Assistant Dean for Academic Operations

Job Title: Assistant Dean for Academic Operations

Department: School of Art, Design, and Media and School of Liberal Arts and Education

Division: Academic Affairs

FLSA Status: Exempt

Union: N/A

Reporting to: Dean

Compensation range: $66,000 - $80,000

Position Summary

Reporting jointly to the Dean of the School of Art, Design, and Media and the Dean of the School of Liberal Arts and Education, the Assistant Dean of Academic Operations is responsible for coordinating the operational, administrative, and project management functions that support the academic mission of both Schools.

As a shared administrative Partner, the Assistant Dean works collaboratively with both Deans to implement strategic priorities, oversee academic operations, improve administrative effectiveness, and ensure consistent business practices across the Schools. The position manages complex projects, coordinates faculty and curriculum administration, supports assessment and accreditation activities, and facilitates communication between the Schools, academic departments and institutional partners.

The Assistant Dean operates through collaboration, coordination, and influence rather than direct supervisory authority and serves as an essential administrative partner enabling both Deans to focus on academic leadership, faculty development, strategic initiatives, and external engagement.

Summary of Essential Functions

• Serve as the primary operational and administrative partner to two Deans supporting two academic Schools.
• Coordinate the day-to-day academic administration and operational activities of both Schools.
• Manage complex academic projects, institutional initiatives, and cross-functional administrative processes.
• Coordinate curriculum administration, assessment activities, accreditation support, and academic planning processes.
• Support faculty administrative processes, committee operations, and shared governance activities.
• Coordinate implementation of academic policies, procedures, and institutional initiatives.
• Support strategic planning, operational decision-making, and implementation of institutional priorities.
• Prepare reports, analyses, presentations, and briefing materials supporting administrative decision-making.
• Foster collaboration, operational consistency, and continuous process improvement across both Schools.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Academic Administration and School Operations

• Coordinate implementation of priorities established by each Dean while promoting operational consistency across both Schools.
• Develop and manage annual operational calendars, project timelines, and implementation schedules.
• Coordinate School meetings, leadership meetings, committee activities, agendas, minutes, and follow-up actions.
• Prepare reports, presentations, analyses, briefing materials, correspondence, and other documents supporting the work of both Deans.
• Coordinate implementation of institutional initiatives affecting academic programs and School operations.
• Serve as the primary administrative liaison between the Schools and the Provost's Office, Registrar, Enrollment Management, Institutional Effectiveness, Human Resources, Finance, Student Affairs, Facilities, and other College offices.
• Coordinate administrative processes that support efficient academic operations and effective service delivery.
• Assist the Deans with operational planning, project management, resource coordination, and implementation of School priorities.
• Coordinate academic calendars, registration timelines, scheduling processes, catalog updates, and academic communications.
• Monitor operational progress on strategic initiatives and provide regular updates to both Deans.
• Recommend and implement improvements to administrative processes, workflows, and communications.

Curriculum, Assessment, and Academic Quality

• Coordinate administrative processes supporting curriculum development, review, approval, and implementation, including new programs, courses, certificates, concentrations, and program revisions.
• Coordinate assessment planning, Program Learning Outcomes reporting, and documentation supporting continuous improvement.
• Support Academic Program Reviews and implementation of resulting recommendations.
• Coordinate documentation supporting regional and specialized accreditation activities.
• Collaborate with Institutional Effectiveness to collect, organize, and communicate assessment and academic planning data.
• Coordinate implementation of institutional academic policies affecting curriculum and assessment.
• Support planning and coordination of academic events including Orientation, Registration, Open House, ArtWalk, Commencement, and related activities.

Faculty Administration

• Coordinate administrative processes supporting faculty recruitment, onboarding, appointments, contracts, evaluations, promotion and tenure, sabbaticals, and other faculty personnel actions in collaboration with Human Resources and Academic Affairs.
• Coordinate faculty communications regarding policies, procedures, deadlines, and institutional initiatives.
• Support implementation of Faculty Handbook policies and Academic Affairs procedures.
• Coordinate administrative support for School committees, faculty governance, and academic leadership meetings.
• Assist Department Chairs, Assistant Chairs, Program Directors, and the Deans with faculty administrative matters.
• Maintain confidential faculty records and documentation in accordance with institutional policies.

Student Academic Administration

• Coordinate academic administrative processes related to petitions, substitutions, waivers, appeals, academic standing, and related student matters.
• Collaborate with Academic Advising, Student Affairs, Accessibility Services, the Registrar, and other administrative offices to facilitate effective student support.
• Assist the Deans in coordinating the administrative review of student academic concerns.
• Coordinate implementation of School-based initiatives supporting student success and academic engagement.
• Promote consistent interpretation and application of academic policies across both Schools.

Institutional Collaboration and Administrative Support

• Foster productive collaboration among academic departments, administrative offices, and institutional partners.
• Coordinate School participation in institutional initiatives and College-wide events.
• Prepare operational reports related to scheduling, instructional activity, faculty assignments, and other academic administrative functions.
• Coordinate instructional planning activities with the Registrar and Enrollment Management to support effective scheduling and student access.
• Prepare operational reports and analyses related to instructional activity, faculty assignments, enrollment trends, scheduling efficiency, and other academic operations.
• Support School budget planning and monitor operational expenditures in collaboration with the Deans and Finance.
• Assist with institutional reporting, accreditation documentation, strategic initiatives, and special projects assigned by either Dean.
• Promote effective communication and operational consistency across both Schools and Academic Affairs.
• Perform other duties as assigned

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Knowledge of

• Higher education academic administration.
• Shared governance processes.
• Curriculum development and approval procedures.
• Academic assessment and continuous improvement.
• Accreditation standards and documentation.
• Faculty personnel processes.
• Student academic policies and procedures.
• Academic scheduling and operational planning.
• Higher education information systems and administrative technologies.

Skills

• Outstanding organizational and project management skills.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Excellent interpersonal and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to manage multiple complex priorities simultaneously.
• Strong attention to detail and follow-through.
• Ability to coordinate work across multiple academic units.
• Ability to prepare professional reports and executive-level communications.

Ability to

• Build collaborative relationships across diverse constituencies.
• Exercise sound judgment and maintain confidentiality.
• Coordinate multiple concurrent projects with competing priorities.
• Work effectively within a shared governance environment.
• Support organizational change through effective planning and implementation.
• Anticipate operational needs and proactively resolve issues.
• Function effectively within a dual-reporting organizational structure while balancing the priorities of two Deans.

Minimum Qualifications

• Master's degree from an accredited institution.
• Five years of progressively responsible experience in higher education administration, academic operations, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience supporting academic administration, faculty processes, curriculum administration, assessment, or institutional operations.
• Experience coordinating complex projects involving multiple stakeholders.
• Excellent organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrated commitment to collaborative leadership, customer service, and student success.

Preferred Qualifications

• Terminal degree appropriate to an academic discipline.
• Experience supporting Deans, Department Chairs, Program Directors, or senior academic leadership.
• Experience with accreditation, assessment, curriculum administration, and academic planning.
• Experience working within studio-based, art and design, or interdisciplinary higher education environments.
• Experience with enterprise systems such as Workday, Slate, Canvas, or similar higher education technologies.

Reporting to this position: none

Conditions of Employment: Satisfactory background check

Physical demands and work environment:

Physical Demands: While performing the duties of job, the employee is occasionally required to stand, walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms; balance; stoop; talk or hear. The employee must occasionally lift up to 40 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. (may be adjusted depending on position)

Work environment: While performing the duties of the job, the employee is exposed to weather conditions prevalent at the time. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to high.

Required training: Exhibitions Department Installation Guide and Policy handbook, MICA Handbook orientation, Anti-Harassment, Hazard Communication, Emergency Plans & Fire Prevention, Personal Protection Equipment. (additional training may be added, SEE: EHS Manager training schedule)

Maryland Institute College of Art is committed to its policy of providing equal opportunity regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, age, disability, or veteran status (disabled, Vietnam-era, or otherwise). Furthermore, the College does not tolerate any form of sex discrimination, including sexual harassment or sexual violence. This policy applies to all programs, facilities, and activities provided by Maryland Institute College of Art, including but not limited to admission, educational programs, and employment.

Applicants must apply online for each job in which they are interested. You will not be considered for any job for which you have not specifically applied. We do not accept applications via email, U.S. mail, or fax. Successful candidates for any staff or faculty positions will be subject to a pre-employment background check.

MICA provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities on a case-by-case basis. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please contact Human Resources at 410-225-2363.