Associate Dean - School of Counseling

Covista•Remote, REMOTE

13h•$80,337 - $145,077•Remote

About The Position

The Associate Dean, School of Counseling, provides senior academic and administrative leadership for a large, CACREP-accredited counseling program serving thousands of students and a substantial full-time faculty body. This role functions as a key member of the School’s leadership team and requires flexibility, independent decision-making, creative problem-solving, and a strong commitment to counseling education, accreditation, assessment, accountability, and student success within an online learning environment. The Associate Dean will assume day-to-day operational leadership of the Counseling program and partner closely with the Dean on strategic initiatives, faculty leadership, accreditation efforts, and program growth.

Requirements

PhD in Counselor Education or a closely related counseling field.
Minimum of five (5) years of assessment experience at the degree level of the program.
Demonstrated experience in academic administration and people management, including supervising faculty and/or staff.
Demonstrated knowledge of accreditation and accountability processes, with strong preference for deep, applied CACREP experience.

Nice To Haves

License or license-eligibility as required for counseling programs; maintenance of licensure and certifications as applicable.
Ongoing engagement with research, professional literature, and scholarly activity.
Record of intellectual and professional contributions to the field of counseling, including experience in professional counseling practice.
Commitment to student learning and development in a distance-learning environment serving adult and professional learners.
Proven experience in teaching, advising, mentoring, faculty/staff supervision, evaluation, and development.
Knowledge of specialized accreditation in counseling and experience with online or distance education preferred.
Evidence of alignment with Walden University’s mission of positive social change, broad access, professional excellence, quality, integrity, and student-centeredness.
Strong people leadership and decision-making skills within complex academic environments
Ability to manage a large faculty group with diverse experience levels and viewpoints
Professional, approachable, and resilient leadership style
Excellent communication, collaboration, and organizational skills
Comfort operating independently while partnering effectively with senior leadership

Responsibilities

Maintain the quality, integrity, and continuous improvement of CACREP-accredited counseling programs.
Ensure curriculum alignment with CACREP standards, licensure requirements, and professional counseling competencies.
Provide leadership in accreditation preparation, reporting, and ongoing compliance activities.
Provide direct supervision and leadership to multiple faculty administrators.
Coordinate faculty recruitment, onboarding, development, mentoring, evaluation, and retention.
Foster a positive, professional, and collaborative culture across a large and diverse faculty group.
Organize and support specialization coordinators and program leadership teams.
Support assessment of student learning outcomes, academic program effectiveness, and continuous improvement initiatives.
Partner with advising and student support teams to address academic concerns while upholding gatekeeping responsibilities and ethical standards in counseling education.
Develop and maintain a strong sense of community among faculty and students in a distance-learning environment.
Participate in School and University committee service.
Engage in the evaluation and assessment of academic programs and student academic performance.
May include responsibility for mentoring, teaching, and supervising student research, dissertations, and doctoral projects.
Perform other duties as assigned.
Comply with all University policies, accreditation standards, and regulatory requirements.