Associate Dean Administration

Associate Dean for Administration

The University of Virginia's Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy (Batten) seeks a strategic, forward-looking leader to serve as its next Associate Dean for Administration (Associate Dean). Reporting directly to the Dean and serving as a thought partner, the Associate Dean leads Batten's financial, operational, and administrative strategy, ensuring that resources are planned, organized, and deployed effectively to advance Batten's mission.

This is an important moment for leadership and policy education, and Batten is more committed than ever to developing leaders and generating new knowledge to solve complex policy challenges. Reflecting this momentum, the School is expanding its footprint from the UVA Lawn to include a second headquarters building, opening in 2027, which will be shared with the Karsh Institute of Democracy.

The Batten School combines growth with the character of a tight-knit community, where colleagues lead with creativity, rigor, and collaboration while supporting one another through change and innovation.

The Associate Dean for Administration role bridges strategy, academic affairs, and operations with a clear charge to support the dynamic needs of the School's staff, faculty, and students. The Associate Dean must bring a high level of judgment, institutional awareness, and strategic perspective to decisions that shape the School's future. Working in close collaboration with the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, who serves as the School's chief academic officer, the Dean's Chief of Staff, and other members of the leadership team, the Associate Dean helps ensure that Batten operates as a cohesive, high-performing organization aligned around a shared sense of purpose.

The Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy Founded in 2007, the Batten School was designed to bring together what too many schools keep apart: the power of leadership and the rigor of public policy; the wisdom of scholars and the experience of practitioners; the discipline of the classroom and the urgency of real-world engagement. To advance this mission, Batten has assembled world-class faculty members trained in economics, political science, social psychology, and other fields, as well as practitioners of leadership and public policy.

This faculty is committed to developing bold, ethical, and effective public leaders and generating and applying new knowledge to solve the world's greatest policy challenges. They achieve this through rigorous academic programs, influential research, and deep engagement with policymakers and practitioners.

Batten is known for data-driven analysis, real-world problem solving, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Grounded in the University's historic commitment to public service, Batten offers a highly mission-driven environment where faculty, staff, and students work together to translate ideas into action and create meaningful, lasting impact. Batten is at an exciting moment of growth and institutional momentum, growing its core undergraduate (bachelor of arts major and minor) and graduate (master of public policy) degree programs, while also expanding its relatively new in-person and online certificate programs.

Batten is also preparing to roll out a new hybrid modality master of science degree program to better reach working policy professionals around the world. Batten currently enrolls over 500 students in its degree-granting programs, and Batten's 2000+ graduates continue to distinguish themselves professionally, moving into consequential leadership roles across government, nonprofit organizations, and institutions committed to public impact.

The Associate Dean will arrive at a moment of genuine opportunity and with the chance to help shape the operational and financial foundation on which Batten's next chapter will be built. The Role and Responsibilities The Associate Dean serves as Batten's chief administrative and financial officer, leading the school's operational enterprise and ensuring the effective stewardship of resources in support of its teaching and research mission.

Managing the school wide budget of approximately $35 million, the Associate Dean works closely with UVA's Office of Financial Planning and Analysis and the Batten Foundation to develop and execute a robust multi-year financial strategy and to oversee the effective management of operating and capital budgets.

The Associate Dean has direct oversight for Batten's Business Office and IT teams and serves as Batten's senior administrative leader across all staff affairs, partnering with UVA HR on employee relations, supporting hiring and talent development initiatives, and fostering a positive, high-performing organizational culture. The Associate Dean provides mentorship and strategic direction, fostering collaboration and alignment on operational and academic priorities.

A visible and trusted member of the leadership team, the Associate Dean will support all…