The Associate Dean and Program Director in WGU’s School of Business is a respected academic leader and subject matter expert, dedicated to student success outcomes. Working closely with school and university leadership, cross-functional departments, and WGU’s broader community, this leader is responsible for the holistic success of programs, including program outcomes, relevance, and quality for continuous improvement.

Success in this role is measured by the ability to strategically plan, build, deliver, scale, and improve programs that provide pathways to opportunities for diverse student populations. The Associate Dean and Program Director reports to the Vice President and Dean of Business Programs.

Core responsibilities include:

• Student Success & Community of Care: Ensuring exceptional student success outcomes through leveraging WGU’s community of care while offering world-class courses and high-quality learning experiences
• Program Growth & Innovation: Expanding and developing both existing and new, market-relevant, competency-based programs that meet evolving industry needs.
• Strategic Partnerships & Go-to-Market Strategy: Building and implementing industry partnerships and go-to-market strategies that attract both students and employer partners.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities

• P&L Ownership & Growth: Manages P&L with a focus on achieving contribution margins and driving student growth. Makes smart financial decisions that protect student tuition dollars and produce high factored graduation returns.
• Program Design, Management & Marketing: Leads the design, launch, and marketing of new and revised business programs. Leverages data-driven insights to ensure programs are in high demand and aligned with industry needs, while continuously improving portfolio performance.
• Data-Driven Improvement & Execution: Cultivates a culture of continuous experimentation, measurement, and learning from data to enhance program quality and delivery. Maintains a strong focus on execution, diving deep into details and operating with a fast-paced weekly cadence to meet objectives.
• Leadership by Influence, Collaboration & Team Building: Leverages influence, rather than title, to guide cross-functional and cross-organizational teams toward shared goals. Fosters collaboration across WGU’s shared service teams with a shared sense of purpose and belonging. Encourages open dialogue and promotes organizational learning through curiosity, experimentation, and learning from both successes and failures.
• Strategic Problem Solving & Risk Management: Confidently navigates uncertainty and change, making informed decisions based on available data and insights. Approaches challenges with a clear plan, adapting strategies as needed to resolve complex issues and drive successful outcomes.
• Results-Oriented Mindset: Demonstrates a focus on outcomes, achieving objectives despite challenges, and encouraging a continuous improvement mindset across teams.
• Storytelling & Presentation: Communicates ideas in a clear, concise, and captivating way to diverse audiences. Utilizes storytelling to engage, inform, and inspire, adapting presentations to resonate with multiple stakeholders.
• Industry and Higher Education Thought Leadership: Serves as a thought leader in higher education and industry. Connects with business leaders to ensure WGU’s programs align with current and future industry needs, driving meaningful collaborations that shape curriculum and program design. Focuses on equipping students with skills that not only match industry demands but also empower them to drive business innovation and success.
• Additional Responsibilities: Performs other related duties as assigned to support the success of the program and the organization.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Student-Centered Innovation: Deep understanding of how students learn, leveraging innovative curriculum and support strategies to drive student success and enhance employability.
• Student Obsession: Demonstrates a relentless focus on delivering successful outcomes for students by aligning educational offerings with their needs and fostering employer partnerships that ensure graduates are prepared for real-world demands.
• Industry and Academic Leadership: Recognized leader in the discipline, with deep insight into industry trends, job market opportunities, and the evolving education landscape.
• Strategic Influence & Representation: Acts as a credible voice of the department in external partnerships, presentations, and thought leadership opportunities.
• Community of Care & Collaboration: Brings together WGU’s community of care and best practices, fostering cross-functional collaboration to support student success. Expertly coordinates activities across teams to ensure alignment and results.
• Matrixed Organization Navigation: Works effectively in highly matrixed environments, building strong relationships and influencing at all levels.
• Change Agent & Innovation: Embraces and drives change in fast-paced environments, continuously seeking opportunities for innovation. Analyzes data to identify trends and drive decision-making, ensuring continuous improvement.
• Sound Judgment & Decision-Making: Demonstrates strong judgment in complex situations, making informed decisions that balance short-term and long-term goals.
• Strong Communication Skills: Communicates clearly and persuasively, both in writing and speaking, to effectively engage stakeholders at all levels.
• Executive Presence: Exhibits executive presence and sound judgment when presenting to senior leadership, demonstrating a confident and professional demeanor.
• Adaptability: Thrives in environments with rapidly changing priorities and deliverables, staying agile while maintaining focus on results.

Job Qualifications

• Minimum Qualifications:
  • Master’s degree in a relevant field from an accredited institution.
  • Five years in a similar design and product ownership role, demonstrating expertise in marketing, continuous improvement, and thought leadership. Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and scale initiatives.
• Preferred Qualifications:
  • Terminal degree in a relevant field from an accredited institution.
  • Experience in higher education, particularly in online education programs or in rapidly evolving organizations/programs.
  • Expertise in developing curriculum and/or high-stakes assessments.
  • Proven success in leading change management efforts and bringing structure to complex, dynamic situations.