Application Open:
Full-Time
Job Purpose:
The Head of Academic Events leads the strategy, planning and
execution of MBZUAI’s academic events portfolio within the Office
of Student and Postdoctoral Affairs (OSPA). The role is accountable
for translating institutional priorities into well-governed,
high-quality events delivered on schedule and within budget, while
managing risk and achieving agreed outcomes. The portfolio includes
Commencement and other major academic events that OSPA leads or in
which it has a significant delivery or stakeholder role, including
events delivered by within the OSPA portfolio.
The Head owns OSPA’s annual academic events calendar and directs
the full lifecycle of events delivered by the function, from
concept development and detailed planning through live delivery and
post-event evaluation. The role also establishes delivery standards
and provides proportionate support for events led by OSPA teams and
academic departments. It sets priorities and success measures,
exercises delegated authority over event scope and expenditure, and
represents OSPA in institutional forums where priorities, resources
and cross-functional responsibilities are agreed.
Key Responsibilities:
Portfolio Strategy and Governance
- Lead the development and management of OSPA’s annual academic
events calendar, aligned with MBZUAI and OSPA priorities.
Define the scope, scale and success measures for each event and
secure endorsement through the appropriate governance route.
Establish and maintain the frameworks, standards, templates and
processes for planning and delivering academic events.
Balance priorities across the portfolio when resources, timing
or institutional capacity are constrained.
Delivery Leadership
- Hold overall accountability for the delivery of Commencement,
IOAI and the wider academic events program, including quality,
schedule, cost and outcomes.
- Set the direction for major events delivered by the function
and delegate detailed planning and delivery to the Associate Head.
Provide proportionate support to OSPA teams and academic
departments for events in which OSPA has an agreed role, based on
priority, complexity, risk and available resources.
- Maintain the portfolio risk register, determine mitigation
actions and escalate material risks through OSPA governance and
leadership channels.
Financial and Commercial Management
- Manage the delegated academic events budget, including
forecasting, allocation across events and in-year
reallocation.
- Review and approve event budgets prepared by the Associate Head
and remain accountable for the portfolio’s overall financial
position.
- Lead procurement and supplier selection for event services,
approve contract terms within delegated authority, and manage
supplier performance.
- Report the budget position, forecasts and value for money to
OSPA leadership and through institutional financial reporting
channels.
Institutional Representation and Stakeholder
Leadership
- Serve as an OSPA representative for academic events with
relevant internal and external stakeholders.
- Resolve questions of scope, resourcing and accountability with
partner functions, escalating matters that exceed the role’s
authority or cannot be resolved at this level.
- Represent MBZUAI with government entities, sponsors, visiting
delegations and international partners on academic event
matters.
People Leadership
- Manage and develop Associate Head, Academic Events &
Engagement, including setting objectives, delegating delivery
authority, reviewing performance and supporting professional
development.
- Assemble and lead extended delivery teams for major events,
including contracted, casual and seconded staff.
- Build capability across the function in event design,
stakeholder management, budget control and delivery.
Other Duties
- Contribute to university-wide programs, including orientation,
wellbeing initiatives, global observances, leadership development,
and personal growth activities.
- Perform all other duties as reasonably directed by the line
manager that are commensurate with these functional
objectives.
Qualifications and Criteria:
- Bachelor’s degree in event management, communications, public
relations, higher education administration, business or a related
field.
- A master’s degree or postgraduate qualification in a related
discipline is preferred.
Essential :
- At least 10 years of progressive experience in event
leadership, including senior accountability for a portfolio,
budget, people, delivery, vendor management and outcomes.
- Demonstrated ownership of a portfolio of large-scale,
high-profile events, with accountability beyond individual event
delivery.
- Experience in a university, research institute or comparable
academic environment.
- Proven experience delivering events involving heads of state,
ministers, senior dignitaries or comparable VIP protocol
requirements.
- Proven experience managing and developing direct reports and
holding teams accountable for delivery.
- Experience exercising delegated budget authority, including
portfolio-level forecasting, allocation and in-year
management.
- Demonstrated ability to influence peers, agree cross-functional
responsibilities and secure delivery from teams outside the role’s
direct reporting line.
- Experience leading procurement, contracting and supplier
performance management.
- Sound judgment under pressure in live delivery environments,
including incident and contingency management.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills in
English.
Preferred :
- Experience delivering academic ceremonies, graduation events or
international academic competitions.
- Experience working in the UAE or wider GCC region, with an
understanding of regional institutional and protocol
requirements.
- Proficiency in Arabic.
- Project Management Professional (PMP) or equivalent
certification
