UAE Nationals are encouraged to apply
New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) seeks to appoint an Assistant Vice Chancellor for External Relations, reporting to the Vice Chancellor.
The Assistant Vice Chancellor (AVC) for External Relations provides strategic leadership to the Office of External Relations while seeking to enhance widespread understanding of the vision and mission of the University. The AVC will work with key University leaders on institutional priorities to lead communications strategy, while managing several critical functions at NYUAD.
The primary areas of responsibility include public affairs and communications (encompassing internal, external, and digital communications for the University), university and commercial events, and select community engagement initiatives led by the Vice Chancellor’s office. The AVC is responsible for cultivating and maintaining strong relationships within the external community, leading to support across the region. Work closely with the functional areas to implement the communications strategy and track success measures. Work closely with government partners and key stakeholders on regulatory and policy issues that concern the University. Represent the University on committees, working groups and publicly as required. Work strategically to align the goals of internal stakeholders across the University’s community engagement activities. Working in close collaboration with the Chief of Staff in the Vice Chancellor’s Office, manage and guide the stakeholder engagement and protocol function at the University. Live and breathe the mission of the University, ensuring strong relationships with key faculty, staff, and student government. Develop and maintain a deep understanding of academic faculties, their research priorities, and their curricula. Essentially, this role is charged with articulating, defining, and raising the profile of the unique distinctiveness of NYUAD and its strategic vision, creating strong support for the University in the UAE and abroad.
Detailed information on key responsibilities, skills, and competencies is available upon request.
*** Please do not apply via this portal*** This search is being managed externally by Korn Ferry, applications, including a current CV and letter explaining interest and relevant experience should be sent to the following address exclusively: ExternalRelations_NYUAD@kornferry.com
All communications will be held in strict confidence.
Key Responsibilities:
External Relations
- Provide strategic and inspired leadership on NYUAD’s overall positioning
- Enhance the visability of NYU Abu Dhabi
- Act as a key member of the Vice Chancellor’s Advisory Group and provide strategic counsel on all issues related to external relations, public affairs, communications, community engagement, marketing, and events
- Work closely with key leaders across the institution to support the Vice Chancellor’s communications and engagement priorities
- Identify opportunities to maintain and enhance the University’s reputation and brand awareness
- Lead planning, coordination, and alignment on major institutional priorities
University Communications and Public Relations
- Provide strategic oversight of NYUAD’s public affairs and communications team, which reports into the AVC’s office, while ensuring NYUAD’s mission and vision are communicated by the University with clarity and consistency at all times
- Working with other departments in the University to ensure that all university events, community engagement and outreach activities, website, and digital and social media channels present NYUAD’s vision and mission through appearance and programming
- Collaborate closely with University leaders, NYU Public Affairs and other NYU leadership in New York and elsewhere as needed in NYU’s Global Network, and the University's government partners in Abu Dhabi in order to plan comprehensively for generating positive publicity; raising awareness of NYU Abu Dhabi both domestically and internationally; and undertaking careful stewardship of its reputation and brand
- Liaise regularly on all PR and communications related inquiries from local government partner. Proactively identify, analyze, and act on initiatives and emerging issues that could impact NYUAD’s reputation
- Set the strategic direction, direct forward planning and ensure planned initiatives align with and support the broader goals of the University
- Provide advice and counsel to the Vice Chancellor, Provost, and other senior leaders on critical matters relating to reputation, including institutional priorities and crisis communications
- Provide functional leadership of all the University’s communications activities (e.g. Arts Center, Art Gallery, StartAD, Institute, etc.) and ensure alignment on key messages
- Assume the position of brand ambassador for the University, maintaining a constant presence across all relevant institutions, in order to promote NYUAD interest and perception.
- Support the Vice Chancellor with communications strategy, positioning, and implementation, lead the development of executive communications as required, ensure visual identity in all materials, and ensure alignment with message and mission of the institution
University and Commercial Events
- Provide strategic oversight to the University events department, which reports into the AVC's office. Set the strategic direction, direct forward planning, and ensure planned initiatives align with and support the broader goals of the University
- Ensure purposes, character, visual identity, advertising, and execution of university and external events are consistent with and advance the mission of NYUAD, and serve and enhance its community
- Coordinate efforts between functions to ensure effective and appropriate media and engagement strategy around university (and key external) events, commensurate with the mission and reputation of NYUAD
- Provide strategic advice and counsel on proposed events and external bookings and partnerships for the University
- Oversight of Commencement and major University events and ceremonies.
- Creation and oversight of vibrant, inclusive, and clearly structured virtual University events
- Oversight of protocol policy and oversight of the protocol function in collaboration with the Vice Chancellor’s Chief of Staff
Community Engagement (Internal and External)
- Provide strategic oversight of Community Engagement initiatives led by the Vice Chancellor’s office
- Establish and build relationships on behalf of NYUAD with partners, government agencies, as well as opinion formers and influencers in the UAE and beyond
- Connect the Vice Chancellor and other University leaders with the region’s highly placed and influential individuals to showcase NYUAD’s distinctiveness and raise awareness of the University’s contributions to the UAE and beyond
- Set the strategic direction, direct forward planning and ensure planned initiatives align with and support the broader goals of the University
- Oversee communications with key influencers and partners to ensure alignment with messaging and inform strategy
- Oversight of integrated stakeholder management system in close collaboration with the Development and Alumni Relations Office and other areas as required
- Work with the Chief of Staff and VC office on coordination of visits from VIPs and dignitaries
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