Head of Professional Development and Academic Coaching

Job Purpose:

The Head of Professional Development and Academic Coaching provides leadership and operational oversight for all academic support functions that enhance graduate student success, academic performance, and progression at MBZUAI. The role ensures that students receive high-quality academic coaching, advising, writing and teaching support, and developmental services that align with MBZUAI’s graduate education standards, regulatory requirements, and institutional priorities. The role will oversee core academic support teams, ensure consistent service delivery, and provide data-informed recommendations to the Director to support continuous improvement and student achievement.

Key Responsibilities:

Academic Program Support

• Lead the development and implementation of a comprehensive academic support strategy for graduate students, ensuring alignment with MBZUAI’s academic policies and program requirements.
• Oversee and coordinate the functions of Graduate Academic Advising, Student Coaching, Academic Development, and Writing & Teaching Support.
• Ensure seamless integration of academic support services across departments and maintain consistent standards of practice.
• Establish clear workflows, service guidelines, and performance standards for all academic support.

Academic Advising & Student Progression

• Oversee the delivery of structured academic advising services, ensuring accurate guidance on degree requirements, academic standing, progression policies, and institutional procedures.
• Monitor academic performance trends and progression risks using data and reports, escalating high-risk cases to the Director as needed.
• Ensure proactive outreach to students experiencing academic challenges, in coordination with advisors / coaches.
• Support implementation of early detection mechanisms, academic recovery plans, and intervention processes.

Academic Coaching & Student Development

• Supervise Graduate Student Coaches / Advisors and ensure the provision of individualized coaching focused on academic skills, time management, productivity, and transition support.
• Develop and oversee skill-building workshops and developmental training aligned with graduate level expectations.
• Promote evidence-based coaching approaches to strengthen student resilience, research readiness, and self-management.

Writing and Teaching Support

• Oversee writing support services for graduate students, including academic writing consultations, thesis support, and discipline-specific writing resources.
• Manage teaching-support programs such as teaching assistant development, communication skills enhancement, and training in instructional practices relevant to AI disciplines.
• Ensure writing and teaching services adhere to academic integrity standards and institutional expectations.

Academic Development Programs

• Coordinate the design and delivery of academic development programs that enhance student learning, research capability, and scholarly productivity.
• Work with academic departments to align workshops, seminars, and learning resources with program-level needs.
• Ensure continuous assessment of program effectiveness through feedback, performance data, and outcome measures.

Reporting, Data, and Quality Assurance

• Prepare academic advising and support performance reports for the Director of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs.
• Maintain accurate documentation, advising records, coaching logs, and service utilization metrics.
• Contribute to accreditation-related data requests and quality assurance processes.
• Evaluate trends in student needs and make recommendations for enhancements or new services.

Collaboration & Stakeholder Engagement

• Work closely with faculty, program directors, department chairs, and student support staff to ensure cohesive student academic support.
• Coordinate with Student Wellness, Career Services, Registrar, Housing, and other relevant teams to address complex student cases.
• Support initiatives that enhance graduate student experience, including orientation, onboarding, and transition programs.

Other Duties

• Perform all other duties as reasonably directed by the line manager that are commensurate with these functional objectives.

Academic Qualification:

• Minimum of a Master’s degree in Education, Higher Education Administration, Learning Sciences, Applied Linguistics, or a related field.
• A PhD qualification is preferred.

Professional Experience:

Essential

• Minimum 7–10 years of experience in graduate academic advising, academic support services, or student success roles.
• Demonstrated experience managing academic support teams or student-facing service units.
• Strong understanding of graduate student needs, academic progression frameworks, and research-based learning environments.
• Proven ability to design and implement academic support programs.
• Experience using data to monitor student performance and inform interventions.
• Excellent communication, analytical, and problem-solving skills.

Preferred

• Experience working in UAE or regional higher education institutions.
• Familiarity with graduate AI or STEM focused programs.
• Experience with academic writing centers, coaching frameworks, or teaching-support programs.
• Arabic language proficiency.