Dean of the Business School

The Dean of the Business School provides visionary, strategic, and operational leadership to advance the school’s distinctive role.

Academic Leadership

• Continue the growth trajectory of enrollment.
• Oversee curriculum development, academic program review, and the accreditation process.
• Recruit, evaluate, and support faculty in teaching, research, outreach, and professional development.
• Promote scholarly excellence by leveraging interdisciplinary collaboration within and beyond WPI.
• Foster a culture of student professionalism, innovation, and success.
• Provide leadership and oversight for faculty development, resource allocation, and program quality.
• Champion recruitment, retention, advancement, and well-being to foster a strong, inclusive academic community.
• Strengthen and expand the school’s research enterprise.

Administrative Management

• Provide strategic and operational oversight of the school, including substantial budgetary responsibility, resource planning, and external representation.
• Develop and manage the budget, resources, and staffing for the Business School. The Dean will manage a budget of over $7M and provide leadership for the Dean’s Office, comprising four direct reports:
  • Department Head
  • Assistant Dean, Business Programs
  • Assistant to the Dean
  • Operations Manager
• Lead strategic planning initiatives aligned with institutional goals.
• Ensure compliance with university policies and relevant external regulations.
• Ensure decision-making processes reflect fairness, transparency, and ethical stewardship of resources.

Student Success & Engagement

• Support student recruitment, retention, advising, and graduation initiatives.
• Foster supportive learning environments and co-curricular programming.
• Address student concerns and uphold academic integrity standards while modeling the professionalism expected of a polytechnic business school.
• Advance interdisciplinary teaching and scholarship that prepares graduates to address complex global challenges, particularly at the intersection of business, technology, analytics, and societal impact.
• Champion academic program innovation by working collaboratively with faculty to develop new and responsive programs.
• Advance the school’s role in WPI’s distinctive project-based learning model.

External Relations & Advancement

• Build and sustain strategic partnerships with industry leaders, international institutions, alumni, and community organizations to enhance research opportunities, enrich student experiences, and elevate the school’s national and global profile.
• Lead fundraising efforts and secure external grants and sponsorships.
• Represent the school in university-wide committees and public forums.

University-Wide Leadership

• Serve as an engaged member of the Provost’s Council and the President’s leadership team, contributing to university-wide initiatives while advocating for the school’s mission and strategic priorities.

Minimum Qualifications

• A doctoral degree from an accredited institution in a relevant field, with a record of scholarship and academic leadership appropriate for appointment as a tenured professor at Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
• A minimum of five years of leadership and administrative experience, including experience in higher education.
• Proven experience in strategic planning, change management, team building, and budget management, including oversight of complex financial and human resources.
• Effective leadership and team building across various constituent groups, with the ability to inspire and motivate faculty, staff, and students toward shared goals.
• Demonstrated success in teaching, research, and service, or equivalent experience in a complex organization.
• An understanding of and commitment to the evolving nature of a new R1 university.
• A track record of successful donor stewardship and fundraising.
• The ability to attract and retain talented faculty, staff, students, donors, and partners.
• Demonstrated financial acumen and experience managing large budgets and resource allocation.
• Demonstrated commitment to the highest standards of integrity, ethical conduct, and professional responsibility in all leadership, academic, and administrative activities.
• Strategic thinking and long-term planning capabilities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively with diverse internal and external communities, and a professional presence appropriate for senior institutional leadership.
• A willingness to engage with all members of the WPI community, including maintaining a strong presence on campus for school and university-wide programs and events.
• An innovation-oriented mindset, with the ability to take thoughtful, calculated risks, coupled with an unwavering commitment to the highest standards of personal and professional integrity.
• Data-informed decision-making and problem-solving skills.
• Demonstrated engagement with the business community, providing practical insight into contemporary market dynamics, organizational challenges, and workforce needs.
• Ability to navigate complex organizational structures and drive institutional change.
• Ability to build partnerships across academic, industry, and community sectors.
• A record of promoting ethical decision-making and professional conduct within complex academic or organizational environments.