Head of Department (HOD) – International Law 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) – International Law

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

About the Role

• We are seeking a visionary, internationally connected, and experienced academic leader to serve as the founding Head of Department (International Law) at a new private university in Abuja.
• This is a rare and prestigious opportunity to build a world-class postgraduate International Law department from the ground up, situated in the heart of West African diplomacy.
• You will shape the LL.M. and PhD curricula, recruit founding faculty with strong research profiles, establish high-level partnerships with ECOWAS, international tribunals, and diplomatic missions, coach advanced moot court teams, and mentor the very first cohort of postgraduate international law students.
• Your leadership will position the university as a centre of excellence for advanced international legal education and research in West Africa.

Key Responsibilities
Academic Leadership & Curriculum Development:

• Design and develop innovative, NUC and Council of Legal Education-compliant postgraduate programmes (LL.M. in International Law, and subsequently PhD in International Law) incorporating specialised tracks such as International Humanitarian Law, International Criminal Law, International Human Rights Law, International Investment Law, and Law of International Organisations.
• Ensure curricula align with global standards and address contemporary issues (cyber operations, climate change and international law, African regional legal systems).
• Foster a high-level research culture leading to doctoral dissertations, peer-reviewed publications in top-tier journals, and research grants from national and international bodies.
• Establish a Postgraduate Research Seminar Series and an in-house working paper series.

Faculty & Team Management:

• Recruit, mentor, and manage a high-performance team of legal academics with strong publication records and international law expertise.
• Allocate postgraduate teaching and supervision workloads fairly; conduct annual performance reviews focused on research output and doctoral supervision quality.
• Support junior faculty in developing their own research agendas and progressing toward full professorship.

Student Experience & Postgraduate Employability:

• Serve as the primary academic advisor for LL.M. and PhD students.
• Supervise or co-supervise doctoral theses and master’s dissertations in international law, ensuring timely completion and publication potential.
• Leverage Abuja’s unique diplomatic ecosystem to secure advanced internships and placements with:
• ECOWAS Commission & Community Court of Justice
• International Criminal Court (ICC) liaison offices
• UN agencies (OHCHR, UNHCR, ICRC delegation)
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Legal Directorate)
• International law firms and arbitration chambers
• African Union Office of the Legal Counsel
• Coach or oversee coaching for prestigious moot court competitions (Jessup, African Human Rights Moot Court, ICC Moot) at postgraduate level.
• Organise career pathways workshops for academia, international civil service, diplomacy, and international arbitration.

Operations & External Engagement:

• Manage departmental operations, budgets, and resources, including specialised law library acquisitions, access to Westlaw/HeinOnline/ICJ Reports, and a dedicated postgraduate research space.
• Lead preparations for NUC accreditation of LL.M. and PhD programmes and Council of Legal Education inspections for postgraduate legal education.
• Build strategic relationships with Abuja-based and international institutions: ECOWAS, African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Banjul, but liaison through Abuja), ICRC, UNIC, NIIA, NBA International Law Section, foreign embassies, and the International Law Association (ILA).
• Organise annual international law conference and public lectures featuring judges of international courts and tribunals.

Qualifications & Experience
Essential:

• LL.B, BL, LL.M (with specialization in International Law or a closely related field), and PhD or Doctorate in International Law – awarded by a recognised, reputable university.
• 8–10 years of university teaching experience in law, with at least 5 years at the postgraduate level (supervision of LL.M. and PhD candidates in international law).
• Strong track record of scholarly output: consistent publications in high-impact, peer-reviewed law journals (e.g., American Journal of International Law, European Journal of International Law, African Journal of International and Comparative Law), successful supervision of completed master’s and doctoral theses, and evidence of research grants or funded projects in international law.
• Previous experience as a Head of Department (HOD) or equivalent academic leadership role (e.g., Dean, Postgraduate Programme Coordinator, Director of a Centre for International Law) at a reputable, accredited university – mandatory.
• Demonstrated experience in designing, implementing, and reviewing postgraduate curricula (LL.M., PhD) in International Law, in line with NUC Benchmark Minimum Academic Standards (BMAS) and Council of Legal Education requirements.
• Experience leading accreditation processes for postgraduate law programmes with NUC and the Council of Legal Education.
• Proven record of fostering a research culture including organising international conferences, securing research funding, and supervising doctoral candidates to completion.

Desirable:

• Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education Teaching and Learning or equivalent.
• Practical experience in international law (legal officer at an international organisation, foreign ministry legal adviser, international criminal tribunal, or international law firm with a public international law practice).
• Experience coaching moot court teams at international level (Jessup, African Human Rights Moot Court, ICC Moot).
• Active membership in professional bodies: Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) – International Law Section, International Law Association (ILA), American Society of International Law (ASIL), African Society of International Law (AfSIL).
• Fluency in French (highly desirable given ECOWAS and African Court context).
• Experience supervising postdoctoral fellows or mentoring early-career law academics.

Skills & Competencies:

• Leadership: Proven ability to lead a postgraduate law department, manage a team of research-active academics, and drive strategic growth of LL.M. and PhD enrolments and research output.
• Diplomatic Acumen: Strong high-level networking skills; ability to engage with ambassadors, judges of international courts, and senior officials of international organisations with professionalism and cultural sensitivity.
• Research & Supervision Acumen: Deep understanding of international law research methodologies (doctrinal, comparative, socio-legal), ethical approval processes, grant writing (e.g., from MacArthur Foundation, Open Society Foundations), and publication strategies for postgraduate students.
• Strategic Thinking: Ability to position the postgraduate department within Abuja’s unique diplomatic ecosystem and contribute to regional policy debates on international law.
• Communication: Exceptional skill in writing postgraduate programme documents (handbooks, proposals, accreditation briefs, doctoral regulations) and engaging with external examiners, funding bodies, and accreditors.
• Moot Court Coaching: Demonstrated ability to train students in written memorials and oral advocacy at the highest competitive levels.
• Organisational: Excellent time management and ability to handle competing deadlines (accreditation visits, doctoral defences, research grant submissions, conference organisation).

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

• Competitive Base Salary; N500,000 - N600,000 monthly.
• Pension
• And other attractive benefits.

Application Closing Date
22nd May, 2026.