Chief Administrative Officer - Graduate School of Education

Company Description

Nazarbayev University (NU), located in Astana, Kazakhstan, is a new Western-style, English-medium institution founded with the support of leading partner universities from around the world. It ranks #1 in Central Asia and the Caucasus region, #4 in CIS countries, and 401-500 in the world according to the Times Higher Education World University Ranking 2026. The Graduate School of Education ranks among the top 176-200 universities in the world in the field of education.

Nazarbayev University Graduate School of Education (NUGSE) invites applications from eligible candidates to join our international faculty and contribute to our vision of becoming a world-class centre for teaching and research in education, specifically school education. 

Job Description

Job Purpose

The Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) provides strategic, administrative, operational, financial, and organizational leadership for the School. The position ensures effective management of administrative operations, financial planning, human resources processes, strategic initiatives, partnerships, research support, and compliance with University policies and procedures. The CAO serves as a key advisor to the Dean and facilitates efficient coordination between the School, University administrative units, and external stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership and Planning

• Participate in the development and implementation of the School’s strategic and operational objectives in alignment with the University’s mission and priorities.
• Contribute to the development of long-term and short-term plans, goals, policies, and programs of the School.
• Support the Dean in achieving the School’s strategic goals and institutional priorities.

Administrative and Operational Management

• Plan, organize, and oversee the administrative and operational activities of the School.
• Provide overall leadership and management of the School’s administrative staff.
• Establish performance objectives for administrative personnel and monitor the quality, timeliness, and effectiveness of work performance.
• Ensure compliance with labor discipline and University policies.
• Approve and evaluate Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for administrative staff.
• Approve Individual Development Plans (IDPs) and support continuous professional development of employees.
• Coordinate and oversee administrative support for School projects, programs, and events.

Financial Management and Budget Oversight

• Lead the planning, development, implementation, monitoring, and execution of the School’s budget.
• Ensure compliance with University financial regulations, procedures, and internal controls.
• Monitor efficient utilization of financial resources and provide recommendations for budget optimization.
• Oversee the management and control of fixed assets and consumable resources assigned to the School.

Human Resources and Talent Management

• Coordinate and oversee recruitment and selection processes for administrative staff.
• Assist the Dean in recruitment and selection activities related to faculty and staff positions.

Partnerships and Stakeholder Relations

• Support development and maintenance of strategic partnerships with local and international organizations.
• Participate in negotiations and preparation of agreements with domestic and international partners.
• Assist the Dean in maintaining effective collaboration and communication with Schools, administrative divisions, and partner institutions.

Academic and Research Support

• Support implementation of best practices in teaching, learning, and student success by identifying and facilitating access to appropriate resources.
• Coordinate administrative aspects of research initiatives and projects in collaboration with the Dean and Vice Dean for Research.

Quality Assurance and Risk Management

• Participate in identification, assessment, mitigation, management, and monitoring of risks within the areas under supervision.
• Ensure compliance with applicable University policies, procedures, and governance requirements.

Qualifications

Education

• Higher-professional, preferable from the higher education institutions with English language of instruction;
  Master’s or PhD degree is preferable

Work Experience

• Minimum 4 years of relevant professional experience with a Master’s degree in a related field.
• At least 2 years of experience in a managerial or supervisory role with responsibility for people management.

Additional Information

• fluency in Kazakh, Russian and English,
• knowledge and skills of modern methods and international practices in the area of budgeting, strategic planning and managerial accounting;
• managerial skills (aims setting and activity planning, allocation of duties, control and motivation of subordinates job), and skills of presentations and negotiations, as well as analytical skills;
• high level of innovation and creativity;
• ability to formulate policy for a function;
• presenting strategy recommendations to the University leadership based on robust analytics

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