Assistant Director, Civic Engagement & Service - Community Outreach

Job Number

2025-15014

Position Summary

Applications are welcome from all qualified candidates. In line with UAE regulations, Emirati candidates are encouraged to apply.

New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) seeks to appoint an Assistant Director of Civic Engagement and Service reporting to the Head of Civic Engagement Service, Student Affairs.

Reporting to the Head of Civic Engagement & Service, the Assistant Director of Civic Engagement & Service is a key leadership role, serving as a deputy to the Head of the department. This individual is charged with assisting in the delivery of the strategic vision and operational excellence of the department’s core initiatives, creating transformative pathways for students to translate knowledge into action by engaging meaningfully ‘in and of Abu Dhabi. They are a primary architect of opportunities that immerse students in real-world problem-solving, connecting them deeply and passionately with causes. They build mutually beneficial community partnerships and co-create educational opportunities that help students shape their understanding of how they will contribute to the communities they will be a part of in the future.

This position assumes significant responsibility for the service-learning strategy of Civic Engagement & Service, inclusive of the newly established Changemaker Hub, ensuring volunteer and service opportunities are embedded with reflective processes to ensure ongoing, iterative learning and leadership development. Externally, they oversee a diverse portfolio of partnerships with external organizations including but not limited to local schools, universities, People of Determination centers, inclusion partners, nonprofit, government and private institutions. Internally, the Assistant Director co-manages student engagement programs for the department, including student employees and consultative relationships with student organizations. As a visionary leader with a strategic thinking lens, they will represent the department at key events, make key operational decisions in the absence of the Head, and support the department’s infrastructure through strategic communications, data collection, and reporting. 

Key Responsibilities:

Student Capacity Building:

• Coach individual students and student groups about community engagement initiatives in collaboration with Student Life, advising on institutional risks and ensuring students have needed context and resources
• Support the growth, leadership, and professional development of Sufara’a, the group of student employees in the Department of Civic Engagement & Service that assist with running events and ongoing programs
• Orient students to global frameworks and best practices for community engagement, helping them contextualize their UAE experiences
• Facilitate capacity building opportunities for students’ social impact ideas, supporting the development habits of service, and a mindset of social responsibility
• Consult as needed with NYU Abu Dhabi’s legal and compliance teams, the Office of Inclusion and Equity and the Office of Equal Opportunity to ensure risks are appropriately managed

Program Development & Evaluation:

• Collaboratively develop and refine programs for students to contribute meaningfully to the Abu Dhabi and UAE communities
• Align service-learning programs with global frameworks and best practices, as well as UAE-specific priorities
• Assists in the development of learning outcomes for civic engagement and service programs and initiatives, implementing both quantitative and qualitative assessment for program enhancement, and developing protocols, manuals and training materials as needed, ensuring a reflective learning process
• Works to ensure that processes and policies related to student community engagement are supportive of and compliant with NYUAD guidelines and UAE regulations
• Supports collaboration across campus by engaging faculty and other departments to align and support the development of curricular and co-curricular offerings related to community-based learning and civic leadership
• Analyzes, recommends, and implements changes and improvements to educational, cultural and civic engagement and service programming to benefit student leadership and community

External Relations:

• Build and cultivate relationships with diverse local and global organizations and community members, as a way to promote NYUAD students and programs and to identify work, volunteer, cultural exchange and leadership development opportunities for students
• Support the Head of Civic Engagement & Service in the advancement of external impact through developing and implementing strategies to sustain engagement with and strengthen capacity building of community partners
• Assist with seamless communication with NYUAD community engagement stakeholders to support university-wide interdisciplinary outreach, identifying alignment and collaboration with areas such as the Career Development Center, Athletics, Residential Education, Community Based Learning, Arts Center, Admissions and Global Education teams

Communications:

• Strengthen storytelling of NYUAD contributions to the UAE through collaborations with Communications counterparts across the division and university
• Develop and implement communication strategies that support the mission and activities of Student Affairs through multifaceted marketing channels including but not limited to: external relations newsletter, reports for external stakeholders, social media, video content, design and print publications
• Work closely with Public Affairs to ensure accurate and compelling content on internal portal and public website pages and media releases
• Assist with the content delivery and copy editing of university-wide marketing collateral for hallmark civic engagement and service programs

Reporting & Data Management:

• Manage critical data and reporting functions for Student Affairs and Civic Engagement & Service, including gathering of materials for annual reports, implementing data collection systems, compiling profiles of students and programs for external stakeholders, and producing engaging visual presentations and publications
• Support special reporting needs and liaise with other departments to ensure proper data management to support the activities of the division
• Align Civic Engagement & Service projects with the Flourishing Framework of the NYU President Mills, and the NYUAD Violet Ready competencies
• Other divisional duties as assigned

Required Education:

• Master’s Degree in higher education, international development, social work or related field

Required Experience:

• More than 5 years of experience in higher education, community development or related field
• Proven track record in working with community entities, building new partnerships and managing multiple collaborators, particularly within the UAE context
• Experience coaching university students about experiential education, helping them navigate complex challenges and nuanced understandings of community
• Experience with student engagement, contact management, and/or volunteering tracking software
• Deep understanding of global frameworks for service learning and social impact, as well as UAE specific priorities for social impact
• High proficiency in developing and implementing strategic communications campaigns and leveraging data for storytelling
• Ability and willingness to work evenings and weekends, particularly during the academic year
• Excellent organization, presentation, written communication, and interpersonal skills
• Passion for community building, volunteerism and social impact

Preferred Experience:

• Arabic language fluency