Director for Academic and Student Affairs (Graduate School of Education)

Job description

1) administrative coordination of academic and student affairs at the School in order to ensure an ongoing and smooth operation of the School in this area; 2) participation in planning, implementation and monitoring of the School budget related to academic activities and student affairs; 3) effectively managing the team within the academic activities and student affairs unit to ensure smooth and sufficient operation; 4) coordination of the operational support for the academic activities of the School, including faculty support on academic issues, recruitment, admissions and progress of students, proper equipment of the classrooms and study areas, as well as other activities related to the academic activities of the School; 5) carrying out academic activities in the framework of joint activities of the School with local and international partners; 6) with the VDAA, coordination of and participation in development and approval of the curriculum and/ or courses of the School 7) participation in the ongoing quality assurance of academic programs as well as accreditation activities; 8) assisting in planning, implementation and monitoring of academic modules; 9) advising new employees and faculty on academic activities as well as issues and processes of learning and teaching at the School; 10) coordination jointly with the VDAA, and participation in the timetable preparation processes, as well as preparation and allocation of work among faculty; 11) coordination and analysis of the monitoring of students’ academic performance, attendance and success aimed at improvement of academic services provided by the School; 12) provision of the statistical and analytical reports on students, programs / courses within the area of responsibility; 13) communication support with other Schools and organizations in the public and private sectors for the purpose of cooperation on academic issues; 14) participation in the development and implementation of the strategic, action and marketing plans of the School; 15) interaction with the Admissions Department on the issues such as recruitment and with the Office of the Registrar on the issues of admission of students to the School; 16) interaction with relevant departments on the issues related to the student placement on campus of the University; 17) coordination of the work of the Admission Committees of the School; 18) participation in identification, evaluation, management and monitoring of risks within the framework of supervised direction; 19) timely and proper fulfillment of other orders of the Dean, VDAA, Head аnd the University management within the framework of his/her responsibilities and powers. Job requirements: Higher-professional, preferable from the higher education institutions with English language of instruction. Degree: Master. Priority specializations: - education; - social sciences/humanities; - management Work experience: Seven years minimum, at least three of them supervising people Minimum five years with the PhD degree in the relevant area Additional information Professional competencies: - Knowledge of the legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the field of education; - change and project management skills; - presentation preparation and realization skills; - interpersonal skills; - ability to work in team and independently; - analytical abilities; - knowledge on local and international educational market; - fluency In English, Kazakh and Russian; - knowledge of MS Office, Excel, PowerPoint Professional competencies - Knowledge of the legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the field of education; - analytical abilities; - knowledge of MS Office, Excel, and PowerPoint; - knowledge of English, Kazakh and Russian languages Additional information Personal skills - Loyalty to University goals and values; - critical thinking; - building effective relations; - the ability to work in a team and individually; - responsibility; - ability to work with multicultural and multinational colleagues. Recruitment and selection process Recruitment and selection at Nazarbayev University include the following process: preliminary selection based on experience and qualifications, assessments (e.g. technical skills/capabilities, aptitude, personality, work samples, in-basket exercises, and informal interviews), and motivation. Formal interviews form the final stage of the selection process. They are typically based on organizational values and behaviors and conducted in English. You are encouraged to share your views and values to identify how they fit into Nazarbayev University core values The Graduate School of Education (NUGSE) is a leading institution of higher education, ranked #1 in Kazakhstan, Central Asia, and the Caucasus, #4 among CIS countries, and placed in the 176–200 band globally in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2025. NU GSE aspires to be an influential, world-class graduate school of education that drives positive change in educational thinking, policy, and practice across all levels of education through high-quality teaching, scholarly research, and academic leadership. NUGSE offers three degree programs: the Master of Science in Educational Leadership, with specializations in School Education, Higher Education, and Inclusive Education; the Master of Arts in Multilingual Education; and the Doctor of Philosophy in Education. All three programs are accredited by the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA), UK. These programs are carefully designed to prepare visionary leaders, change agents, and policy influencers who are equipped to shape the educational landscape of Kazakhstan and beyond. NUGSE provides an enabling environment for faculty and staff to thrive in their careers. It fosters a collegial and supportive culture that values collaboration, innovation, and professional growth. Faculty and staff are encouraged to engage in high-quality teaching, administrative work, impactful research, and meaningful service, supported by strong institutional resources and leadership.