Head of Support Services

Company Description

About HEC Paris, Doha

Founded in 1881 by the Paris Chamber of Commerce, HEC Paris is a leading European business school with the ambition to make a positive impact on both business and society. Its mission is driven by a unique “Think, Teach, Act” approach, aimed at fostering a more inclusive, sustainable, and prosperous world. With 167 research professors from around the globe, HEC Paris produces and shares cutting-edge knowledge with over 5,000 students from more than 130 countries. Its campus serves as a true laboratory of innovation and dialogue, fully engaged with the world’s diversity and global challenges.

In 2010, HEC Paris joined Qatar Foundation to bring world-class management education programs and research to Doha and the region. Through its portfolio of programs and its local research activities, HEC Paris, Doha contributes to corporate competitiveness in the global economy, fully aligned with Qatar National Vision 2030 and supporting the transformation of Qatar into a sustainable, competitive, and knowledge-based economy. In addition to offering degree programs, the school partners with corporate clients in Qatar and the region to design and deliver customized executive programs addressing current business and organizational challenges.

HEC Paris is an exceptional workplace, located in state-of-the-art premises in downtown Msheireb, at the heart of Doha. Joining HEC Paris, Doha is a unique opportunity to be part of a close-knit community of talented individuals united around five core values: Curiosity, Excellence, Diversity, Responsibility, and Entrepreneurial Spirit.

https://www.qatar.exed.hec.edu/

Job Description

The Head of Support Services is responsible for ensuring the effective, efficient, and consistent delivery of administrative support across the organization. The role leads the support team, optimizes workload and processes, and drives simplification, automation, quality, and timely service delivery. As the organization’s key operational systems champion, the role also ensures that business support systems are effectively used and continuously improved.

Administrative Support & Service Delivery

• Oversee administrative support function in Shared Services, including back-office program delivery and support to other departments
• Structure, prioritize, and allocate workload across the administrative team to ensure timely and effective support.
• Ensure high standards of accuracy, quality, and consistency, with appropriate quality controls in place.
• Monitor service delivery and turnaround times, identifying recurring issues, bottlenecks, and opportunities for improvement.
• Act as the escalation point for sensitive, complex, or non-standard administrative matters.
• Maintain a strong internal service mindset while ensuring appropriate process discipline and controls.
• Take a hands-on approach, stepping in to support critical administrative activities when required.Process, Systems & Operational Excellence

• Review and continuously improve administrative processes, simplifying and standardizing workflows, controls, and ways of working.
• Identify opportunities to reduce manual administrative effort, automate repetitive activities, improve turnaround times, and strengthen quality and operational efficiency.
• Ensure processes are clearly documented, understood, and consistently applied across the team.
• Ensure compliance with departmental SLAs and service standards.
• Maintain quality across all aspects of support.Act as the primary business champion for operational systems, developing a strong functional understanding of how they support and interact with business processes.
• Ensure effective and consistent system usage, data quality, and process discipline across the team.
• Troubleshoot administrative and system issues, addressing root causes and coordinating solutions with relevant stakeholders.
• Work closely with counterparts at HEC Paris main campus to anticipate system changes, address issues, and ensure local operational requirements are understood.
• Support system enhancements, testing, implementation, and adoption, while continuously identifying opportunities to improve productivity and ways of working.Team Leadership

• Lead, organize, and develop the administrative team, ensuring clear responsibilities, priorities, and effective ways of working.
• Ensure high standards of service, accuracy, quality, and consistency across administrative activities and system support.
• Strengthen team capabilities through coaching, training, and improved proficiency in systems and productivity tools.
• Foster a culture of initiative, accountability, service orientation, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Operations Management, or a related field.
• 10+ years of relevant experience in administration, business support, shared services, or operations.
• Prior experience in a team leadership or supervisory role preferred.
• Demonstrated experience managing high-volume administrative activities, improving processes, and working with operational/business systems.Skills and Competencies

• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft 365 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, and SharePoint). Familiarity with project management, productivity, and automation tools is an advantage.
• Excellent English communication skills; proficiency in French and/or Arabic is advantageous.
• Strong understanding of administrative operations, workflow design, process improvement, quality controls, and service delivery.
• Strong systems aptitude, with the ability to quickly understand how different business systems work and interact with operational processes.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify root causes, bottlenecks, and practical solutions.
• Excellent organizational, prioritization, and project management skills, with excellent attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple operational demands simultaneously.
• Demonstrated people management experience, with the ability to set priorities, delegate effectively, coach, and build accountability is preferred.
• Excellent stakeholder management, interpersonal, and intercultural communication skills.
• Sound judgment and discretion when handling sensitive, complex, or non-standard matters.Ways of Working

• Hands-on and solution-oriented, willing to step in when operational needs require it.
• Naturally curious about how processes and systems work and how they can be improved.
• Proactive and comfortable challenging ways of working constructively.
• Strong sense of initiative, ownership, and accountability
• Collaborative, pragmatic, adaptable, and comfortable operating in a fast-paced, changing environment.
• Committed to continuous improvement, simplification, and service excellence.
• Willingness to adjust working hours to meet business needs.

Additional Information

Disclaimer

This job description is only a summary of the typical job functions, not an exhaustive or comprehensive list of all possible job responsibilities, tasks, and duties. The responsibilities, tasks, and duties of the jobholder might differ from those outlined in this job description, and other duties, as assigned, may be part of the job.