Assistant/Associate Dean of Post-Graduate Education

University of Pikeville•Pikeville, KY

About The Position

The Assistant/Associate Dean of Postgraduate Education provides strategic leadership for the Kentucky College of Optometry's lifelong learning mission by overseeing educational opportunities that extend beyond graduation and throughout a graduate's professional career. Serving as the Institutional Residency Director, the Assistant Dean provides leadership for residency and fellowship programs, continuing education, postdoctoral training, alumni professional development, and graduate success initiatives. The Assistant Dean works collaboratively with academic, clinical, and administrative leadership to develop innovative educational pathways that prepare graduates for advanced clinical practice, leadership, academia, and lifelong professional growth. The position fosters strong partnerships with residency affiliates, professional organizations, alumni, and University graduate programs while ensuring compliance with accreditation standards and advancing the College's strategic priorities.

Requirements

Doctor of Optometry (OD) degree from an accredited college or school of optometry.
Completion of an accredited optometric residency.
Minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in academic optometry, Veterans Affairs (VA) optometric practice, military optometric practice, or a combination thereof, including demonstrated educational leadership and administrative responsibilities.
Experience in postgraduate education, residency training, continuing education, or academic leadership.
Eligibility for Kentucky licensure.
Excellent communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills.
Commitment to lifelong learning and the mission of KYCO.

Nice To Haves

Experience as a residency director or comparable postgraduate education leader.
Experience supervising faculty, staff, or educational programs.
Knowledge of ACOE residency accreditation standards.
Knowledge of COPE accreditation standards.
Experience with accreditation, assessment, and continuous quality improvement.
Record of scholarly activity and leadership in professional organizations.

Responsibilities

Serve as the Institutional Residency Director for all affiliated residency and fellowship programs.
Maintain ACOE residency accreditation, including self-studies, annual reports, substantive changes, and continuous quality improvement.
Provide leadership and support to residency coordinators across affiliated training sites.
Lead recruitment, onboarding, orientation, assessment, and evaluation of residents.
Develop policies, curricula, assessment processes, and program outcomes.
Identify and develop new residency and fellowship opportunities.
Collaborate with Academic Affairs and Clinical Education to ensure alignment with institutional goals.
Provide strategic leadership for the College's continuing education program.
Develop an annual calendar of COPE-approved educational offerings.
Collaborate with faculty, alumni, professional organizations, and industry partners.
Ensure compliance with COPE standards.
Expand hybrid, virtual, and in-person educational offerings.
Develop certificate programs, fellowships, leadership academies, faculty development initiatives, and advanced clinical training opportunities.
Serve as liaison with the University's MBA and Master of Biomedical Sciences programs to create collaborative educational opportunities.
Develop pathways that prepare future faculty through leadership, research, teaching, business, and administrative training.
Encourage scholarly activity through mentorship, collaborative research, presentations, and publications.
Develop external partnerships and pursue funding opportunities supporting postgraduate education.
Develop board preparation, remediation, mentoring, and graduate support initiatives.
Monitor graduate outcomes and board performance trends.
Promote alumni engagement through continuing education, networking, and leadership opportunities.
Collaborate with Academic Affairs to use graduate outcomes to strengthen the curriculum.
Develop and implement the strategic vision for postgraduate education.
Represent the College through participation in regional, national, and international professional organizations.
Develop partnerships with residency affiliates, healthcare organizations, alumni, and professional societies.
Participate in accreditation, assessment, and strategic planning initiatives.
Develop and manage budgets related to postgraduate education and continuing education.
Serve on College and University committees as assigned.