Application Open:
Full-Time
Job Purpose:
The Head of Graduate Housing and Community Building Liaison provides strategic and operational leadership for student life at MBZUAI, shaping graduate experience through programs that foster well-being, community engagement, leadership development, and student success. This role leads a cross-functional team and oversees core services including graduate housing, community building, wellness initiatives, and international student support. The incumbent plays a key role in building a supportive, inclusive, and vibrant graduate environment aligned with MBZUAI’s strategic goals and the needs of its multicultural, global student body.
Key Responsibilities:
Strategic Leadership & Campus Life Development:
- Lead the development and implementation of a comprehensive campus life strategy aligned with MBZUAI’s vision, institutional priorities, and UAE national objectives.
- Develop and review policies and procedures that support student engagement, cultural inclusion, wellness, and leadership.
- Serve as a key advisor on campus life strategy, ensuring continuous alignment with best practices in graduate education and student affairs.
Program & Event Management:
- Oversee the planning and delivery of campus life programming, including orientation, cultural and social events, student leadership training, academic competitions, and wellness campaigns.
- Develop and publish an annual calendar of events in coordination with academic timelines.
- Collaborate with Marketing & Communications to promote campus life events through effective use of social media and digital platforms.
Housing & Residential Life:
- Manage graduate housing operations, including on-campus residences and off-campus housing support.
- Establish and train a team of student wardens to provide physical and mental health first aid, peer support, and residential leadership.
- Ensure a safe, inclusive, and satisfactory residential experience that supports student well-being and community living.
Student Support & Wellness Services:
- Oversee academic advising, learning support, and counseling services tailored to MBZUAI’s graduate student population.
- Lead wellness initiatives including awareness campaigns, workshops, fitness and relaxation activities, and access to health and spiritual resources.
- Ensure students are enrolled in health insurance plans and are informed about available healthcare services.
International Graduate Scholar Services:
- Ensure culturally competent onboarding, compliance support, and integration programming for international graduate students and postdoctoral scholars.
- Collaborate with administrative units to streamline processes for visas, residency, EIDs, and other essential services.
Student Leadership & Engagement:
- Support and advise the Graduate Student Council, overseeing election processes, budgeting, and alignment with institutional goals.
- Foster a culture of student leadership and active participation in university governance and campus activities.
- Guide the formation and operation of student clubs and organizations.
Policy Development & Risk Management:
- Manage student conduct policies and procedures, addressing non-academic misconduct and providing follow-up and support.
- Ensure equity, transparency, and consistency in the application of campus life policies.
- Contribute to crisis response and serve on the university’s emergency on-call rotation.
Assessment & Continuous Improvement:
- Lead assessment of campus life services through satisfaction surveys, data analysis, and impact reports.
- Recommend improvements and innovations in service delivery to ensure high-quality student experience.
- Maintain and update the Graduate Student Handbook in collaboration with relevant departments.
Other Duties:
- Perform all other duties as reasonably directed by the line manager that are commensurate with these functional objectives.
Qualifications and Experience:
- Master’s degree in higher education administration, student affairs, public administration or a related field.
- At least 5–7 years of leadership experience in campus life, student affairs, or graduate student support, preferably within an international or UAE-based institution.
- Proven ability to design, implement, and evaluate inclusive programs and services that support graduate student success.
- Experience managing housing, wellness services, community building, and international student programs.
- Strong interpersonal, organizational, and cross-cultural communication skills.
- Demonstrated ability to lead diverse teams and collaborate across institutional units.
- Experience managing budgets, policies, and compliance-related activities. Understanding of Middle Eastern working practices and culture.
Preferred:
- A Doctoral degree is preferred.
- Experience in a STEM or AI-focused graduate education environment.
- Previous responsibility for student residence management.
- Fluency in Arabic and/or prior experience in UAE higher education.
