Assistant Dean for Graduate Programs and Strategic Partnerships

Reporting to the Dean, and as a member of the Seaver Leadership Council, the Assistant Dean for Graduate Programs and Strategic Partnerships is responsible to provide leadership, direction, effective planning, implementation, and oversight of all areas of graduate programs administration and strategic partnerships for the college.

Position Specific Responsibilities/Accountabilities

• Oversee all aspects of graduate and certificate programs in the college, including outreach, recruitment, admissions, enrollment, scholarships, marketing, budget, resource allocation, and graduate student support programs.
• Lead strategic planning and analysis of recruitment, admissions, marketing, and enrollment data. Identify opportunities for recruitment growth and new avenues to recruit prospective applicants.
• Lead recruitment planning for the graduate programs to meet enrollment goals and objectives. Coordinate recruitment, marketing & financial aid efforts to ensure alignment with school leadership objectives. Utilize historical data & industry knowledge to form a strategic marketing & enrollment plan unique to each graduate program.
• Develop and maintain knowledge of the competitive environment for science and engineering professional graduate programs, the pool of prospective students for these programs, and Seaver’s competitors among peer colleges; maintain awareness of their program requirements, offerings, and key deadlines.
• Ensure application processing and new student registration tasks are promptly and effectively executed. Collaborate with counterparts in Enrollment Management to ensure alignment between Seaver and LMU in student communication and a seamless admission process for prospective students.
• Provide final decision on all Seaver College graduate program admission applications.
• Provide oversight for the graduate student experience and success, including programming and academic support.
• Provide final decision on all current graduate student petitions and degree audits.
• Expand and strengthen external corporate partnerships to promote graduate and certificate programs and explore new ways to extend beyond Seaver’s current reach.
• Strategize and execute on deploying Seaver’s scholarship offerings to yield and retain students in graduate programs.
• Provide timely updates, data and projections related to enrollment, retention and program completion to Seaver College leadership including the Dean, the Seaver Leadership Council, and all relevant Seaver and LMU stakeholders.
• Partner with department chairs and the budget team in setting graduate enrollment goals, understand enrollment needs and revenue targets.
• Represent Seaver College on university admissions-related committees as appropriate.

Management

• Supervise direct reports; oversee hiring, evaluation, and professional development for direct reports and provide oversight of these processes for their teams.
• Determine the distribution of responsibilities and support between unit staff and ensure that cross-program responsibilities are understood and undertaken equitably.
• Oversee recruitment budgets and allocate funds strategically to meet operational and enrollment objectives.
• Lead and actively participate in the planning and executing recruitment & welcome events.

Strategic Partnerships

• Oversee all aspects of strategic partnerships for the college, including with industries, organizations, communities, and universities.
• Develop and implement sustainable infrastructure to increase partnerships in support of Seaver College goals and initiatives at both the graduate and undergraduate levels.
• Identify local and global mutually beneficial partnership opportunities.
• Cultivate long-term relationships with industry and community partners. Build rapport to promote active engagement with Seaver College’s initiatives and programming. Maintain an active database of contacts.
• In collaboration with LMU Career and Professional Development, engage strategic partners to deepen and expand professional experience and career opportunities for students.
• Prepare periodic reports for external constituents. Effectively communicate Seaver College’s strategic goals and initiatives. Stay abreast of the higher education landscape and relevant industry landscapes.
• Perform other duties as assigned or requested.

Loyola Marymount University Expectations

Exhibit behavior that supports the mission, vision, and values of the university. Communicate and employ interpersonal actions that model high standards of professional, responsible, accountable, and ethical conduct. Demonstrate a commitment to outstanding customer service.

Requisite Qualifications

• Typically, a master’s degree or higher, preferably in areas of STEM, Higher Education or related field.
• Incumbent will be expected to continue upgrading knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to keep abreast of regulation/policy changes.
• Five years of graduate program management and leadership experience in progressively responsible positions.
• Demonstrated knowledge evidenced by direct experience in the areas of graduate recruitment, budget planning, management and reporting, and strategic planning.
• Highly developed organizational and leadership skills including initiative, judgment, and creativity required to lead and collaborate with a multi-disciplinary team.
• Track record of success through influence and diplomacy.
• Exemplary communication skills (both written and oral) evidenced by background in presenting to various stakeholders, preparing comprehensive reports and executive summaries.
• Demonstrated strong technology competency including relevant systems used in graduate admissions and recruitment.

Application review will begin on April 15. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Please contact NaKesha.Mayfield@lmu.edu with any questions regarding the position

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of personnel so classified.