Associate Dean for Entrepreneurial Programs

University of Pennsylvania•Williamsburg, VA

4d•$132,275 - $238,000•Onsite

About The Position

The University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School seeks a senior-level entrepreneurial leader to extend the reach of its legal education to professionals, organizations, and learners beyond the traditional JD pipeline. The Associate Dean will serve as the school’s primary strategic and operational leader for educational innovation and growth, building on an existing portfolio that includes the Master in Law (ML) degree, continuing legal education, online courses, a pre-college summer academy, executive education, and customized programs. The position will expand the portfolio’s reach, reputation, and revenue while identifying and developing new offerings. Reporting to the Deputy Dean for Academic Affairs and Innovation, and engaging regularly with the Dean, the Associate Dean will advise school leadership on innovation, revenue diversification, and new directions in legal education. The role leads the Master in Law and Legal Education Programs teams and collaborates with faculty, administrative colleagues, and partners across the University. The JD program and existing graduate degrees for lawyers (LLM, LLCM, and SJD) are outside the portfolio, though collaboration on new formats is anticipated. Initial priorities include market assessment, organizational capacity, partnerships, and near-term revenue growth. The role will develop a multi-year strategy for the ML and non-degree portfolio; identify domestic and international markets; create premium offerings for individuals, employer groups, and organizations; and use University resources to scale program design and delivery. In collaboration with the Chief Financial Officer, the Associate Dean will set and achieve financial targets, with year-over-year program net revenue growth as the primary measure of success. The position will validate demand and establish pricing and enrollment thresholds before launching programs, while monitoring performance and working with Business Affairs on planning, reporting, and resource allocation. The Associate Dean will cultivate external partnerships, represent Penn Carey Law’s professional education mission, coordinate partnership strategy within the school, and pursue joint offerings with other Penn schools. The role will refine the ML program’s positioning and delivery options; develop the online course catalog and lead its platform strategy; grow the pre-college academy and continuing legal education; and rebuild executive and customized education as a major focus. It will also identify unmet needs and create new offerings such as micro-credentials, employer-facing products, and short-format global programs, including an early flagship focus on artificial intelligence and the changing legal profession. This is a start-up role supported by school leadership. The Associate Dean will lead and develop a small, long-tenured team, supervise the Legal Education Programs staff and the Assistant Dean of the Master in Law program, and conduct a first-year organizational assessment to establish team structure, goals, benchmarks, and operating infrastructure.

Requirements

Demonstrated track record of building or scaling revenue-generating programs, products, or business lines, with direct accountability for growth outcomes.
Proven business development capability, from market research and pricing through closing.
Ability to operate within a university or similarly complex, consensus-driven institution, with political acumen, patience in navigating processes, and the ability to maintain momentum.
Strong people leadership and emotional intelligence, including experience managing seasoned professionals and leading established teams into new work.
Credibility to engage world-class faculty as a collaborator and thought partner, with genuine respect for academic rigor and the value of legal education.
Ability to represent the school externally with firms, corporations, and peer institutions.
Advanced degree.

Nice To Haves

JD, MBA, or equivalent degree is strongly preferred.
Experience in digital and online learning, including platform economics and enrollment marketing.
Existing networks in corporate learning, executive education, or professional services markets.
Global program experience.
Familiarity with the legal industry through professional development leadership, business development in a law firm or in-house legal department, or prior work in legal education.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute a multi-year growth strategy for the ML and non-degree program portfolio, scaling existing programs and creating new program categories.
Identify and pursue domestic and international markets for legal and law-adjacent education, including regulated industries, technology, healthcare, financial services, and government.
Develop tiered premium offerings for individual professionals, employer groups, and single organizations.
Use Penn’s cross-university resources and shared infrastructure to improve the scale and efficiency of program design and delivery.
Set and achieve financial targets in collaboration with the Chief Financial Officer, with year-over-year program net revenue growth as the primary success measure.
Validate demand before committing resources and apply pricing floors and minimum enrollment thresholds to new launches.
Develop and monitor program performance metrics and work with Business Affairs on planning, reporting, and resource allocation.
Cultivate relationships with corporations, law firms, healthcare systems, government agencies, and professional associations in the U.S. and abroad, engaging decision-makers in program development.
Represent Penn Carey Law externally as a spokesperson and advocate for its professional education mission.
Coordinate external partnership strategy across the school and pursue joint offerings with Penn’s Wharton School, School of Engineering and Applied Science, Perelman School of Medicine, and other sister schools where appropriate.
Sharpen the ML program’s strategy, market positioning, pricing, and potential online or hybrid delivery.
Build on the online course catalog and lead platform strategy, including a migration already underway.
Grow the pre-college summer academy and public-facing continuing legal education channel.
Rebuild executive education and customized programs as a major area of focus.
Identify unmet market needs and develop new offerings, including micro-credentials, employer-facing products, and short-format global programs.
Translate faculty scholarship into market-relevant programs and provide high-touch support that reduces administrative burden on faculty.
Develop programming on artificial intelligence and the changing legal profession as an early flagship focus.
Lead, develop, and build confidence within a small, long-tenured team; directly supervise the Legal Education Programs staff and the Assistant Dean of the Master in Law program.
Conduct a first-year organizational assessment and establish team structure, goals, benchmarks, and operating infrastructure.
Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

Comprehensive medical, prescription, behavioral health, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits.
Flexible spending accounts for eligible healthcare and dependent care expenses.
Tuition assistance for the employee, spouse, and dependent children at Penn; dependent children may also receive assistance at other institutions.
Basic, matching, and supplemental retirement plans, with pre-tax or Roth savings options and investment options through TIAA and Vanguard.
Substantial time away from work during the year.
Long-term care insurance options for employees, eligible family members, and staff.
Wellness and work-life programs and resources.
Professional and personal development resources.
Access to University resources, including libraries, athletic facilities, cultural activities, and recreational activities.
Discounts and special services, including arts and entertainment, transportation, and other goods and services.
Flexible work options and hours.
Forgivable home-ownership loan for eligible employees buying a home or currently residing in West Philadelphia, usable for closing costs or home improvements.
Adoption assistance reimbursement for eligible expenses, for up to two adoptions in a household.