Academic Director – CADY

About the role

The Academic Director will lead the academic vision of CADY, shaping curricula and learning experiences that bridge creative arts education with industry practice at Yabatech. Reporting to CADY leadership, the role combines strategic planning, faculty development, and partnership building to elevate the quality and relevance of arts programmes.

Key responsibilities

• Conduct a comprehensive academic audit of existing arts curricula across all Yabatech art departments.
• Identify curricular gaps and develop a phased Academic Enhancement Plan aligned with CADY’s goals.
• Design supplementary modules, masterclass frameworks, and skills intensives to complement existing programmes.
• Integrate contemporary industry practice, digital tools, sustainability in design, and entrepreneurship into the curriculum.
• Establish learning outcomes, assessment frameworks, and quality benchmarks for all CADY academic programmes.
• Lead a Faculty Development Programme to upskill Yabatech arts lecturers.
• Recruit visiting practitioners, industry mentors, and guest lecturers from Nigerian and international creative sectors.
• Embed CADY programme components within Yabatech’s formal curriculum through academic governance structures.
• Design and oversee student‑facing programmes such as workshops, residencies, and the annual CADY Graduate Exhibition.
• Develop a talent identification and mentorship pipeline linking high‑potential students with Alára’s creative network.
• Produce academic and policy papers on creative arts education in Nigeria.
• Represent CADY at conferences, cultural forums, and public speaking engagements.
• Support fundraising and grant applications with academic narratives and impact reporting.

Required profile

• Advanced degree (Master’s or PhD) in Fine Arts, Art Education, Design or a related discipline.
• Minimum 8 years experience in arts education, curriculum development or academic leadership.
• Deep knowledge of the Nigerian arts education landscape and experience working with tertiary institutions.
• Proven track record of designing and delivering educational programmes with measurable impact.
• Exceptional communication skills to engage academia, industry and government.
• Strong written output, including curriculum documents and academic papers.

Required skills