This study investigates the role of Intercultural Communicative Competence (ICC) in enhancing teaching quality and job satisfaction among teachers in international schools in Surabaya, Indonesia. Drawing on Self-Determination Theory (SDT), the research explores how ICC fulfills teachers’ psychological needs; autonomy, competence, and relatedness, and how these influence professional outcomes. A causal-comparative quantitative design was employed, with data collected from 148 local and expatriate teachers using validated instruments measuring ICC, teaching quality, and job satisfaction. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to analyze the relationships between constructs. Results revealed that ICC significantly influences both teaching quality and job satisfaction, with teaching quality fully mediating the relationship between ICC and job satisfaction. Indicators such as intercultural openness and engagement (ICC2, ICC8, ICC9) were found to be the strongest predictors. These findings underscore the importance of intercultural competence as both a communication skill and a pedagogical asset. The study recommends the integration of ICC-focused training into teacher development programs and highlights the need for institutional support to cultivate inclusive, culturally responsive classrooms in international education settings.