Director, Office of Faculty Affairs (OFA)

Job description

Position: Director, Office of Faculty Affairs (OFA) Classification: Director Level Reports To: Vice President for Academic Affairs About The American International University American International University (AIU) is a private institution in Kuwait, founded in 2019, offering undergraduate programs in Engineering, Architecture and Design, Business Administration, Arts and Sciences, and Education, delivered in English on the American model of higher education. AIU serves a community of over 3,000 students and is executing the RISE Strategy 2026–2030 a five-year institutional transformation anchored in research development, WSCUC international accreditation, student success, and community engagement. Faculty excellence is one of AIU's greatest strategic assets and an essential enabler of every pillar of the RISE Strategy. Outstanding teaching, meaningful scholarship, effective service, academic leadership, and institutional innovation all depend upon attracting, supporting, developing, recognising, and retaining exceptional faculty. The Director of the Office of Faculty Affairs is responsible for creating an institutional environment in which faculty thrive throughout their academic careers, strengthening academic excellence, shared governance, leadership development, and institutional effectiveness while supporting AIU's ambitions for WSCUC accreditation and long-term academic distinction. For more information, visit: Department Profile The Office of Faculty Affairs (OFA) is AIU's institutional hub for faculty success, academic engagement, academic career development, shared governance, and institutional faculty excellence. Operating under the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs, the Office serves all Schools, the Foundation Programme, and future graduate programmes, working collaboratively with more than 120 full-time faculty together with adjunct, visiting, and future clinical faculty. The Office is established as one of AIU's strategic academic support units under the RISE Strategy, with the Director serving as its founding leader responsible for developing the Office's policies, programmes, partnerships, operational culture, and long-term strategic direction. Working collaboratively with Human Resources, Deans, Department Chairs, the Centre for Teaching & Learning, the Office of Graduate Studies, the Office of Research and Scholarly Activity, the Registrar, Quality Assurance, Student Affairs, Library Services, and other institutional units, the Director ensures that faculty-related academic matters are coordinated consistently across the University while maintaining a clear distinction from Human Resources' employment responsibilities. The Office complements—but does not replace—the responsibilities of Human Resources. Human Resources remains responsible for employment administration, contracts, payroll, benefits, immigration, and employee relations, while the Office of Faculty Affairs provides academic leadership, coordination, guidance, and support on matters relating to faculty success, academic development, governance, academic progression, recognition, and institutional effectiveness. The Office carries four interconnected institutional mandates: 1. Faculty Success & Engagement Building an academic environment in which faculty are supported throughout every stage of their academic careers through mentoring, engagement, recognition, wellbeing, professional growth, leadership development, and institutional support. 2. Academic Career Development & Recognition Supporting promotion, academic rank progression, leadership development, succession planning, recognition, awards, and continuous academic growth. 3. Academic Policies & Shared Governance Promoting transparent governance, institutional consistency, academic integrity, faculty participation in decision-making, and continuous policy development. 4. Institutional Excellence & Faculty Effectiveness Supporting institutional effectiveness, accreditation, academic quality, faculty engagement, strategic planning, and cross-functional collaboration in support of AIU's long-term academic mission. Scope of Work The Director of the Office of Faculty Affairs provides strategic and operational leadership across six interconnected institutional domains that collectively support faculty excellence, institutional effectiveness, academic quality, and shared governance. The Director serves as the University's principal academic administrator for faculty affairs, providing leadership in the development and implementation of faculty-related academic policies, career development initiatives, governance structures, recognition programmes, academic support services, and institutional planning. The Director is simultaneously a strategic advisor, policy leader, governance specialist, faculty advocate, organisational developer, and institutional partner. This is not a role focused on employment administration; rather, it is a leadership position responsible for creating an institutional environment in which faculty are supported, recognised, developed, and empowered to contribute fully to AIU's academic mission. The Director operates primarily as a strategic leader, advisor, facilitator, and institutional partner, working collaboratively with Human Resources and other University offices rather than duplicating their operational responsibilities. This position requires a leader capable of building relationships across the institution, promoting collaboration, supporting faculty success, and ensuring that faculty-related academic processes are fair, transparent, consistent, and aligned with AIU's strategic priorities. Key Responsibilities 1. Faculty Success and Academic Engagement Develop a comprehensive institutional strategy supporting faculty success throughout the academic career lifecycle. Establish and coordinate faculty mentoring programmes for new, early-career, international, and newly promoted faculty. Coordinate faculty orientation and academic transition activities in collaboration with Human Resources and the Centre for Teaching & Learning. Promote interdisciplinary collaboration among faculty across schools. Develop programmes supporting faculty engagement and institutional belonging. Coordinate faculty networking events, retreats, academic forums, and engagement initiatives. Support faculty wellbeing through collaboration with relevant institutional offices. Facilitate communication between Academic Affairs and faculty. Serve as an accessible resource for faculty seeking guidance on academic policies and procedures. Promote an inclusive, respectful, and collaborative academic culture. Coordinate faculty recognition and appreciation initiatives. Support retention of high-performing faculty through engagement initiatives. Develop institutional faculty engagement and satisfaction surveys. Analyse institutional trends affecting faculty wellbeing and engagement. Coordinate faculty leadership retreats. Coordinate communities of academic practice. Support international faculty transition and integration. Develop faculty wellbeing initiatives. Promote cross-school collaboration. Coordinate annual faculty engagement programmes. 2. Academic Policies and Faculty Governance Develop, maintain, and periodically review faculty-related academic policies. Maintain the AIU Faculty Handbook. Coordinate policy implementation across all schools. Ensure consistent interpretation and application of faculty academic policies. Support Faculty Council operations. Coordinate faculty committee appointments. Support elections to Faculty Council and other academic committees. Promote shared governance across Academic Affairs. Develop policy guidance documents. Advise Deans and Department Chairs on policy interpretation. Coordinate institutional consultation during policy development. Benchmark policies against international best practice. Review governance structures to ensure effectiveness. Promote faculty participation in institutional decision-making. Maintain the institutional Faculty Policy Repository. Coordinate annual review of the Faculty Handbook. Develop faculty policy guidance notes. Support Faculty Council strategic planning. Coordinate faculty consultations during policy revisions. 3. Faculty Career Development and Academic Progression Coordinate institutional promotion processes. Coordinate academic rank assignment and review. Coordinate promotion committees. Develop guidance relating to promotion expectations. Coordinate academic leadership development programmes. Identify emerging academic leaders. Support succession planning. Coordinate sabbatical recommendations. Coordinate research leave recommendations. Coordinate distinguished appointments. Coordinate emeritus appointments. Coordinate visiting scholar appointments. Promote continuous academic career development. Monitor institutional promotion outcomes. Benchmark promotion practices internationally. Develop institutional leadership development pathways. Coordinate Department Chair orientation. Support Associate Dean leadership development. Monitor promotion success rates. Support faculty preparing promotion portfolios. 4. Faculty Academic Excellence Collaborate with the Centre for Teaching & Learning regarding faculty development priorities. Identify institutional faculty development needs. Promote excellence in teaching, scholarship, and service. Encourage interdisciplinary collaboration. Promote international academic engagement. Coordinate academic recognition programmes. Promote faculty awards. Encourage innovation in academic practice. Support leadership development. Monitor institutional trends affecting faculty success. Coordinate institutional teaching awards jointly with the Centre for Teaching & Learning. Promote participation in professional associations. Encourage educational innovation. Promote academic leadership development. Support institutional academic excellence initiatives. 5. Faculty Recognition and Community Building Coordinate annual faculty awards. Develop recognition programmes. Celebrate faculty achievements. Coordinate promotion celebrations. Publicise faculty accomplishments. Support faculty appreciation events. Strengthen institutional culture. Foster collegiality. Promote faculty engagement. Encourage cross-school collaboration. 6. Strategic Leadership and Institutional Partnerships Advise the VPAA on institutional faculty matters. Collaborate with Human Resources regarding recruitment planning, appointments, onboarding, contracts, and employment-related matters. Collaborate with the Centre for Teaching & Learning regarding faculty development. Collaborate with Graduate Studies regarding graduate supervision and postgraduate faculty support. Collaborate with the Office of Research regarding research development initiatives. Collaborate with the Registrar regarding workload information and academic records. Collaborate with Quality Assurance and the Accreditation Liaison Officer regarding accreditation evidence. Represent AIU externally in matters relating to faculty affairs. Support institutional strategic planning. Lead special projects assigned by the VPAA. Prepare annual reports on faculty affairs. Develop KPIs measuring faculty success and institutional effectiveness. Minimum Qualifications: Education Earned doctoral degree (PhD or equivalent) from an accredited institution. Academic qualifications suitable for appointment to an academic rank at Assistant Professor or above. Associate Professor or Professor preferred. Experience Minimum seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in higher education administration, including at least three (3) years in academic leadership. Demonstrated experience supporting faculty affairs, academic governance, promotion, faculty development, or academic administration within a university environment. Experience developing and implementing faculty-related academic policies and procedures. Experience supporting faculty promotion, academic rank, faculty evaluation, mentoring, or academic career development. Human Resources, and senior administrators. Demonstrated experience supporting accreditation, institutional effectiveness, or quality assurance initiatives. Experience preparing reports, policy papers, committee documentation, and institutional analyses. Experience working in a multicultural higher education environment; GCC experience is desirable. Technical and Professional Knowledge Comprehensive understanding of faculty affairs administration in higher education. Knowledge of academic governance principles and shared governance models. Knowledge of faculty promotion, academic rank, faculty evaluation, mentoring, and academic career development. Knowledge of higher education regulations, accreditation requirements, and institutional quality assurance. Understanding of faculty workload models and academic staffing principles. Knowledge of faculty lifecycle management from an academic perspective. Familiarity with faculty information systems and institutional reporting. Knowledge of WSCUC accreditation standards and their relationship to faculty qualifications, governance, institutional effectiveness, and academic quality. Understanding of higher education policy development and institutional governance. Familiarity with American-model higher education systems is highly desirable. Skills, Competencies and Personal Attributes Demonstrated ability to establish trust and credibility with faculty, academic leaders, and senior administrators. Exceptional interpersonal, communication, and relationship-building skills. Strong diplomacy and conflict resolution skills. Ability to manage confidential and sensitive faculty matters with discretion and professionalism. Excellent organisational, analytical, and project management abilities. Ability to facilitate collaboration across multiple academic and administrative units. Commitment to shared governance, transparency, fairness, and collegiality. Ability to balance institutional priorities with faculty interests. Excellent written communication skills, including policy writing and report preparation. Strategic thinking with the ability to translate institutional priorities into practical initiatives. Commitment to continuous improvement and evidence-based decision-making. Cultural awareness and ability to work effectively within an international university environment. High ethical standards, sound judgement, and professional integrity. Preferred Qualifications Previous experience serving as Director of Faculty Affairs, Associate Dean, Dean, or other senior academic leadership position. Experience establishing or significantly enhancing a Faculty Affairs Office or equivalent academic support unit. Experience supporting faculty promotion, academic rank assignment, mentoring programmes, or academic leadership development. Experience working within an American-model university. Experience contributing to institutional or programme accreditation processes, including WSCUC or comparable accreditation frameworks. Familiarity with higher education in the Gulf region and Private Universities Council (PUC) requirements. Demonstrated leadership in faculty engagement, recognition, or wellbeing initiatives. Evidence of scholarly achievement and active engagement in higher education leadership. How to Apply Interested candidates should visit the Job Opportunities section on the AIU website and submit a complete application comprising: 1. A current curriculum vitae. 2. A cover letter (maximum three pages) addressing the following questions: Describe your philosophy of faculty success and explain how an Office of Faculty Affairs contributes to institutional excellence. Describe an initiative you have led that strengthened faculty engagement, academic governance, mentoring, promotion, or faculty development. How would you establish a collaborative relationship between the Office of Faculty Affairs, Human Resources, the Centre for Teaching & Learning, the Office of Graduate Studies, and the Deans to support faculty throughout their academic careers? 3. A statement of leadership philosophy (maximum one page) describing your approach to shared governance, faculty engagement, and academic leadership. 4. Contact details for three professional referees, including at least two senior academic leaders familiar with your work in academic administration or faculty affairs. The selection process will include a structured interview with the Vice President for Academic Affairs and a presentation outlining the candidate's vision for establishing a high-performing Office of Faculty Affairs that supports AIU's RISE Strategy, institutional effectiveness, and WSCUC accreditation. Submit applications via: Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. The successful candidate is expected to commence employment immediately. AIU is an equal opportunity employer committed to academic excellence, professional integrity, and the digital future of Kuwaiti higher education.