The Dean’s Office department at INSEAD oversees the school’s strategy, academics, and global operations. It ensures academic excellence, fosters diversity, and drives innovation across campuses while engaging with alumni and stakeholders to enhance INSEAD’s global impact.
INSEAD is seeking a Senior Director, Middle East Campus to join our Dean's Office Department. This is a full-time, permanent position based at our Middle East Campus in Abu Dhabi. A hybrid working model is in place – 3 days on campus, 2 days from home.
About the job
As Senior Director of the Middle East Campus, you will play a critical leadership role in advancing INSEAD’s mission and strategic presence in the region. With a dual reporting line to the the Associate Dean of the Middle East Campus (direct) and the Chief of Staff, Dean’s Office (dotted), you will oversee the Abu Dhabi campus, lead its growth and operations, and manage the successful development and transition to a new permanent facility. This role serves as a key representative of INSEAD in the Middle East, strengthening institutional relationships and ensuring operational excellence.
Your role within the team
- Strategic Regional Leadership: Together with the Associate Dean of the Middle East Campus, serve as INSEAD’s senior representative in Abu Dhabi and the Middle East, managing strategic relationships with our external partners and the collaboration with key internal stakeholders. Drive the coordinated execution of INSEAD’s strategic priorities in the Middle East, including the smooth delivery of identified strategic initiatives.
- Government & Institutional Relations: Act as a key liaison with Abu Dhabi authorities, specifically with ADEK. Organise regular updates with ADEK as well as the annual Joint Advisory Board meeting. Stay informed of the priorities set by the UAE and Abu Dhabi authorities to ensure INSEAD is consistently best positioned to support the development plans of the region.
- Campus Operations & Integration: Ensure the effective and smooth operation of the Middle East Campus. Oversee activities related to licensing, accreditation, budget tracking, and invoicing, in close collaboration with INSEAD’s Degree Programmes, Executive Education, Faculty, and Research and Innovation departments. Foster alignment with INSEAD’s other campuses and ensure full integration across functions and programmes.
- Academic & Programme Support: Partner with department heads to ensure the successful delivery of Degree and Executive Education Programmes to ensure that student and participant experience is of the highest standard.
- Advancement & Development: Collaborate with the Advancement team to support donor engagement and alumni relations in the region.
- Organisational Culture & Staff Engagement: In relation with the HR Department, build and maintain a positive, inclusive, and high-performing work environment. Promote collaboration and alignment across campus teams.
- Campus Development: In coordination with Campus Services, lead the planning, coordination, and execution of the transition to INSEAD’s new permanent facility in Abu Dhabi. Coordinate closely with external partners and internal stakeholders to ensure timely and successful delivery.
The ideal candidate profile
- 10 years in a senior management role with high profile education or consultancy organisations. In lieu of this experience, we may consider INSEAD alumnus / alumna who are familiar with INSEAD.
- Excellent relationship management and strategic visioning abilities.
- Excellent knowledge in budgets and accounting.
- Good knowledge in project management within complex organisations on international levels.
- As a senior leader, you will play a key role in creating a collaborative culture and defining the needing processes and mechanisms to ensure alignment and open communication across the organisation.
- Makes decisions that reflect the organization's commitment to integrity, ensuring that all actions are in the best interest of the company and its stakeholders.
- Excellent interpersonal and communications skills (decisive, assertive, diplomatic, service-oriented, quick-thinker, accuracy and attention to details, pro-active)
- Ability to priorities tasks and projects.
- Understanding multicultural and organisational complexities.
- Solution oriented mind-set.
Kindly submit your application along with a CV in English.
At INSEAD, we are proud of our strong international presence and deep connections to the global business community. Guided by our core values : diversity, independence, rigour, and entrepreneurial spirit, we foster a collaborative environment where empathy and integrity are at the heart of every interaction. With a commitment to professionalism and a client-focused approach, we encourage our team to embrace a growth mindset, driving innovation and delivering exceptional results. If you’re passionate about working with a dynamic, globally-minded team that values closeness to its clients and thrives on new challenges, we’d love to hear from you! Join our vibrant community and help shape the future of business education! Diversity is one of INSEAD’s founding values and as such we commit to cultivating a community that pursues equity, exemplifies inclusion and cherishes diversity in all its dimensions. Our jobs are open to all talents, so apply and join us!