Executive Director Full Time

SUMMARY OF FUNCTIONS:

The Executive Director for the Center for Executive Education is a key senior management position that is mission-critical for the university.  It is pivotal for its pursuit of strong ties with the executive community, and leadership in meeting strategic learning needs of this community. The incumbent should provide the center with the strategic leadership that will ensure sustainability and advanced competitive positioning.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES: 

1. Play a key role in recommending to the Chancellor the strategy of the Center including programs to be offered, fees to be charged, networks to be built, promotional strategies to be followed, quality control measures to be adopted, and plans to be formulated and implemented;
2. Supervise and assume responsibility for every aspect of the center’s operations in terms of program mix, facilitators, content, delivery methods, overall performance and assessment;
3. Suggest and defend the annual budget for the center and carry it through all the way to adoption within established channels;
4. Closely coordinate with other relevant units of the university to ensure their cooperation for the smooth functioning of the center. Such units include colleges, Office of Finance, Office of HR, office of the VCFAA, Office of Strategic Communications, Marketing and Student Recruitment, as well as working closely with Executive Director of Strategic Partnerships. The Executive Director is expected to recommend coordination channels and mechanisms.
5. Maintain a high profile for the center in the UAE executive community in terms of visitations, bridge-building activities, communication channels and all other reasonable means. The goal is effective networking, advocacy, promotion, stimulating enrollment, and creating strategic partnerships.
6. Organize promotional and high-end professional activities at the center. This covers speaker series, symposia, seminars and other related activities. The purpose should be creating awareness, expanding knowledge, highlighting challenges, and bolstering concerted professional effort towards creating shared platforms leading to greater connectivity.
7. Regularly update center’s programs to keep them at the cutting edge in terms of both currency and relevance.
8. Show equal interest in ability for launching and managing open enrollment, sector-specific programs. This should include designing, marketing, running, and assessing the impact of all three program categories.
9. Demonstrate advanced ability for strategic as well as operational planning in close alignment to the strategic plan and major goals of the university.
10. Play a role in the selection of instructors and facilitators for the various programs and modules offered.
11. Produce quarterly reports and an annual report at the end of the academic year.
12. Other related duties as mandated by the Chancellor.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE:

• Master’s degree (preferably MBA or equivalent) in Business, Education, or a related field.
• At least 5-7 years of relevant experience in executive education or corporate training.
• Advanced bi-lingual communication skills; both verbally and in writing.
• Sound working knowledge of different information technology applications.

KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS:

• Ability to work effectively with academic and corporate stakeholders.
• Strong interpersonal, communication, and negotiation skills with the ability to engage a wide range of stakeholders.
• Advanced emotional intelligence and an attractive personality to be able to manage effectively, build trust, and encourage cooperation.
• Proven track record of strategic planning, problem-solving, partnership building, and revenue generation.
• Strong financial acumen and experience with budget development and management.
• Experience working in a multicultural, fast-paced academic or nonprofit environment.
• Fluency in written/ spoken English required; Arabic is an advantage.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

Work is normally performed in a typical interior work environment, which does not subject the employee to any unpleasant elements.  The position may entail work after duty hours, on weekends, holidays and in emergency (i.e. may be subject to “on-call” responsibilities).  Travel may be required for donor cultivation and alumni engagement activities.