Senior Manager for Academic and Student Affairs (during study leave)

This role involves comprehensive operational support for the Graduate School of Education's academic and student affairs. Key responsibilities include organizing faculty arrivals, student recruitment, seminars, and other academic events. The manager will assist in curriculum development, advise staff and students, manage academic schedules, conduct course evaluations, and support alumni activities. The role also involves student monitoring, statistical reporting, and interaction with the Admissions Department for recruitment and admissions processes, ensuring timely execution of university assignments.

Must Have

• Organize operational support for academic activities
• Assist in curriculum development and evaluation
• Advise staff and students on academic matters
• Collaborate on academic scheduling and faculty workload
• Conduct student course evaluations
• Support alumni activities
• Consult and support students on academic matters
• Collaborate on student recruitment and selection
• Monitor student performance and attendance
• Provide statistical reports and analysis
• Prepare reports, analytical materials, and letters
• Interact with Admissions Department for student intake
• Organize meetings, keep minutes, process forms
• Participate in risk management
• Execute assignments from university management
• Higher professional education
• At least 3 years of relevant work experience (with Master's) or 5 years (with Bachelor's)
• Knowledge of Kazakhstan education legislation
• Analytical skills
• Proficiency in MS Office, Excel, PowerPoint
• Fluent in English, Kazakh, and Russian

Good to Have

• Master's degree
• Education from English-medium higher education institutions
• Commitment to University goals and values
• Critical thinking
• Good interpersonal communication skills
• Ability to work in a team and independently
• Responsibility

Company Description

The Graduate School of Education (NU GSE) was established in 2012, and in August 2013, it enrolled its first master's and doctoral students. The school aims to become a global center for research and teaching in education, with a special focus on educational reforms in Kazakhstan and Central Asia, while also adopting a broad international approach. We promote and facilitate the implementation of the most modern research on educational issues at all levels – from preschool to higher education. NU holds an impressive position of 176–200 in THE World University Rankings 2025 in the 'Education' category.

Job Description

1) organization of operational support for the School's academic activities, including organizing the arrival of faculty, student recruitment, organizing seminars for faculty and students of the School, as well as other events related to the School's academic activities;

2) assisting the Director of Academic and Student Affairs, as well as the Vice-Dean, in the development and evaluation of curricula and/or courses;

3) advising new staff and faculty of the School on academic and student matters of the School;

4) participation, as well as collaboration with the Registrar's Office, in preparing the academic schedule, assisting in the preparation and distribution of assignments for the School's faculty;

5) conducting student course evaluations at the end of each semester, and storing evaluation results;

6) participation in managing the School's social media pages on academic matters;

7) working with alumni, supporting the activities of the School's alumni association;

8) consulting and supporting the School's students on academic matters;

9) participation, as well as collaboration with the Admissions Department, in recruiting and attracting students, and in their selection;

10) monitoring student academic performance, attendance, and advising on academic matters;

11) providing statistical reports on students, programs/courses within their competencies, analyzing results;

12) preparing reports, analytical materials, and letters within their competencies;

13) interacting with the Admissions Department on student recruitment and admission to the School, including providing consultations on study programs, admission procedures, and application deadlines, participating in recruitment campaigns, preparing handouts;

14) organizing meetings, keeping minutes, collecting and processing candidate evaluation forms, preparing invitation letters for study and rejection letters;

15) participation in the processes of identification, assessment, management, and monitoring of risks within the supervised area;

16) timely and high-quality execution of other assignments from the Dean, Vice-Dean, Head, and University management within their job responsibilities and powers.

Qualification Requirements

Higher professional education, preferably from higher education institutions with English as the language of instruction;

Master's degree preferred

Specialty

Priority areas of specialties:

• management;
• social sciences;
• humanities

Work Experience

• with a Master's degree – at least 3 years of work experience in areas corresponding to the specified functional responsibilities;
• with a Bachelor's degree or specialist degree – at least 5 years of work experience in the specialty in areas corresponding to the functional directions of the specific position in international and/or national companies.

Additional Information

Professional Competencies

• Knowledge of the legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the field of education;
• analytical skills;
• Knowledge of MS Office, Excel, PowerPoint programs
• fluent in English, Kazakh, and Russian languages

Personal Competencies

• commitment to the goals and values of the University;
• critical thinking;
• good interpersonal communication skills;
• teamwork and independent work;
• responsibility

Recruitment and selection process

Recruitment and selection at Nazarbayev University include the following process: preliminary selection based on experience and qualifications, assessments (e.g. technical skills/capabilities, aptitude, personality, work samples, in-basket exercises, and informal interviews), and motivation.

Formal interviews form the final stage of the selection process.

They are typically based on organizational values and behaviors and conducted in English.

You are encouraged to share your views and values to identify how they fit into Nazarbayev University core values