Dean

General Information

Grade: Academic

College/Department: All Colleges

Reports To: Vice President for Medical & Health Sciences

Working Relationships

Internal Relationships

• All Colleges and Departments

External Relationships

• Government Entities
• Academic and Professional Institutions

Job Summary

Job Summary and Key Responsibilities

The Dean of the College is responsible to provide strategic direction, academic planning leadership and administrative oversight to achieve the highest standards in the College. Promote innovative approaches to program and professional training development and delivery, increase research output and funding support, and facilitate partnerships with other Faculties. Ensure sustainable growth and competitiveness, expand the College’s interdisciplinary research programs, and work collaboratively with academic, industry and public sector partners to further enhance its national and international stature.

Key Responsibilities

• Stimulate and support excellence and integrity in teaching, learning, research and University service, and foster a climate that encourages faculty, staff and students to identify and pursue innovation in these activities.
• Lead the academic planning process of the College by initiating discussions, defining priorities, and developing and articulating its vision.
• Initiate and oversee activities designed to improve teaching skills within the College and ensure that teaching methods are state-of-the-art.
• Provide strategic leadership in the development of research activity to capitalize upon the expertise, interests and resources of the College and to ensure alignment with the University’s research strategy.
• Play a proactive role in increasing funding support to the College through government, industry and other funding sources and work collaboratively with academic, industry and public sector partners to further enhance the research profile of the College, and expand and improve its infrastructure.
• Promote the research activities of faculty members and ensure that their contributions to the success of the College is known and celebrated within the University and the broader community.
• Ensure cooperative integration among the centers, support units, and academic units within and related to the College.
• Continue to seek opportunities to develop and continue interdisciplinary research and teaching initiatives with other Faculties, Colleges, Schools and Institutes within Qatar University.
• Ensure effective communication and engagement with students, faculty and staff members.
• Develop, manage and ensure effective administration and accountability of the College’s budget and resources and support, regularly assess and ensure effective College governance.
• Ensure appropriate and efficient organization and assignment of staff responsibilities, effective management, commitment to staff development and administration of collective agreements and personnel policies.
• Ensure recruitment and appointment processes are undertaken with the aim to attract the highest possible caliber of faculty and staff and that the process itself is reflective of equity, diversity and University policy.
• Build effective relationships, promote and advocate for the College to a broad spectrum of stakeholders, including senior administration, associate deans, department chairs, faculty and staff, students, alumni, professional associations, the media, community leaders, and educational and other key institutions, locally, nationally and internationally.
• Participate in the development of University strategy and policy as a member of the University’s senior management team.
• Prepare a semiannual report to the Vice President for Medical & Health Sciences on the status and future of the college’s academic programs of the college.
• Meet regularly with the college Department Heads and review their short and long-term goals for the college.
• Recommend to Vice President for Academic Affairs the appointment of Department Heads.
• Review academic promotions dossiers prepared by the Department Heads and submit his/her recommendations to the Vice President for Academic Affairs
• Conduct performance appraisals for subordinates as appropriate according to scheduled plans and recommend actions as per applied HR policies.
• Identify staff training needs and plan for appropriate training to be provided in a timely manner.
• Perform other tasks and duties that may be occasionally required in order to meet the requirements of the role and the aims of the University.

Qualifications

Education and Certifications

• A doctorate degree is necessary.

Languages

• English is required
• Arabic is required

Experience

• Extensive academic leadership experience is necessary to relate to a range of internal and external partners and promote excellence, equity, diversity and inclusion among faculty, staff and students.
• Demonstrated accomplishments in an academic leadership role (Department Chair, Associate Dean or Dean) with a record of superior leadership in academic planning and implementation, collegial engagement, and the ability to see the bigger picture and long-term outlook.
• A clear vision of Qatar’s higher education mission and a strong commitment to academic excellence in teaching, research, creative and professional activity and to encouraging academic innovation in all areas of the College.
• An understanding of the range of academic disciplines within the College and of both the academic and applied aspects of scholarly pursuit, as well as an appreciation of the issue of balancing research with teaching.
• A high standard of personal integrity and a commitment to equity and diversity, academic freedom, the collaborative process and the principles of collegiality and natural justice.
• The ability to inspire informed discussion that encourages diversity and the expression of divergent opinions and mutual acceptance, combined with the capability to balance the autonomy of faculties and faculty members with the need for an overall shared vision, identity and commitment.
• Proven capabilities in resource management (personnel, budgets, space, equipment and related academic technologies), with the ability to ensure transparency and clarity in the budget process and to appreciate the use and impact of new technologies and to assess their value.
• A record of building strong teams and a proven capacity to work constructively as a team member and team leader, with both internal and external constituencies;
• A commitment to the continued recruitment and retention of high-caliber faculty members in an increasingly competitive environment, combined with the ability to deal with human resources issues;
• A genuine interest in working effectively with an active and engaged student body, while responding to their needs for intellectual advancement and personal development.
• A commitment to engaging social and cultural diversity while fostering access and success, and a willingness to become personally and visibly involved in the Faculty community.
• Outstanding communication skills, with the ability to interact successfully with multiple constituencies and stakeholders and to promote the Faculty’s academic priorities and interests to a variety of internal and external communities, including fundraising and government relations;
• The resolve, flexibility, patience and enthusiasm to deliver innovative and relevant academic leadership, to foster academic innovation, to promote multi-disciplinary research initiatives, and to bring about change, with all the required consulting, listening, planning, persuading, explaining and implementing skills.
• The capacity to listen well, stand one’s ground when appropriate, enable others to see opportunity where initially they saw constraint and make sound, fair and sometimes difficult decisions, combined with the ability to communicate such decisions openly and implement them firmly.

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