Director of J-Term and Special Programs - Office Of Global Education (Fixed Term For 1 Year)
- Job Number
- 2025-14970
Position Summary
UAE Nationals are encouraged to apply
New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) seeks to appoint a Director of J-Term and Special Programs for the Office of Global Education reporting to the Associate Vice Chancellor and Vice Provost, Global Education and Outreach.
The Director of J-Term and Special Programs is a senior administrative leader responsible for the administrative strategy, operational oversight, and continuous improvement of the University’s J-Term program, which encompasses nearly 100 courses and faculty for 1,400 students in over 30 countries. This high-impact leadership role exercises significant authority over program planning, policy implementation, and resource allocation.
The Director reports to the Associate Vice Chancellor and Vice Provost, Global Education and Outreach, and collaborates across academic divisions, student services, finance, compliance, legal, GSOC, and NYU Global Programs to ensure successful delivery across all NYU locations.
Key Responsibilities:
Strategic and Institutional Impact Leadership
- Provides strategic and operational leadership for all aspects of J-Term and special programs, ensuring alignment with NYUAD’s academic priorities and wider global education objectives
- Serves as the University’s primary administrator for planning, policy development,
- and execution
- This position requires extensive subject-matter expertise along with the agility to navigate ambiguity, evolving international regulations, and high-stakes faculty and student issues. The Director must be a collaborative strategist and tactical problem-solver with exceptional attention to detail, and systems thinking
- Represents the programs at the institutional level, liaising with other offices across NYUAD and collaborating with relevant academic and administrative leadership across the NYU global programs
- Provides data-informed recommendations to shape highest level strategic policies.
- Provides leadership for strategic planning as a member of the Senior Leadership Team for the Office of Global Education
- Oversees budget development, financial tracking, and resource allocation
- Represents J-Term and special programs in university planning efforts, including preparation of the Annual Planning and Budget (APB) report and enrollment projections for this program
- Guides External Relations to promote the program through strategic communications and storytelling
Faculty Affairs
- Facilitates the recruitment, selection, approval, and preparation of faculty and program instructors; manages administrative aspects of faculty appointments in collaboration with the Office of Academic Appointments (OAA)
- Oversees faculty support, including organizing communications, orientations, instructional design, and instructional support
- Organizes temporary staffing and instructional support personnel as needed for program delivery. This involves recruiting, appointing, and training over 60 program instructors, plus Innovations temporary support staff
Curriculum Planning & Academic Operations
- Ensures courses adhere to the J-Term Core Field Colloquium model by guiding the course planning and syllabus development processes in collaboration with the Divisions and Core Program
- Manages the course review and approval process with the Core Curriculum Committee and University Curriculum Committee
- Assesses site capacity for J-Term programs abroad with NYU Global Programs and special programs at NYUAD
- Oversees instructional logistics, including technology, classroom resources, and global site coordination
- Facilitates academic support for instructors and ensures consistency and quality in course delivery across all locations–UAE and global
Student Support & Global Program Integration
- Designs and oversees student-facing administrative systems and services related to J-Term, including academic advising, application, placement, orientation, health and safety preparation, visas, accommodation, meals, transportation, and special needs
- Ensures student services, academic advising, and wellness support are integrated into the program wherever courses are taught
- Leads emergency response coordination and risk management efforts in partnership with relevant University offices for J-Term courses around the world
- Serves as the primary point of contact and coordinated response for J-Term-related student academic, health, legal, safety, and disciplinary issues
Financial Management, Communications & Stakeholder Engagement
- Leads budget planning, financial forecasting, and resource allocation for their programs
- Negotiates MOUs and contracts; manages complex vendor payments; provides detailed financial reports to senior leadership
- Develops and oversees internal and external communications strategies, including outreach to faculty, students, and global partners
- Leads cross-functional collaboration with Finance, IT, Health & Wellness, and other university offices to build scalable infrastructure for program delivery
- Leads the creation of promotional and informational materials, including digital publications, web presence, and social media, ensuring consistency in messaging and alignment with university branding and values
- Oversees program-related knowledge systems and databases, ensuring accuracy and accessibility at all times
Evaluation, Reporting & Continuous Improvement
- Leads program assessment and reporting, collecting data and stakeholder feedback to inform strategic improvements
- Drives continuous improvement efforts to enhance student learning outcomes and operational effectiveness
- Ensures institutional compliance and alignment with university policies and procedures
Required Education:
- Master’s Degree
Preferred Education:
- Doctoral Degree
Required Experience:
- 10 years or more of experience in academic administration, preferably in international education. Teaching experience valued
- University-level teaching experience
- Exceptional leadership, strategic planning, team management, and cross-cultural communication skills
- Strong fiscal management, program evaluation, and stakeholder engagement capabilities
- Exceptional oral and written communication skills, with experience in public speaking and executive-level reporting
- Demonstrated ability to lead independently, manage competing priorities, and make strategic decisions with minimal oversight
- Deep understanding of international education and cross-cultural advising
- Strong analytical, critical thinking, and data management capabilities, including proficiency in creating digital tools and data collection mechanisms
- Demonstrated sensitivity to the needs of a diverse, international student body and experience working in a multicultural university environment
- Detailed and nuanced understanding of global visas and travel, availability to respond to international travel or visa-related emergencies outside of business hours as needed
Other Information
About NYUAD
NYU Abu Dhabi is a degree-granting research university with a fully integrated liberal arts and science undergraduate program in the Arts, Sciences, Social Sciences, Humanities, and Engineering. NYU Abu Dhabi, NYU New York, and NYU Shanghai, form the backbone of NYU’s global network university, an interconnected network of portal campuses and academic centers across six continents that enable seamless international mobility of students and faculty in their pursuit of academic and scholarly activity. This global university represents a transformative shift in higher education, one in which the intellectual and creative endeavors of academia are shaped and examined through an international and multicultural perspective. As a major intellectual hub at the crossroads of the Arab world, NYUAD serves as a center for scholarly thought, advanced research, knowledge creation, and sharing, through its academic, research, and creative activities.