Director of Faculty and Curriculum

About NYU Abu Dhabi

NYU Abu Dhabi is pioneering a new model of higher education for a global world, dedicated to excellence in teaching and research and to advancing cooperation and progress on humanity’s shared challenges. Drawing on the strengths of the NYU global network, it offers an outstanding liberal arts and sciences education to students from the United Arab Emirates, the United States, and around the world, with a distinctive focus on intercultural understanding and leadership. It supports innovative research and graduate education programs that push forward the frontiers of knowledge and respond in powerful and interdisciplinary ways to vital global and local challenges.

Position summary

Applications are welcome from all qualified candidates. In line with UAE regulations, Emirati candidates are encouraged to apply.

New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) seeks to appoint a Director of Faculty & Curriculum reporting to Vice Provost, Executive & Professional Education.

The Director, Faculty and Curriculum is a pivotal leadership role within NYU Abu Dhabi, responsible for the end-to-end design, development, and quality assurance of high-impact academic and professional programs. The incumbent serves as the primary architect for a diverse portfolio ranging from traditional degree programs to innovative executive education, stackable professional micro credentials, and certificates. By bridging the gap between pedagogical theory and practical application, this position ensures that all curricula meet the rigorous academic standards of both NYU New York and NYU Abu Dhabi while remaining responsive to the evolving needs of the global and regional workforce.

The role focuses on establishing robust curriculum maps that align granular learning outcomes with core academic credentials and professional competencies. Furthermore, the Senior Curriculum Designer leads the digital transformation of learning by overseeing online course design, implementing sophisticated course design matrices, and managing the technical construction of course shells. This position is essential in navigating the complex internal and external approval processes, ensuring that every program achieves the necessary accreditation and quality benchmarks required by NYU and UAE regulatory bodies.

In addition, this position is responsible for identifying and leading program development initiatives in close collaboration with NYUAD and NYU New York faculty, providing faculty-centered program development oversight, and serving as a primary bridge between academic faculty affairs and the design and delivery of executive and professional education programs.

Job responsibilities

Curriculum architecture & learning outcomes

Together with faculty, lead, design and define comprehensive learning outcomes for degree programs, executive education, and stackable professional micro-credentials that align across the subject areas and delivery formats

Create “stackable” pathways from non-degree certificates into credit-bearing degree programs

Ensure academic quality of the outcomes

Creating and maintaining faculty partnerships across NYU and NYUAD

Responsible for vetting faculty qualifications and fit for specific programs, coordinating with academic deans and faculty affairs offices to establish formal roles for contributing faculty, and ensuring faculty contributors adhere to program development timelines, quality standards, and institutional expectations

Identify, recruit, and partner with NYU and NYUAD faculty to serve as Program Directors in credit and non-credit programs

Lead and provide oversight of faculty driven curriculum development, serve as the primary liaison between departments, schools and clients and institutional program design teams

Academic quality assurance & approvals

Guide and manage internal NYU and NYUAD approval processes alongside external UAE academic regulatory submissions

Design and implement quality assurance frameworks tailored to each program's requirements

Implement strategic program evaluations that track program performance; lead scheduled curriculum reviews to maintain academic relevance, regulatory compliance, and scholarly rigor

Oversee the production of all required documentation — including program proposals, course syllabi, and supporting materials — needed to secure institutional approvals

Online portfolio

Lead the development of online and hybrid courses, utilizing design matrices such as Quality Matters, to ensure pedagogical consistency across digital platforms

Train faculty on digital delivery tools and engagement strategies

Required education

Master's degree (MA/MS/M.Ed) in Instructional Design, Curriculum and Instruction Higher Education Administration, or a closely related field

Advanced certification in Instructional Design or Online Learning (e.g., Quality Matters, OLC)

Expertise in Learning Management Systems (Brightspace, Canvas) and Curriculum Mapping software

Required experience

10+ years of experience in curriculum design, instructional design, or academic affairs within a higher education setting

Proven track record of designing executive education, micro credentials, and traditional degree programs

Deep knowledge of pedagogical theories and adult learning principles (andragogy)

Advanced skill in developing course design matrices and curriculum maps

Comprehensive understanding of the US and international accreditation standards

Strong project management skills and the ability to lead cross-functional faculty teams

Preferred education

Doctoral degree or Ed.D. in Instructional Design, Educational Technology, or a relevant disciplinary field

Project Management Professional (PMP) or equivalent

Certification in Quality Assurance auditing for Higher Education

Preferred experience

Familiarity with the specific educational landscape and regulatory requirements of the UAE/GCC region

Ability to use data analytics to track learning outcome attainment and program success

Fluency in digital media production for educational content

Arabic language skills

Other information about NYUAD

NYU Abu Dhabi is a degree-granting research university with a fully integrated liberal arts and science undergraduate program in the Arts, Sciences, Social Sciences, Humanities, and Engineering. NYU Abu Dhabi, NYU New York, and NYU Shanghai form the backbone of NYU’s global network university, an interconnected network of portal campuses and academic centers across six continents that enable seamless international mobility of students and faculty in their pursuit of academic and scholarly activity.

This global university represents a transformative shift in higher education, one in which the intellectual and creative endeavors of academia are shaped and examined through an international and multicultural perspective. As a major intellectual hub at the crossroads of the Arab world, NYUAD serves as a center for scholarly thought, advanced research, knowledge creation, and sharing, through its academic, research, and creative activities.