Associate Dean of Continuing Education jobs in the United States

Vanderbilt University School of Engineering (VUSE) is seeking a dynamic and experienced individual to join our leadership team as the Assistant Dean for Online Learning and Continuing Education. The ideal candidate will lead the strategic planning, operation, and growth of our online degree and certificate programs, with an emphasis on recruiting a diverse student body, including international students, and collaborating with faculty to develop and launch innovative new programs. The Assistant Dean for Online Learning and Continuing Education occupies a pivotal role within the VUSE, bridging the gap between academia and the rapidly evolving educational and training demands of the global engineering industry. This position is not only fundamental in driving the school's strategic initiative to expand its online learning footprint but is also crucial in ensuring that our educational offerings remain at the forefront of innovation, accessibility, and real-world relevance. The role demands an individual who can dexterously navigate the complexities of academia and the marketplace, crafting programs that resonate with diverse populations including traditional students, working professionals, and international learners. 

The School of Engineering is internationally recognized for the superior quality of its research and education programs in select fields of engineering. The School includes six major departments, two Institutes and the Division of Engineering Science and Management. Esteemed biomedical engineering Krishnendu "Krish" Roy joined Vanderbilt in the fall of 2023 as the Bruce and Bridgitt Evans Dean of Engineering and University Distinguished Professor. "My goal is to ensure that the Vanderbilt School of Engineering is a diverse, inclusive and equitable place that has a profound impact on the advancement of society and the human condition, locally and globally, and that it trains the most impactful engineering leaders of the future." Dean Roy is leading VUSE into the future focused around a growing research portfolio and expanded educational programs. 

Duties and Responsibilities 

Skillsets Necessary for Successful Outcomes:

Strategic Vision and Leadership: Ability to set clear goals and develop strategic plans that translate into actionable and sustainable program offerings. • Analytical and Market Insight: Expertise in market research and data analytics to guide decision making and pinpoint market needs for specialized engineering education. • Educational Design and Innovation: Strong background in curriculum development and instructional design, especially within an e-learning context, to create engaging and effective online programs. • Collaborative Aptitude: Exceptional skill in fostering relationships, mediating academic priorities, and harnessing the collective expertise of faculty to create interdisciplinary curricula. • Project Management Proficiency: Demonstrated ability to manage complex projects from conception to completion, delivering on time and within budget. • Cultural Competency and Inclusion: Sensitivity to the cultural differences and diverse backgrounds of the global student body, ensuring that programs are inclusive and accessible to an international audience. 

Strategic Planning: • Collaborates with the VUSE leadership and Vanderbilt Office of Learning Innovation (OLI) to develop and implement a comprehensive strategy for the growth and expansion of online and continuing education programs. • With key partners, executes the development of strategic enrollment goals for academic profile, net revenue, retention and student success, diversity, and approaches to student financial assistance, and creates and executes an enrollment plan to achieve those goals. • Evaluate market trends, competitive landscape, and educational needs to inform programmatic decisions. 

Program Leadership and Management: • Oversee the day-to-day operations of online learning initiatives and continuing education programs, ensuring they align with the School’s objectives and standards of excellence. • Foster an environment of innovation that embraces new technologies and pedagogical approaches in online education. • Develop an operational plan that includes staffing, technology infrastructure, support services, and partnership development to ensure the successful launch and sustainability of new programs. • Oversee the launch of new programs, including the coordination of pilot offerings and the gathering of initial feedback for continuous improvement. 

Marketing, Recruitment and Enrollment: • In conjunction with OLI, spearhead VUSE online recruitment efforts to attract a robust and diverse student cohort, including the development of strategies to increase international student enrollment. • Collaborate with the marketing team to enhance the visibility and appeal of online programs to prospective students. Solicit feedback from industry leaders, alumni, and students to stay ahead of market demand and workforce trends. • Stays abreast of current recruitment trends, yield strategies, and general research related to admissions and financial aid. Translates this research into meaningful information for VUSE. • Leverage best practices and data to work with Deans and Graduate Studies to set enrollment goals for online and professional programs and monitor progress. • Actively builds new sources of potential students domestically and internationally and is responsible for increasing applications. • Actively recruits students while also taking full responsibility for overseeing and coordinating recruitment events. • Ensure compliance with relevant regulations, accreditation standards, and accessibility guidelines for distance education. 

Program Development: • Engage with faculty, department chairs, and academic committees to generate ideas for new programs that align with the School's strengths and strategic direction. • Establish a collaborative process with faculty for curriculum development to ensure academic rigor and relevance. • Lead the process of program approval, from proposal to launch, managing timelines and resources effectively. • Oversee the design of curriculum and course content for new programs, ensuring they reflect best practices in online education and adult learning principles. • Ensure that new programs incorporate interdisciplinary approaches where appropriate, leveraging the strengths of multiple departments within the School. • Monitors accreditation standards for higher education and lead the University in creating and implementing sustainable solutions to comply with accreditation. 

Student Experience: • Prioritize the student experience by facilitating high-quality online course delivery, support services, and engagement opportunities. • Champion initiatives that support student success, retention, and satisfaction within online programs. • Develops retention strategies for online degree-seeking students and yield of non- degree seeking to degree-seeking online students. 

Stakeholder Collaboration: • Liaise between faculty, administrators, technical support teams, and external partners to ensure seamless operation of online offerings. • Coordinate training and professional development opportunities for faculty and instructors teaching in new online programs. • Work with academic technology teams to support faculty in the effective use of learning management systems and emerging online teaching tools. • Maintain compliance and accreditation standards for online and continuing education programs. 

Budget and Resource Management: • Coordinate with the finance department to create financial models for new initiatives, including detailed budgeting and pricing strategies. • Oversee the budget and fiscal management for online learning and continuing education, ensuring efficient use of resources. • Secure and manage resources and funding streams to support long-term sustainability and expansion of online initiatives. • Establish evaluation metrics to assess the success of new programs against objectives and make necessary adjustments to curriculum, marketing, or operational strategies. • Develop multiyear revenue and expense projections for use in long-term planning for the School of Engineering. 

Supervisory Relationships: This position does have supervisory responsibility over at least one subordinate direct report. This position reports administratively and functionally to the VUSE Chief Business Officer and the Dean of the School of Engineering. 

Qualifications

• A master’s degree is required. A Ph.D. or terminal degree in a related field (e.g. M.B.A. or Ed.D) is preferred.
• A minimum of seven years of leadership experience in higher education or relevant industry roles (e.g. ed tech), with a significant focus on online learning.
• Proven track record of developing and leading successful engineering and/or online programs.
• Strong understanding of national and international recruitment strategies and best practices. 
• Familiarity with accreditation processes and standards related to online education.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and collaboration skills.
• Demonstrated ability in strategic planning, project management, and change management.
• Critical ability to multi-task, prioritize and execute.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to client service
• Experience planning and managing a wide range of events and activities
• Familiarity with marketing automation tools and/or CRM tools
• Comfort in working directly with executives at all levels and a desire to engage with international cultures
• Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in all aspects of the recruitment process and program development. 

The following cultural competencies are also preferred:

• Awareness of and aptitude to appropriately and effectively understand, respect, and adapt to cultural and identity-based difference within group environments.
• Knowledge of and commitment to concepts and issues tied to social justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Skills related to creating and supporting an environment that allows for inclusion, effective intercultural engagement, and personal humility and authenticity
• Experience fostering and reinforcing an environment that values unique experiences, cultures, backgrounds, and goals