Are you passionate about international higher education and familiar with Colombia’s higher education landscape? Kühne Logistics University (KLU), an AACSB-accredited, research-based not-for-profit management university and leading business school headquartered in Hamburg, Germany, is seeking a Founding Campus Director for the Americas to lead the establishment of its planned branch campus in Bogotá, Colombia.
In this role, you will build and lead KLU’s local operations, partnerships, and business development, positioning the university as a leading provider of management education in logistics and supply chain management across Latin America.
Founded in 2010, Kühne Logistics University is a private, internationally accredited and highly ranked business school in Hamburg, Germany, specializing in logistics and supply chain management. Following the successful launch of our Asia campus in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, we are exploring the establishment of a second international branch campus in Bogotá, Colombia.
Through this international expansion, KLU aims to advance regional skills development and knowledge transfer in logistics, operations, and supply chain management. Our programs embed KLU’s distinctive “operations mindset,” emphasizing resilience, data-driven analysis, and action-oriented decision-making. As a boutique university, KLU offers academic excellence, strong industry connections, and an outstanding learning environment, preparing future leaders for the challenges of global supply chains.
KLU is a member of CLADEA (Consejo Latinoamericano de Escuelas de Administración) and maintains a long-standing partnership with Universidad de los Andes.
Your Responsibilities
In this position, you will drive KLU’s business development in Latin America and lead the establishment of a branch campus in Colombia from the ground up. The role requires a strong understanding of Colombia’s higher education landscape, excellent relationship-building skills in intercultural contexts, and proven expertise in project, process, and stakeholder management. You will bring an entrepreneurial mindset, strong business development capabilities, and a commitment to creating impactful educational experiences for students and corporate partners across the region.
You will report directly to KLU’s President and work closely with the Extended Executive Board, including Managing Directors, Deans, and Directors, as well as the International Development Team at KLU’s Hamburg headquarters to establish and develop local operations in Colombia.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead the establishment of KLU’s Bogotá branch campus, assuming full operational responsibility for building and launching the campus from the ground up.
- Recruit, onboard, and manage a local administrative team (approx. 5 staff), fostering effective collaboration with academic and administrative units at both KLU Headquarters and the local partner university.
- Develop and strengthen KLU’s brand presence in Colombia and Latin America, designing marketing and communication initiatives to support student recruitment and executive education programs.
- Develop and manage project budgets, including multi-year financial planning, cash flow management, and regular financial reporting to ensure transparency and alignment with KLU Headquarters.
- Define organizational structures, governance models, and reporting lines in coordination with KLU Headquarters to ensure efficient and compliant local operations.
- Oversee infrastructure planning and campus setup, including site selection, facility planning, potential renovations, and procurement of equipment and services.
- Develop and implement a strategic roadmap for KLU’s expansion in Latin America, including academic programs, research collaborations, executive education, and outreach initiatives.
- Lead the legal establishment of KLU’s subsidiary in Colombia and ensure compliance with local higher education, corporate, labor, and tax regulations in coordination with legal advisors and KLU Headquarters.
- Build and maintain strong strategic partnerships with universities, corporate partners in the logistics and supply chain sector, and relevant public authorities.
- Work closely with KLU’s leadership in Hamburg to define, monitor, and achieve development objectives while ensuring alignment with KLU’s global strategy.
Your qualifications
- An Operations Mindset: A proactive, pragmatic approach to initiating and managing projects and processes, with the ability to navigate ambiguity and solve complex challenges.
- Experience in Higher Education: Significant professional experience in Colombia’s higher education sector and a strong personal commitment to learning and development. Experience with joint degree programs, program registration, or accreditation processes is a plus.
- Business Development Expertise: Experience in business development, brand building, communications, and marketing.
- Relevant Professional Experience: At least 10 years of professional experience and a degree in business administration, management, logistics and supply chain management, finance, analytics, accounting, law, higher education studies, or a related field.
- Strong Interpersonal & Intercultural Skills: The ability to engage and collaborate with diverse international stakeholders, including academic partners, students, faculty, industry leaders, NGOs, and government representatives.
- Project & Process Management Skills: Proven experience managing complex projects and prioritizing effectively in dynamic environments; experience in start-up or growth contexts is an advantage.
- Global Mindset & Mobility: Willingness to travel regularly within Latin America and to Germany to strengthen partnerships and collaboration.
- Language Skills: Excellent written and spoken English and Spanish.
- Work Authorization: Valid Colombian work permit.
We offer
- International Environment: Join a diverse, multicultural team within a vibrant global academic ecosystem.
- Flexible Work Culture: Benefit from a flexible work model combining on-site work in Bogotá, travel, and remote options.
- Professional Development: Access continuous learning and development opportunities to support your professional growth.
We value diversity
We value diversity and therefore welcome all applications regardless of gender, nationality, ethnic and social origin, religion and ideology, disability, age, sexual orientation and identity.
Contact
Please submit your cover letter, CV, references, annual gross salary expectations, and earliest start date to klu-jobs@m.personio.de or click the “Apply” button. For questions, contact Manon Lacanal, Project Manager via manon.lacanal(at)klu.org.
Applications are open until April 15. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to the first round of online interviews in late April and early May 2026.
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About us
Kühne Logistics University–Wissenschaftliche Hochschule für Logistik und Unternehmensführung is a private university founded in 2010 and located in Hamburg's HafenCity. KLU is a state-recognized university with the right to grant PhDs. With its AACSB accreditation, it ranks among the top 5% of business schools and management universities worldwide, with a dedicated focus on logistics, operations, and supply chain management. Following an internationalization strategy, we are now opening a campus in Vietnam and plan for two further campuses in Africa and the Americas.
We instill KLU's signature operations mindset in all our students, drawing on the strengths and key characteristics of logistics, including resilience, data-driven and action-oriented decision-making. As a boutique university, KLU offers its students and doctoral candidates a high degree of specialization and excellent study conditions. Further education programs for specialists and managers are offered in the form of seminars and summer schools by KLU Executive Education.
