Chief Administrative Officer

University of the Arts Sharjah; Sharjah; On-site; AED 320,000 - 520,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Private medical insurance

UAE residence visa

Annual return ticket

Job summary

University of the Arts Sharjah seeks a Director of Administration to provide strategic leadership of the University’s administrative and support functions across campuses. The post-holder will shape governance, policy, service standards and performance reporting to support academic excellence and institutional growth.

The role requires senior leadership experience, strong people management, financial awareness and the ability to translate priorities into operating models, with stakeholders

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, Management, Education Administration or a related discipline.
• A minimum of 10–12 years of relevant administrative management experience, including leadership roles.
• Strong knowledge of administrative operations, policies, procedures and governance.
• Excellent written and verbal communication in English and Arabic.

Responsibilities

• Set strategic direction for administrative services and operating model aligned with the University’s mission.
• Lead development, implementation and review of administrative policies, procedures and governance controls.
• Ensure processes are efficient, compliant, transparent and customer-focused.
• Define accountabilities, workflows and escalation routes across administrative functions.
• Provide high-quality reports, risk assessments and dashboards to the President and senior leadership.
• Coordinate across schools, professional services and external partners to enable integrated delivery.
• Oversee qualifications, contracts, supplier performance and procurement coordination.
• Lead budget planning and resource management for the Administration Department.
• Manage relationships with stakeholders including faculty, staff, students and government entities.
• Drive continuous improvement and digital transformation within administrative functions.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Governance

Stakeholder management

English & Arabic communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field

Master’s degree in a related field

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

University of the Arts Sharjah seeks a Director of Administration to provide strategic leadership of the University’s administrative and support functions across campuses. The post-holder will shape governance, policy, service standards and performance reporting to support academic excellence and institutional growth.

The role requires senior leadership experience, strong people management, financial awareness and the ability to translate priorities into operating models, with stakeholders