Career Opportunities at Widener

Widener University is seeking a Dean of Graduate and Online Strategy.  Reporting to the Vice Provost, the Dean of Graduate and Online Strategy provides institutional leadership in the areas of graduate, adult and online education, including policy, enrollment management, admissions, and student services.  This role will be responsible for leading efforts to grow enrollment and foster a distinctive student experience for graduate, adult and online learners through degree and non-degree programs.

Duties and Responsibilities (include but not limited to):

Program and Policy Development

• Direct the development, implementation, assessment and continuing improvement of curriculum for degree and non-degree programs for adult learners.
• Develop initiatives to ensure instructional effectiveness, student success and satisfaction, positive enrollment patterns, and program completion.
• Responsible for the creation of initiatives that complement the academic experience.  Works closely with faculty and departments in developing, implementing and evaluating methods and techniques to help ensure students' success in their program.  Works with faculty and student services offices throughout the University to develop workshops and conferences to meet this goal. 
• Ensure a high quality infrastructure for online education consistent with innovative practices and changing technology for faculty training, course/program delivery, and student support.
• Develop creative strategies to provide appropriate and equivalent support services to those students who complete a majority of course and program requirements remotely.
• Provide leadership to develop and revise policies and standards that support a rigorous and distinctive student experience, including policies related to admissions, retention and persistence. Approve exceptions to policies where appropriate.
• Direct the implementation of the graduate assistantship program.

Enrollment Management

• Create and direct strategic enrollment management planning for graduate, adult and online education and individual programs across the institution. 
• Determine optimal goals for online education and increase revenue and enrollment accordingly.
• In conjunction with college and school deans, develop all graduate and online budget projections and monitor progress to projected goals.
• Manage the recruitment of prospective students to non-degree, degree, certificate and certification programs, including marketing, annual goal setting, events and special targeted initiatives.  Develop an innovative marketing strategy to meet recruitment goals, including development of publications and effective utilization of web site.
• Responsible for ensuring a diverse, well-qualified pool of applicants.
• Direct admission and operations activities to develop new initiatives to increase enrollments. 
• Direct staff plan to increase enrollment of new and continuing students, including increasing student yield of admitted students to enrolled students, conversion of non-degree to degree students and of conversion of incomplete to complete applicants.  Ensure that a maximum yield of admitted students is achieved.
• Manage efforts to increase student retention and persistence to degree, including the development of non-academic support and improvement programs.  Responsible for staff providing general advisement to new and continuing students and struggling students regarding campus resources, school/life balance and campus services.

  Leadership

• Direct the operations of the School, which provides academic and administrative support services to programs and faculty.
• Provide leadership to the staff and adjunct faculty of the School.
• Provide leadership in the hiring of faculty, instructional support staff, and other staff for the School.
• Manage the development and evaluation of adjunct faculty for adult learning programs.
• Direct the development and execution of the unit’s assessment plan to determine the effectiveness of existing efforts, the need for new initiatives, and evaluate outcomes.  Such initiatives include: student surveys, focus groups, and review of existing research.  Provide comprehensive statistical analysis for such evaluations and provide recommendations to Vice Provost.
• Serves as a liaison to college/school deans, graduate and online program directors, and other academic and student affairs officers.
• Pursue and promote active and mutually beneficial collaborations with stakeholders and constituents in the community, including regional businesses, local and state governments, and nonprofit organizations.
• Manage and direct the activities, budget and staff of the School.
• Chair Graduate Program Directors’ Group Meetings.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS (education/training and experience required):

Required

• Doctoral degree and minimum of 10 years of progressive leadership and managerial experience in higher education in areas relevant to graduate, adult and online education.
• Understanding of the competitive and changing landscape in graduate, adult and online education and strategic enrollment management.
• Demonstrated experience analyzing trends and developing a strategic enrollment management plan; and expertise in the use of technology to support strategic initiatives; and the ability to handle and generate statistical data. 
• Ability to effectively communicate with a wide range of individuals in a diverse university community. Must be able to build relationships across campus with faculty, staff and students.
• Outstanding leadership skills to manage change and help focus University agenda on growth of graduate, adult and online programs.
• Experience directing a diverse instructional program involving a group of academic subject areas. Demonstrated ability to work effectively with faculty in various disciplines to collaboratively manage distance and online education
• Understanding of the competitive and changing landscape in adult education and enrollment management. In-depth understanding of online learning pedagogy, technology, best practices, and experience with Canvas and/or other online course management systems.
• Ability to manage budgets and effectively supervise and support a diverse staff.
• Knowledge of CRM systems and best practices in admissions and enrollment management.
• Preference will be given to applicants who have experience working in both undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as experience and understanding of innovative and quality delivery methods that include online, in person and off site.
• Clear ability to lead teams and collaborative groups and work independently with cross-unit, inter-institutional entities to move initiatives forward.
• Prior experience leading and managing academic and staff personnel, and with experiences in shared governance and decision-making.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS AND/OR UNUSUAL HOURS: 

• Occasionally standing, walking, or climbing stairs.  Ability to be mobile between workstations, various campus buildings, and all locations in the buildings. 
• Some night and weekend work

Qualified candidates must submit resume and cover letter for consideration.  Incomplete applications will not be considered. Only those selected to interview will be contacted. 

Widener has a strategic commitment to building an inclusive university community whose diversity enriches the lives of all members and where our students are prepared for living in a pluralistic and ever-changing world. As a leading metropolitan university, Widener strives to embody the values that are inherent in our mission: civic engagement, access, inclusion, academic excellence, innovation and leadership.

Widener University, an independent, metropolitan, doctoral-intensive university, connects curricula to social issues through civic engagement. Dynamic teaching, active scholarship, personal attention and experiential learning are key components of the Widener Experience. Located in Chester, PA, Widener's main campus is nestled between Philadelphia, PA and Wilmington, DE, with Law Schools located in both Harrisburg and Wilmington. For more information about the university, please visit our website at www.widener.edu.

EOE M/F/V/D