Head of Student Services

Khalifa University Enterprise; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 350,000 - 500,000; Full time

Job summary

Khalifa University Enterprise, in partnership with a leading government entity, seeks a Head of Student Services responsible for strategic leadership of student life, wellbeing, internships and alumni services. The role ensures alignment with the Academic Operating Model and oversees interfaces with Academic Partners while safeguarding cadet welfare and ensuring a high-quality student experience.

The position requires balancing academic, military and personal development, defining service

Qualifications

• Bachelor degree (Masters preferred) in Education/Psychology / Business Administration or related field.
• Strong understanding of higher education quality assurance and academic/research environments.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic direction for the Student Services function aligned with the Academic Operating Model.
• Define section plans, service levels, procedures and interfaces with Academic partners.
• Lead student life, wellbeing, alumni and internship programs for holistic cadet development.
• Promote collaboration with Academic Partners and cross-departmental teams.
• Coordinate with AP on student life experiences and escalation decisions.
• Oversee performance metrics, reporting, and internal controls for quality governance.
• Mentor and coach team members, conduct appraisals, and support professional development.
• Ensure timely delivery of counselling, wellbeing and extracurricular activities.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Stakeholder management

People management

Cross-department collaboration

Education

Bachelor degree

Masters preferred

Job description

This position is with Khalifa University in partnership with a leading government entity. The Head of Student Services (SS) is responsible for providing strategic leadership and oversight of all student life, wellbeing, internship, and alumni services in alignment with the Academic Operating Model, ensuring holistic cadet development across academic, military, and personal dimensions.

The role establishes service standards, manages key interfaces with Academic Partners and internal stakeholders, and oversees performance metrics and escalations to protect cadet welfare and deliver a high-quality student experience.

• Provide strategic direction for the Student Services function in alignment with the Academic Operating Model and institutional priorities.
• Define section plans, service levels, procedures, and Academic partner interfaces and aligned to the Managing partner office.
• Foster a culture that promotes collaboration and innovation within the section
• Lead student life, wellbeing, alumni and internship programs, ensuring holistic cadet development
• Align student services with mission of holistic academic, military, and personal growth
• Promote a collaborative working relationship with Academic Partners on Student Services related functions for the effective delivery of the mandate.
• Promote cross-departmental collaboration to enhance the overall cadet experience.
• Define roles, responsibilities, procedures.
• Coordinate with Academic Partners on student life experience/internship/wellbeing leads via section FTEs; engage personally on escalations and decisions
• Direct FTEs to coordinate with Academic partners on SS-related functions in line with agreed standards and timelines
• Enforce internal controls and adherence to the policies
• Ensure FTEs request inputs, track completion, validate accuracy, and resolve discrepancies through the AP Coordination Office
• Ensure FTEs produce and maintain single approved section outputs (e.g., counselling standards, extra-curricular activity schedules) and control updates
• Ensure coordinated delivery of extra-curricular activities, counselling, wellbeing, and special needs services across the organization.
• Assign work, manage performance, and balance workload across SS FTEs
• Require section-wide status reporting (experience indicators, internship placements, incidents) and submit consolidated reports to the OMP Executive Director
• Provide coaching, guidance and mentoring as required to enhance the internal capabilities of the team and ensure the achievement of established objectives and plans.
• Recommend appropriate training courses as per the pre-determined training needs, evaluate their effectiveness, and monitor their results.
• Carry out performance appraisals for subordinates according to planned schedules and recommend necessary actions as per the applied practices.
• Conduct periodic meetings with subordinates to ensure that priorities are clear and workflow is running smoothly.
• Follow-up on employees' administrative affairs such as vacations, leaves and other administrative and related affairs.

Qualifications & Experience:

• Bachelor degree (Masters preferred) in Education/Psychology / Business Administration, or related field.
• Strong understanding of higher education quality assurance, academic and research environments, and current trends.