Associate Dean- Leavitt School of Health

Western Governors University•Salt Lake City, UT

About The Position

The Associate Dean is a senior academic and business leader responsible for the strategic direction, performance, and growth of a portfolio of academic programs. This role owns program-level outcomes across the full value chain, including student performance, academic quality, portfolio growth, workforce alignment, and financial performance. This role serves as the primary decision-makers for undergraduate and graduate programs and are directly accountable for program tuition revenue. This role integrates academic authority with business leadership. Sets strategic direction and drive execution across cross-functional teams to ensure programs are academically rigorous, market-aligned, financially sustainable, and positioned for long-term growth. Represents WGU externally with industry partners, associations, states, accreditors, and media.

Requirements

Deep domain, industry, and academic expertise within assigned discipline.
Proven leadership experience managing complex portfolios or business units.
Strong financial acumen and experience overseeing significant revenue streams.
Demonstrated ability to drive cross-functional execution across a value chain.
Lead in a highly matrixed organization, influencing without sole authority.
Experience improving student performance and academic outcomes at scale.
Strong stakeholder management and executive-level communication skills.
Ability to influence institutional strategy and external partnerships.
Sound judgment and data-informed decision-making capabilities.
Master’s Degree in a related field
Experience in higher education
Experience working with programmatic accreditation and licensing boards.
5 years of relevant experience
Equivalent relevant experience performing the essential functions of this job may substitute for education degree requirements. Generally, equivalent relevant experience is defined as 1 year of experience for 1 year of education and is the discretion of the hiring manager.

Nice To Haves

Doctoral degree
Experience in developing online education programs and/or developing and scaling rapidly changing organizations/programs
Experience in developing curriculum and/or high-stakes assessments
Demonstrated success in change-management, and bringing order and structure to complex situations

Responsibilities

Strategic Portfolio Ownership Serve as the primary owner of 2–6 academic programs across undergraduate and graduate levels. Establish long-term strategic direction for program growth, specialization expansion, and portfolio positioning. Make final decisions on program-level strategy, investments, and execution priorities. Ensure alignment between academic rigor, market demand, and financial sustainability.
Financial & Revenue Accountability Own program-level tuition revenue. Establish enrollment, growth, and contribution targets aligned with university objectives. Oversee budget performance and contribution margins. Balance academic integrity with sustainable financial outcomes. Drive continuous improvement initiatives informed by performance data.
Student Performance & Outcomes Own student performance outcomes including retention, progression, completion, and workforce ROI. Ensure academic and operational strategies are aligned to improve measurable student success.
Academic Direction & Quality Provide academic leadership across assigned programs. Ensure curriculum integrity, workforce alignment, and accreditation compliance. Guide new program development, revisions, and specialization expansion. Maintain high standards of instructional quality and academic credibility.
Execution Leadership Drive coordinated execution across the full program value chain, including academic leadership, program management, marketing, enrollment, student success, and operations. Leads a small group of indirect contributors to deliver high-quality student experiences and program performance.
External Influence & Institutional Impact Represent WGU externally to industry, professional associations, states, accreditors, and media. Cultivate employer and industry partnerships to enhance program relevance and credibility. Serve as a visible thought leader within the discipline.
Organizational Leadership Navigate complexity and ambiguity while maintaining strategic clarity. Contribute to college and university-level planning and decision-making. Perform other duties as assigned.
Strong business acumen.

Benefits

bonuses
medical, dental, vision, telehealth and mental healthcare
health savings account and flexible spending account
basic and voluntary life insurance
disability coverage
accident, critical illness and hospital indemnity supplemental coverages
legal and identity theft coverage
retirement savings plan
wellbeing program
discounted WGU tuition
flexible paid time off for rest and relaxation with no need for accrual, flexible paid sick time with no need for accrual, 11 paid holidays, and other paid leaves, including up to 12 weeks of parental leave