Head of Department (HOD) – Management & Entrepreneurship at City Business and Information Technology School (CBITS)

City Business and Information Technology School (CBITS) was established in response to the growing demand for a new generation of professionals equipped with both business acumen and technological expertise. Founded in 2024 CBITS emerged from a collaborative initiative between academic visionaries, industry leaders, and policymakers who recognized the urgent need for hybrid talent in today’s digitally-driven economy.

CBITS started as a modest institute offering diploma programs in Business Administration and Computer Science and has since evolved into a full-fledged academic institution with undergraduate, postgraduate, and professional development programs.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Head of Department (HOD) – Management & Entrepreneurship

Location: Central Business District, Abuja (FCT) 
Employment Type: Full-time

About the Role

• We are seeking a visionary, industry-connected, and entrepreneurial academic leader to serve as the founding Head of Department (Management & Entrepreneurship) at a new private university in Abuja.
• This is a rare and prestigious opportunity to build a dynamic, practice-oriented department from the ground up. You will shape a market-relevant curriculum, recruit a blended faculty of academics and industry practitioners, establish strong partnerships with Abuja's business community, and mentor the very first cohort of graduates. Your leadership will shape the next generation of Nigerian business leaders and entrepreneurs.

Key Responsibilities
Academic Leadership & Curriculum Development:

• Design and develop innovative, NUC-compliant postgraduate programs including M.Sc. Business Administration and M.Sc. Entrepreneurship.
• Integrate experiential learning: business plan development, feasibility studies, case studies of Nigerian SMEs, design thinking, and lean startup methodologies.
• Foster a research culture focused on the Nigerian and African business context (SME development, entrepreneurial finance, digital business).

Faculty & Team Management:

• Recruit, mentor, and manage a high-performance team combining experienced academics and industry practitioners.
• Allocate teaching workloads fairly and conduct annual performance reviews.
• Support junior faculty in teaching, research, and maintaining industry links.

Student Experience & Employability:

• Serve as the primary academic advisor, guiding students toward careers in corporate management, family business, social enterprise, or venture creation.
• Organize business plan competitions with seed funding opportunities for top ventures.
• Connect students with successful entrepreneurs and business leaders for mentorship.
• Oversee final year projects (business plans, research, or internship reports).
• Champion employability through industry guest lectures, field trips to businesses and incubators, and internship placements.

Operations & External Engagement:

• Manage departmental operations, budgets, and resources.
• Collaborate on conceptualizing a student enterprise hub or incubation space.
• Lead preparations for NUC accreditation visits.
• Build strong relationships with Abuja's business community: SMEs, corporate organizations, development partners, chambers of commerce, and entrepreneurship support organizations (e.g., Tony Elumelu Foundation, Fate Foundation, Ventures Park).
• Collaborate with Marketing to promote programs at open days and recruitment events.

Qualifications & Experience
Essential:

• PhD in Business Administration, Management, Entrepreneurship, Economics, or a closely related field – awarded by a recognised, reputable university.
• 8–10 years of university teaching and research experience, with at least 5 years at the postgraduate level (MSc and PhD supervision in management, entrepreneurship, or related disciplines).
• Proven track record of scholarly output: consistent publications in high-impact, peer-reviewed journals (Scopus/Web of Science), successful supervision of completed master’s and doctoral theses, and evidence of research grants or funded projects (e.g., on SME development, entrepreneurial finance, digital business, or African business contexts).
• Previous experience as a Head of Department (HOD) or equivalent academic leadership role (e.g., Dean, Postgraduate Programme Coordinator, or Director of a business school unit) at a reputable, accredited university – mandatory.
• Demonstrated experience in designing, implementing, and reviewing postgraduate curricula (PGD, MSc, PhD) in Management, Business Administration, or Entrepreneurship, in line with NUC Benchmark Minimum Academic Standards (BMAS) and international best practices (e.g., AACSB, AMBA, EQUIS alignment desirable but not required).
• Experience leading accreditation processes for postgraduate programmes with NUC, and ideally with professional bodies such as NIM, CIPM, or NESG.
• Strong record of fostering a research culture and applied, practice-oriented scholarship: organising doctoral colloquia, securing research funding, and building research groups in entrepreneurship or business management.

Desirable:

• MBA in addition to PhD – highly desirable for industry credibility.
• Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education Teaching and Learning or equivalent.
• Practical entrepreneurial experience (founded or co-founded a business, served as a senior executive, SME consultant, or venture capital advisor) with verifiable outcomes.
• Experience liaising with NUC for full programme accreditation (not just resource verification).
• Active membership in professional bodies: NIM (Nigeria Institute of Management), CIPM (Chartered Institute of Personnel Management), NESG (Nigerian Economic Summit Group), Academy of Management, or ICSB (International Council for Small Business).
• Evidence of industry-funded research or consultancy projects with public/private sector organisations in Nigeria.

Skills & Competencies:

• Leadership: Proven ability to lead a postgraduate department, manage a blended team of academics and industry practitioners, and drive strategic growth of postgraduate enrolment, quality, and research output.
• Entrepreneurial Mindset: Deep understanding of Nigeria’s entrepreneurial ecosystem (funding sources, support organisations, policy environment) and ability to translate that into postgraduate training and venture creation opportunities.
• Research & Thesis Supervision Acumen: Strong track record of supervising postgraduate research from proposal to defence, with high completion rates; familiarity with ethical approval processes, grant writing, and publication strategies for postgraduate students.
• Strategic Thinking: Ability to position the postgraduate department within national and continental economic agendas (e.g., Nigeria’s MSME policy, African Continental Free Trade Area, Youth Entrepreneurship Programmes) and link with doctoral consortia, policy think tanks, and development partners.
• Industry & Policy Networks: Established relationships with Abuja’s business community, development finance institutions (e.g., BoI, NIRSAL), chambers of commerce, and entrepreneurship support organisations (e.g., Tony Elumelu Foundation, Fate Foundation, Ventures Park).
• Communication: Exceptional skill in writing postgraduate programme documents (handbooks, proposals, accreditation briefs) and engaging with external examiners, funding bodies, and accreditors.
• Student Mentorship (Postgraduate): Demonstrated ability to guide postgraduate students (including executives on part-time MBA programmes) through applied research projects, business plans, and capstone theses.
• Operational & Budget Management: Experience managing budgets for postgraduate programmes, including research assistantships, seminar series, and incubation facilities.

Salary & Benefits
A competitive and attractive remuneration package commensurate with the seniority and strategic importance of the role. This includes:

• Salary: N500,000 - N600,000 per month.
• Competitive Base Salary
• Pension
• And other attractive benefits.

Application Closing Date
22nd May, 2026. 

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should send their CV and Cover Letter to: citybiz.infotech.school@gmail.com using  “Head of Department (HOD) – Management & Entrepreneurship” as the subject of the mail.