Application Open:
Full-Time
Job Purpose:
The Head of Administrative Affairs supports the Director of Institutional Function Models by managing administrative operations of the department, optimizing workflows, and ensuring strategic alignment. Key responsibilities include overseeing interdepartmental and intradepartmental communications, schedules, meetings, and correspondence while coordinating with internal and external stakeholders to enhance efficiency. The role also supervises budget administration and ensures compliance with institutional policies. Additionally, it involves planning events, streamlining documentation processes, and leveraging technology to improve administrative functions. By facilitating decision-making and enhancing operational effectiveness, this role plays a critical part in supporting the department’s strategic objectives.
Key Responsibilities:
Administration:
- Provide high-level administrative support to the Director of Institutional Function Models and the department, including managing meeting agendas, and preparing reports and presentations.
- Oversee performance reviews and ensure compliance with institutional timelines and procedures.
- Continuously assess and enhance administrative systems, leveraging IT and AI to improve efficiency and quality.
Department Operations:
- Manage the Director’s schedule, balancing priorities and ensuring optimal time management.
- Assess and prioritize requests for approval, ensuring timely and logical review.
- Act as the primary liaison between internal and external stakeholders, ensuring seamless communication and effective time management for the Director.
- Support the Director in executing academic and strategic initiatives, including coordination of research presentations and institutional projects.
Correspondence, Documentation, and Information Management:
- Draft, review, and manage department correspondences, ensuring timely responses and well-structured communications.
- Conduct research, analyze data, and prepare reports with strategic recommendations.
- Maintain accurate records and databases to support decision-making.
- Ensure confidentiality of sensitive information by implementing secure storage and retrieval procedures in compliance with institutional policies.
Meeting Management:
- Develop and distribute meeting agendas, ensuring preparedness and efficiency.
- Document and circulate meeting minutes and/or directives, tracking decisions and follow-up actions.
- Monitor and ensure implementation of key resolutions and strategic action items.
Events Management:
- Plan and oversee department conferences, workshops, and executive meetings, ensuring seamless and effective execution.
- Coordinate with relevant departments for event promotion, logistics, and security arrangements.
- Manage financial and contractual aspects of events, ensuring adherence to institutional policies and budget constraints.
- Evaluate event outcomes and identify areas for continuous improvement.
Travel Coordination:
- Arrange travel logistics for the Director and other management, ensuring compliance with institutional policies and budget guidelines.
- Prepare detailed itineraries and obtain guidance from Human Resources & Faculty Affairs Department on visa requirements, insurance, and other travel-related needs.
Budget and Financial Administration:
- Oversee financial administration within the department, including expenditure tracking, invoice management, and budget reporting.
- Support budget preparation and ensure timely submission of financial plans and forecasts.
- Monitor budget utilization and report discrepancies for corrective action.
Other Duties:
- Cooperate and coordinate with internal and external stakeholders to achieve the office’s and/or reporting units the functional and operational goals and facilitate the strategic objectives of MBZUAI.
- Perform all other duties as reasonably directed by the line manager that are commensurate with these functional objectives.
Academic Qualifications:
- A minimum of a Bachelor degree in Business Administration, or any other relevant discipline.
- A postgraduate qualification in relevant discipline is preferred.
Professional Experience:
Essential
- Minimum five years of experience managing complex administrative operations in large educational institutions or similar environments, including project management, department coordination, or office management.
- Proven ability to evaluate department effectiveness using established assessment methods, analyze objectives achievement, and make data-driven recommendations for continuous improvement.
- Expertise in survey design, administration, and reporting data analysis for stakeholder satisfaction.
- In-depth understanding of continuous quality improvement principles and their application on enhancing both interdepartmental and intradepartmental processes.
- Experience in departmental budgeting and financial administration, with experience in a higher education institution setting is desirable.
- Strong track record in managing suppliers and service providers in accordance with procurement policies and institutional budgetary constraints.
- Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, including the ability to write clear reports, proposals, and engage with academic and administrative stakeholders.
- Proficiency in advanced computing skills, including word processing, spreadsheets, databases, presentations, and data analysis tools.
- Ability to effectively manage and adapt administrative processes in a multicultural environment, ensuring responsiveness to diverse academic and operational needs.
- Familiarity with Middle Eastern business and cultural practices.
Preferred
- Previous experience working successfully in the UAE.
- Arabic language proficiency is an advantage.
