Dean of School of Professional Studies

The Dean of School of Professional Studies provides academic, strategic, and administrative leadership for SPS, which serves adult learners, graduate students, and non-traditional students through accelerated online undergraduate degrees, graduate degrees, and professional certificate programs. The Dean will manage the human, fiscal, and physical resources of SPS; guide program development and innovation; and fulfill a strategic vision to grow and sustain high-quality, flexible, market-responsive education for working adults.

Key Responsibilities

Academic & Program Leadership

• Provide overall leadership for all SPS programs — undergraduate, graduate, and certificate.
• Lead development of new academic and certificate programs in response to market demand and institutional strategy.
• Oversee assessment of courses and programs, ensuring academic quality and continuous improvement.
• Prepare and shepherd proposals for new credit-bearing degree and certificate programs through internal governance and approval processes.

Enrollment, Recruitment & Marketing

• Oversee recruitment, admissions, and retention efforts for SPS students — including adult learners and non-traditional students.
• Develop and lead marketing and communication strategies to raise awareness of SPS and attract prospective students.

Financial & Resource Management

• Manage the annual budget for SPS, including revenue generation (tuition, certificates, grants if applicable) and expenditures, in coordination with senior leadership.
• Oversee all human-resource matters: hiring, supervision, evaluation, development of SPS faculty and staff.
• Manage virtual teaching sites used by SPS.

Strategic Vision & Institutional Advancement

• Develop and implement a strategic plan for SPS growth, program relevance, and long-term sustainability.
• Build and maintain relationships with alumni, donors, and external partners to support program growth and resource development.
• Serve as the SPS representative in college-wide governance, accreditation, and compliance issues.

Student & Faculty Support

• Ensure high-quality support services (academic advising, tutoring, career counseling) to meet the needs of adult and non-traditional learners.
• Promote a supportive and inclusive learning environment that balances academic rigor with flexibility, recognizing the unique challenges of working adult learners.

Other Duties

• Perform other responsibilities as required to advance the mission and success of SPS.

Qualifications

• Doctoral degree (Ph.D., Ed.D., or equivalent) in a related field preferred.
• Significant leadership experience in higher education administration, preferably with adult education, online learning, and non-traditional learner populations.
• Demonstrated success in program development, curriculum design, and launching new academic or certificate offerings.
• Strong budgetary and resource-management skills, including experience with enrollment management, financial planning, and strategic growth.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and interpersonal skills; ability to work with faculty, staff, students, alumni, and external stakeholders.
• Commitment to adult and continuing education, flexibility in scheduling and delivery modes (online, accelerated, hybrid), and understanding adult learners’ needs.
• Experience with accreditation, academic governance, and quality assurance processes preferred.

Desired Characteristics

• Visionary and strategic thinker, able to anticipate labor-market trends and align program offerings accordingly.
• Entrepreneurial mindset — willing to innovate, pilot new certificate/digital-content offerings, and respond to changing educational demands.
• Strong commitment to student success, equity, and accessibility — especially for non-traditional students balancing work, life, and study.
• Collaborative leadership style: inclusive, transparent, and supportive of faculty and staff development.
• Excellent organizational skills and capacity to oversee multiple moving parts (programs, budget, marketing, admissions, student support, etc.).

Why This Role Matters

As Dean of SPS, you will play a pivotal role in advancing Albright College’s mission to provide flexible, affordable, and career-relevant education to adult learners and working professionals. With SPS’s online accelerated bachelor’s programs, master's degrees, and a wide array of professional certificates in areas such as business administration, accounting, psychology, and more, the Dean will help shape the future of lifelong learning — creating pathways for non-traditional students to advance their careers, re-skill, or pivot to new fields.