Dean, AUIS Saad Business School

Full-time

Faculty positions

February 24, 2026


The American University of Iraq, Sulaimani (AUIS) is Iraq’s first American-style liberal arts university. Founded to promote critical thinking, professionalism, and global standards of higher education, AUIS is building a new generation of leaders equipped to serve Iraq and the wider region. More than a campus, AUIS is a long-term national project: to demonstrate what a modern, independent, high-quality University can be in Iraq.
Today, AUIS is undertaking one of its most ambitious efforts: the transformation of the Saad Business School into Iraq’s premier school of business.
The foundations are in place—strong programs, committed faculty, growing partnerships, and an expanding student body. The Dean will have a rare opportunity: not simply to manage an existing department, but to help redesign, rebuild, and elevate it into a school. This role is for an academic leader who brings fresh perspective, global best practices, and the drive to build something distinctive in Iraq and the Middle East.
As Iraq and the Kurdistan Region make economic growth and prosperity national priorities, the need for serious business education has never been greater. Markets are expanding. The private sector is becoming central. What the country now requires are leaders who understand how economies actually work—and who are also guided by purpose, ethics, and public responsibility. The mission of the Saad Business School is to train that kind of leader: intellectually rigorous, entrepreneurial, globally fluent, and deeply grounded in Kurdistan and Iraq’s realities.
The Dean of the Saad Business School provides academic, strategic, and administrative leadership for the School of Business at AUIS. The Dean works closely with the Director of the MBA program, the Chair of the undergraduate business program, the AUIS Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center (AEIC), and the Professional Development Institute (PDI), reporting directly to the Provost and working closely with the President and members of the community. The role carries responsibility for fundraising and external partnerships, and for working with faculty and senior leadership to advance academic excellence, accreditation, faculty development, student success, workforce readiness, and effective stewardship of resources—fully aligned with AUIS’s mission and international higher-education standards.
This is not a routine deanship. It is an invitation to help shape Iraq’s future business leadership from the ground up
 

Key Responsibilities:

1. Representation & External Relations

  • Serve as the principal representative of the School of Business, MBA program, AEIC, and PDI within the University and externally.
  • Strengthen the School’s reputation locally, regionally, and internationally.
  • Engage alumni, advisory boards, employers, and key stakeholders.

2. Administration, Budget & Resource Management

  • Under the supervision of the Provost, oversee the School’s budget, including academic programs, AUIS Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center (AEIC), and Professional Development Institute (PDI).
  • Oversee effective use of financial, human, and physical resources.
  • Contribute to fundraising, donor relations, and grant development in coordination with University leadership, and lead fundraising activities focused on the School.

3. Research, Innovation & Industry Engagement

  • Promote applied and academic research aligned with Iraq’s and the Kurdistan region’s economic and development priorities.
  • Build partnerships with industry, government, NGOs, and international institutions.
  • Support consulting, entrepreneurship, innovation initiatives, and industry-sponsored projects.

4. Academic Leadership & Program Oversight

  • Provide leadership for the School’s undergraduate and MBA programs, working closely with the Chair of the undergraduate programs and the Director the MBA program. 
  • Together with the staff of the AEIC and PDI, lead the development of new external partnerships, training programs, and busi
  • ess-relevant research projects that provide new revenue streams to the university and the School.
    Ensure coherence, quality, and alignment across undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs.
  • Work with the Chair, MBA Director, and faculty on curriculum development, program reviews, and innovation to ensure relevance to regional and global labor markets.
  • Promote experiential, applied, and industry-linked learning across all business programs.

5. Faculty Leadership & Development

  • Support the recruitment, mentoring, and retention of high-quality faculty for the undergraduate, MBA, and professional programs.
  • Support faculty research, professional development, and engagement with industry and executive education.
  • Foster academic integrity and shared decision-making within the School.

6. Student Success, Internships & Employability

  • Champion student-centered learning, advising, and academic progression.
  • Provide strategic oversight of the AEIC to ensure strong internship pipelines, employer engagement, and career readiness for business students. 
  • Work with the Chair and faculty to align academic programs with employability outcomes, entrepreneurship, and workforce needs.
  • Collaborate with Admissions, Student Services, and Advancement staff on enrollment, retention, and alumni engagement strategies.

7. Teaching Expectations

  • The Dean is expected to contribute to the delivery of the academic programs in the School and is required to teach 2 courses during both the fall and spring terms (the courses may be in either the undergraduate or MBA programs). Course releases will be offered during the first two years of joining AUIS, and in subsequent years according to strategic needs of the School.  

Required Qualifications:

  • Earned doctorate (PhD or DBA) in Business or a closely related field (accounting, economics, or finance) from an accredited institution.
  • Academic leadership experience 
  • Demonstrated record of teaching, a history of research activity and refereed academic publications, and service.
  • Strong leadership, communication, and strategic planning skills. 

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Experience in an American-style or internationally accredited higher education institution.
  • Experience overseeing MBA programs, internships, executive education, or professional development units.
  • Understanding of higher education in the Middle East or comparable contexts.
  • Proven success in industry engagement, executive education, and fundraising.

Core Competencies:

  • A strong sense of purpose, as described above
  • Strategic and academic leadership
  • Program integration and quality assurance
  • Industry and workforce engagement
  • Financial and organizational stewardship
  • External representation and partnership building
     

Appointment Terms:

  • Full-time senior academic leadership appointment
  • Internationally competitive salary commensurate with qualifications and experience. 
  • Benefits include: housing, healthcare and airfare. 

Application Process:

Applicants should submit the following documents via email, with “Dean, AUIS Saad Business School” in the subject line, to [email protected]:

  • Cover letter addressing the qualifications above. 
  • Curriculum vitae
  • Brief Portfolios  
     

No telephone calls, please. While we thank all applicants for their interest, only those under consideration will be contacted for a follow-up interview. AUIS is an Affirmative Action / Equal Employment Opportunity employer that believes cultural diversity is essential to education.


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