid scenery, and the warmth and resilience of its people. Within an hours’ drive from Beirut one can access spectacular hiking and skiing, picturesque traditional villages, award-winning vineyards, and ancient archaeological sites dating to the Pheonician, Roman, and Crusader periods. Rafik Hariri airport is only a 20-minute drive from campus, and direct flights to Europe as well as Cairo, Amman and other Middle Eastern capitals, are easily obtainable.
ACS is fortunately located just meters from the beautiful Mediterranean Sea and next to the American University of Beirut, the country’s and region’s top university and hospital system. Within a short walk are a variety of cafes, shops and essential services, as well as the Corniche – a seaside promenade ideal for walking and jogging. The nearby neighborhoods of Achrafieh, Mar Mikhael and Saifi offer a sophisticated array of upscale boutiques, bistros and cultural venues within historical, pedestrian-friendly settings.
@LebanonByDann
@LorientToday
@LebanonTrail
HR Office
The Human Resource Department led by Director Jocelyne Diab Bitar is the campus resource center for professional services and information in the areas of recruitment, benefits, compensation, training and development, employment records, employment processes and transactions, personnel policies and legal compliance, and employee relations. Its goal is to provide prompt and comprehensive services to all employees, thereby supporting the school’s overall operations and mission.
Career Opportunities
At the American Community School Beirut, we firmly believe that quality education is highly dependent on both the recruitment and development of a talented and a vibrant Faculty and Staff. We place critical importance, and expend considerable energy, on the recruitment and training of our Faculty and Staff.
Each year we work hard to intentionally recruit and retain an outstanding group of Faculty because we care deeply about our mission. Thinking about living and working in Lebanon at ACS means advancing understanding of this fascinating and important region of the world. It means exploring Beirut and the beautiful countryside, knowing the Lebanese people, to being in close proximity to the Mediterranean and its wonderful climate, and working closely with interesting colleagues and motivated and talented students.
- Search Associates
- The International Educator
- University of Northern Iowa
- Global Recruitment Collaborative
Our vacancies are updated online through the HR Office as they become available. We use our own forms as well as those professional sites you may be listed on as a teaching professional. Annually, we subscribe to several international teaching search firms, as we look for qualified teachers worldwide.
Leadership Opportunities
Faculty Opportunities
Middle School Social Studies Teacher
Summary
The Middle School Social Studies Teacher creates and structures students' experiences in collaboration with students, parents, staff, faculty, and administrators. This role is responsible for cultivating an educational atmosphere where students can fulfill their intellectual, emotional, and physical potential. The teacher will organize and implement an instructional program that leads to academic success, in alignment with ACS policies. Committed to building a strong classroom community and promoting the school's mission and educational philosophy, the Social Studies Teacher fosters a welcoming environment and handles information with strict confidentiality.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Serves the whole child, acknowledging that a student’s physical, social, and emotional well-being is critical to learning.
- Is committed to best practices in brain-based learning, integrated and thematic instruction, and character education.
- Designs and implements Social Studies lesson plans based on the appropriate standards and benchmarks.
- Develops a curriculum that considers the developmental levels of middle school students.
- Engages students in problem-solving, cooperative learning, community interaction, appreciating diversity, and learning through service.
- Encourages students to explore new ideas and roles with confidence and adaptability.
- Fosters a love of learning, promoting self-motivation and independent work habits.
- Establishes and models high expectations for students' academic achievement and behavior.
- Helps students continuously assess their progress and uses feedback as a learning tool.
- Links assessments directly to instruction, providing regular and constructive feedback.
- Builds and sustains positive partnerships with parents.
- Participates in the Outdoor Education Program, which may involve staying off-campus for up to a week or more.
- Engages in advisory roles and extra-curricular activities in addition to teaching responsibilities.
- Attends meetings and fulfills duties as assigned by the Principal.
- Communicates effectively and in a timely manner with all stakeholders.
- Attends and participates in school events as requested by the administration.
- Directs after-school activities through the Middle School After-School Activities Program, collaborating with community specialists when needed.
Job Requirements
- Teaching Degree in Social Studies or a related field.
- Minimum of three years of relevant experience.
- Excellent command of English.
Staff Opportunities
- NSSF Representative / School Messenger
- Assistant Athletics & Activities Director
- Human Resources Assistant
NSSF Representative / School Messenger
Summary
The School Messenger handles all out-of-office transactions, including but not limited to transactions related to NSSF, Teachers’ Caisse, Ministry of Labor, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Finance, and bank deposits.
Key Responsibilities and Criteria for Candidates
NSSF Representative
- Submits all registration documents for new employees and all termination documents for leaving employees.
- Processes employees’ transactions related to medical, end-of-service, and family allowance with the National Social Security Fund office.
- Monthly submittal of all NSSF medical claims, which includes gathering all medicine boxes and grouping them by employee.
- Monthly submittal of NSSF contribution and follow-up on any discrepancies.
- Retrieves monthly family allowance schedule from the NSSF office.
- Follows up with employees’ documentation who are over 64.
- Follows up with employees’ dependents who are over 18 and attending university, and those who have their parents registered under their NSSF account. In addition to those female employees who have their kids registered under their name.
- Submission of NSSF Annual Report File.
- Issues annual attestation of clean records from NSSF.
Teachers’ Caisse Representative
- Transactions related to the Teachers’ Caisse.
Ministry of Labor Representative
- Submits and collects work permit documents for approval at the Ministry of Labor.
- Process of renewal for expats.
- Annual staff registry record submission with the Ministry of Labor.
Ministry of Education Representative
- Delivers student schedule lists to the Ministry of Education.
- Other duties as required by the Admissions Office.
Ministry of Finance Representative
- Delivers all periodic tax returns to the Ministry of Finance.
- Registration of new employees with the Ministry of Finance and making sure tax numbers are issued.
- Other duties as required by the position.
Assistant Athletics & Activities Director
Key Responsibilities and Criteria for Candidates
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Serves as a liaison with all stakeholders.
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Collaborates with the Athletics Director for students’ registration and related administrative work.
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Collaborates with coaches and advisors as needed.
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Schedules coaches' meetings, updates athletic calendar and maintains the athletic social media presence.
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Compiles and submits athletic attendance/substitute reports and arranges for substitution.
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Organizes schedules, events/meetings, reserves facilities, and follows up.
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Assists in organizing coach’s information, handbooks, awards, and organizational information that may involve the athletic program.
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Monitors and follows up the discipline referrals for the athletic program.
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Organizes, processes, updates, and maintains students / faculty records / files, archives, and maintains the athletic database through the school’s platforms (Google Workspace and Veracross).
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Assists in the publication and communication with appropriate embassies for travel visas and travel documentation for athletes.
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Assists in the preparation of the annual general budget.
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Maintains the content of the Athletic Safe.
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Handles all purchase requests.
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Handles requests for Physical Plant and IT.
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Performs administrative support duties.
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Assists with ordering, distributing, and collecting all team uniforms.
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Assists in the scheduling, planning, and execution of all games, races, meets, matches, tournaments, and events hosted by ACS or sponsored by ACS.
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Schedules all local team games before the season begins or as early in the season as possible, works with local schools and ADs to develop a calendar for games, tournaments, and contests for the current year.
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Executes activity/game setup, timing, and scoring for Activities / Athletic events at ACS (including the volunteers to work the scores table at Basketball and Volleyball games).
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Schedules and pays referees for all home games.
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Issues all invoices related to student travel, Athletics, Activities, and other Athletic and Activity Department Events.
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Edits and files all correspondence relating to athletic events, activities, and afterschool sports activities.
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Assists in the collection, distribution, and maintenance of athletic teams and activity club paperwork and data.
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Communicates with visiting schools, coaches, parents, school officials (rosters, travel information, details) for planning of local and international athletic and activity events.
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Coordinates appointments with staff, students, and parents.
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Issues bus requests for out-of-school sports and traveling teams.
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Edits and updates Athletic department school publication materials.
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Assists the Athletics and Activities Director in implementing all school Athletic and Activities Programs, WWW Program, and Athletic Facilities Operations.
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Attends local sports organization meetings and attempts to build local leagues.
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Assists the Athletics and Activities Director in involving ACS in the Ministry of Education athletic contests.
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Assists in the coordination of outside facility rental and the scheduling use of ACS Facilities.
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Coordinates with the Facilities and Operations Director to assign security guards for all athletic events where additional security is necessary.
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Assists the AD in evaluating coaches and sponsors.
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Other duties as required by the position.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in a related field.
- Experience of 2 to 3 years in a related position.
- Proficient in Arabic and English.
Human Resources Assistant
Key Responsibilities and Criteria for Candidates
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Inputs and maintains employee data within the Dolphin system.
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Creates and updates employee personnel files.
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Handles all travel arrangements for Expat Home Leave.
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Handles professional development arrangements for Leadership, Faculty, and Staff.
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Inputs the professional development budget into the Dolphin System.
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Updates the professional development budget report monthly.
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Handles all travel arrangements for consultants.
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Supports employee social events in collaboration with the Human Resources Manager.
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Processes Travel Insurance requests.
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Processes Overseas Teachers’ Benefits.
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Assists in the local Insurance health benefits process and the life insurance.
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Assists in the International Health Insurance benefits process.
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Coordinates with NSSF delegates for NSSF reconciliation.
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Updates the Tuition Report for Faculty and Staff.
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Prepares upon request employment letters / documents for teachers and staff.
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Assists in the preparation of various Human Resources Reports (surveys, years of service, etc. ) as per the request of the Human Resources Manager.
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Assists with the Welcoming Committee as per the request of the Human Resources Manager.
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Assists in the preparation of the Human Resources Monthly Newsletter.
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Processes purchase order requests and invoices for all suppliers, employees, and end users as per the request of the Human Resources Manager.
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A member of the School Improvement Team Committee (SIT).
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Other duties as requested by the Human Resources Manager.
Requirements
- BA in Business Management and/or Human Resources.
- Diploma or equivalent qualification in Human Resources is a must.
- One to two years' experience in the Human Resources field.
- Proficient in English and Arabic.