Director of Communications

The American University in Dubai invites qualified applicants to apply for the position of Director of Communications.
The fundamental responsibility of this position is to spearhead AUD’s integrated communications efforts in two key spheres: marketing communications and external affairs. Hence, the Director will formulate strategy and supervise implementation in the areas of traditional and social media, web design and maintenance, publications, media relations, as well as event organization and management, government and community relations and institutional relations. The fully-staffed office has, in addition to the Director, two managers and seven coordinators. The Director is a self-starter and innovator to whom image-making comes naturally.
Principle Responsibilities:

• Serve the communications needs of AUD’s internal and external constituencies
• Author the university’s communications strategy and supervise its execution across several communications platforms
• Ensure high visibility for the university, always within the context of its chosen strategic directions
• Supervise communications solutions as part of as-needed crisis management
• Manage a team of nine, including two managers (marketing communications and external affairs) and seven coordinators (publications; web master; social media; media relations; government and community relations; event organization and management; institutional relations)
• Manage external agencies and/or freelance talent to accomplish tasks in the functions under the purview of the Office
• Ensure communications consistency and adherence to self-imposed guidelines and compliance with the requirements of AUD’s accrediting bodies
• Devise methods for measuring and evaluating desired outcomes
• Preparing required assessment reports as part of the university’s efforts at continuous improvement.

Competencies and Skills Used:

• Proficiency in research planning and data analysis (market, consumer behavior, media)
• High-level strategic thinking in integrated communications
• Ability to identify and capitalize on tactical communications opportunities
• Communications objective-setting, planning and evaluation
• Familiar with the dynamics of digital content management
• Excellent communication and project management skills
• Excellent team-building and interpersonal skills
• Comfort with multi-tasking and priority setting
• Literacy in appropriate database management software.

Essential Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in marketing, marketing communications or other relevant field
• Eight to ten years’ experience in a communications-related field matured in either a communications agency or on the client side
• Currently at senior manager or director level
• Familiarity with the UAE/Gulf marketing communications environment (media, suppliers, etc.)
• Fluency (oral and written) in Arabic, in addition to English.

Desired Additional Qualifications:

• Master’s degree;
• Some experience in education or in institutional image-building.

Applications will be accepted and evaluated until this position is filled.
This position is suitable for those candidates already resident and under sponsorship in Dubai.
Interested applicants must submit the following requirements via email to recruitment@ .
(Please state the title of the position as the subject of the email)

• Cover letter
• Updated CV
• Contact information of three (3) academic/professional references

Alternatively, applicants can submit their application materials to the following postal address:
Angele El Khoury
Director of Human Resources
The American University in Dubai
P. O. Box 28282, Dubai,

No telephone calls please.
While we thank all applicants for their interest, only those under consideration will be contacted for a follow-up interview.

Apply to Job