Academic Operations Manager

The University of Central Asia is a private, not-for-profit, secular university founded to promote the social and economic development of Central Asia, particularly its mountain communities, through higher education and the preservation of cultural heritage. It comprises three schools: the School of Arts and Sciences, the Graduate School of Development, and the School of Professional and Continuing Education.

• Lead and develop the Academic Operations Office, including responsibilities, service expectations, workload allocation, coaching, and performance management
• Provide administrative support to academic units, faculty, visiting researchers, and postgraduate programmes, coordinating enquiries, requests, and workflows
• Review, simplify, and document administrative procedures while maintaining compliance and reducing duplication and delays
• Coordinate meetings, events, records, internal communications, and operational reporting, ensuring decisions and actions are followed through
• Coordinate the use of facilities, equipment, and administrative resources with university services
• Coordinate operational plans, budgets, forecasts, procurement plans, and management reporting with unit leaders and Finance
• Provide the Dean and unit leaders with analysis of expenditure, commitments, cost recovery, funding requirements, and operational implications of proposals
• Support the preparation and monitoring of grant and programme budgets, coordinating financial inputs to proposals and reporting with Finance, ORD, and grant managers
• Support the accurate use of SAP and other approved systems, monitor budget information, and follow up discrepancies and emerging risks
• Facilitate budget reallocation requests and other financial actions through authorised approval processes
• Oversee administrative arrangements for postgraduate and other approved academic programmes in coordination with programme leadership, the Registrar, and student-facing services
• Coordinate programme scheduling, academic records and documentation, student communications, academic events, and administrative support for programme review and quality processes
• Support operational planning and implementation of new or revised programmes, including resource requirements, delivery readiness, and cross-functional coordination
• Coordinate administrative support for research projects, visiting scholars, grants, and external collaborations, respecting institutional offices’ decision rights and specialist responsibilities
• Support the Dean and academic unit leaders with operational plans, management information, reports, and institutional submissions
• Contribute to university-wide initiatives that improve the consistency, efficiency, and integration of academic and research administration, including agreed changes arising from Future Directions
• Manage, support, and develop direct reports, promoting professional standards, constructive teamwork, accountability, and an enabling service culture
• Coordinate recruitment administration, onboarding, contract and personnel workflows, appraisal administration, and staff development arrangements with HR and relevant line managers
• Maintain appropriate records, confidentiality, data protection, and information security; support audits and timely implementation of agreed corrective actions
• Identify and promptly escalate operational, financial, compliance, and service-delivery risks to the Dean and relevant specialist functions
• Ensure compliance with personal data protection regulations and maintain confidentiality of sensitive information
• Perform other duties assigned by the Supervisor, consistent with the role’s scope and departmental tools
• Allocate work, set operational priorities, and manage direct reports’ performance within approved policies, budgets, and delegated authority
• Establish and improve GSD administrative workflows and service arrangements in consultation with institutional process owners
• Request information needed for legitimate operational planning, reporting, and case coordination, subject to confidentiality and data-access rules
• Recommend budget changes, staffing and service improvements, process changes, and operational mitigations to the Dean and authorised officers
• Escalate material operational, financial, compliance, and service risks through appropriate management channels

• Relevant bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience and analytical capability
• Substantial experience in academic, research, or comparable complex professional-services operations, including team management and service improvement
• Strong experience in budget coordination, financial reporting, grants or project administration, and interpreting financial information for managers
• Strong organisational judgement, prioritisation, process management, problem-solving, and attention to detail
• Ability to build productive relationships across academic and professional functions and work effectively with senior colleagues
• High proficiency in spreadsheets, reporting, and relevant administrative or enterprise systems, with willingness to learn UCA systems
• Excellent written and spoken English and Russian; advanced (fluent) proficiency in both
• Sound judgement, discretion, and experience handling confidential information
• Commitment to UCA’s mission and ability to work effectively across cultures and locations
• Будет плюсом: Experience in or knowledge of the Central Asian higher education landscape or a related environment supporting academic activities, including research and teaching; grant-funded activities, cost recovery, and donor reporting; organisational change and developing shared or integrated professional services; SAP or a comparable enterprise resource planning system; committee service, including producing professional agendas and minutes; familiarity with UCA’s values and mission; working knowledge of Kyrgyz, Tajik, or Kazakh

• Maternity cover
• Applications will be reviewed as received; early applications are strongly encouraged
• Application deadline: 02 November 2026