Assistant Dean, Education

The Assistant Dean SOSBS is a senior academic leader who serves as administrator for the Education Department within the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences. In collaboration with the Dean, this highly cross-functional role is accountable for academic quality, strategic portfolio management, faculty excellence, and learner success. The Assistant Dean must drive a culture of accreditation compliance and accountability. Significant experience with and a strong understanding of accreditation lifecycle processes are critical to this position. The Assistant Dean, in collaboration with academic leadership and cross-functional partners, builds strong relationships with external stakeholders and remains current on regulatory requirements and changes, licensure, and accreditation. development/continuous learning, service to the profession. The Assistant Dean also participates in university governance and contributes to initiatives that extend across the institution. Leadership - Ability to operate independently (leading, collaborating and executing) in a highly ambiguous, matrixed environment with high interdependencies. Demonstrated experience in P-12 education, preferably as a licensed teacher and remaining current to changes in the profession and meeting expectations of the profession (e.g., service, governance, scholarship, etc.) is required.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Academic Quality, Accreditation, and Compliance 

• In collaboration with program directors, monitor measures of academic quality; identify opportunities for improvement. 
• Provide oversight of the school’s assessment and continuous quality improvement plan, including quarterly action analytics, developing action plans based on data, implementation of plans, and systematic review of improvements following implementation.   
• Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and accreditation/external standards. 
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement and adherence to accreditation standards. 
• Implement robust processes for monitoring compliance with accreditation requirements. 
• Engage program leadership, faculty, and staff in accreditation activities to ensure broad-based accountability. 
• Utilize significant experience in accreditation to guide the institution through the accreditation lifecycle. 
• Oversee accreditation and external approval efforts, including resource allocation, report generation, and site visit management. 
• Ensure that all program offerings meet the highest standards of quality and rigor as defined by accrediting bodies. 
• Remain current with professional trends, external landscape, and research. 
• To remain deeply connected to the university’s focus on teaching and mentoring, engage in teaching or mentoring on a quarterly basis. 

• Strategic Portfolio Management & Accreditation 
  • Partner with the dean, program directors, and Portfolio Strategy team to ensure programs align with overall university strategy, professional trends, and accreditation/external standards. 
  • Accountability and responsibility for the development of strategic partnerships and relationships to support regulatory and accreditation goals and expectations, initiatives, and growth.  
  • In collaboration with the dean, program directors, and Portfolio Strategy, develop and implement a strategic and operational plan that meets organizational goals, market demand, instructional cost targets, and outcome success measures. 
  • Serve as a representative of the school to external partners, employers, professional organizations, and academic audiences at the direction of the dean. 

• Operational Management 
  • In collaboration with the dean, develop the school’s annual operating plan (AOP) in alignment with key financial targets. 
  • Provide oversight of resource allocation to ensure effective cost management, equity (i.e., fairness in distribution of work), and compliance (e.g., regulatory, accreditation, credentialing).  
  • Provide leadership for school governance and operations, ensuring processes that allow for faculty governance as required by accreditors/external standards. 
  • Manage and provide direction to the curriculum definition and course development processes, including quarterly intake, SME assignment, external validation, project plan monitoring, and school collaboration with Program Operations and Course Development. 
  • Engage in regular collaboration with key internal stakeholders, including Academic Affairs, Faculty Affairs, Learner Complaints and Resolutions, Enrollment Services, Academic Advising, etc., to support effectiveness and efficiency in school operations. 
  • Provide oversight to operational processes supporting the school’s optimal functioning; identify and implement efficiencies whenever possible. 

• Talent Management 
  • In partnership with the dean, program directors, Faculty Affairs, and Human Resources, create and implement a faculty staffing plan that supports academic quality, resource/financial goals, and accreditation/external standards. 
  • Act as a catalyst to get things done, focused not just on thought partnership but on getting the right things done and executing both independently and with others. Focus the team on what matters most, consistently delivering, and helping to remove barriers. 
  • Recruit, lead, manage, and develop program leaders, including program directors and faculty serving in leadership roles. Delegate, provide autonomy, and motivate. 
  • Ensure program leaders are held accountable for engaging and empowering their teams in ways that encourage and appropriately empower positive outcomes. Fosters teamwork and a strong sense of belonging and support. 
  • Set performance standards and goals for program directors, review performance results, and provide timely and meaningful feedback and coaching to measurably improve performance and outcomes. Models learning by regularly asking for and acting on feedback. 
  • Promote professional development across the school, creating opportunities for leaders to grow and develop. 
  • Identify leadership potential across the school; create opportunities for leadership development. 
  • Contribute to employee engagement initiatives, recognizing organizational health as a key factor in long-term success.  
  • Consistently demonstrate superior leadership practices that create community, foster success, and promote organizational effectiveness. 

Job Skills:

•  Integration of program, academic and regulatory considerations with business strategies and plans. 
• Manage multiple academic and administrative projects. 
• Resolve multi-faceted types of problems encountered involving courses, academic leadership and faculty, regulatory or administrative issues. 
• Openness to change, flexibility; adaptability
• Drive results despite ambiguity. 
• Stress Tolerance —Ability to accept constructive criticism and deal with high stress situations.  

Work Experience:

• Demonstrated experience in P-12 education, preferably as a licensed teacher (3-5 years minimum). 
• A strong understanding of accreditation lifecycle processes. Demonstrate a strong history of successful experience with accreditation compliance and accountability.  
• Prior experience with specialized accreditors (e.g., PELSB, MNBOSA) including authoring a self-study. 
• Minimum of 5 years teaching in higher education, preferably in an institution that primarily provides instruction online. Expertise with competency-based education and direct assessment is preferred. 
• Relevant experience as a scholar-practitioner in a discipline within the school. 
• Evidence of successful, significantly progressive leadership experience, including academic administration in a college or university setting.  
• Distinguished record supporting, developing, and managing academic programs. 
• Experience leading remote teams in a highly matrixed environment. 
• Record of scholarly contributions, including presentations, publications, and/or professional service. 

Education:

• A doctorate in Education is required (preferably P-12).
• All degrees must be conferred from an institution accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education

Other:

• Must be able to travel occasionally should a business need arise. For most roles travel would not be common. Travel may involve plane, car or metro. In accordance with ADA policies, reasonable accommodations regarding travel limitations can be provided. Travel will be more common for roles such as Account Executives (25 - 50%), senior leaders (10 – 20%) or Capella Core Faculty (5 – 10%). 
• Ability to work onsite in Corporate or Campus location (in a typical office environment) may be required based on role. If so, this would include being mobile within the office, including movement from floor-to-floor using elevators or stairs.
• If offsite or hybrid role, must have access to work in setting which enables meeting all requirements of the role (including privacy, reliable internet access, phone, ability to video conference, etc.) at a remote location.
• Roles require access to work in setting which enables meeting all requirements of the role (including computer, privacy, reliable internet access, phone, ability to video conference, etc.) at a remote location.
• This role may require lifting, however reasonable accommodations will be provided in accordance with our ADA policies.
• Must be able to meet critical thinking and problem-solving aspects aligned to job duties, as well as effectively communicating with co-workers.
• Must be able to work more than 40 hours per week when business needs warrant. Accommodations related to schedule may be considered. 
• Able to access information using a computer.
• Other essential functions and marginal job functions are subject to modification.

• SEI is an Equal Opportunity employer committed to a diverse and inclusive community. We welcome applications from all. While it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top end of the pay range at SEI, we offer a competitive salary and benefits package.  The actual base pay offered to the successful candidate may vary depending on multiple factors including, but not limited to, job-related knowledge/skills, experience, business needs, geographical location, and internal pay equity. Our Talent Acquisition Team is ready to discuss your interest in joining SEI. The expected salary range for this position is below.

If you require reasonable accommodations to complete our application process, please contact our Human Resources Department at Careers@strategiced.com.