Associate Dean of Academic Affairs

Position Overview

The Associate Dean of Academic Affairs will work closely with the Dean and senior leadership to advance the goals and objectives of the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. This role involves providing strategic direction, managing administrative functions, supporting continuous improvement of graduate education, and enhancing overall effectiveness of the Graduate School.

The Associate Dean of Academic Affairs reports directly to the Dean of the Graduate School.

• Strategic Leadership and Administration
  • Assist the Dean in the development and implementation of strategic plans and initiatives.
  • Oversee day‑to‑day operations in the primary area of responsibility, including budget management, resource allocation and policy enforcement.
  • Collaborate with faculty, staff and administrators to achieve the institution’s strategic goals.
• Graduate Program Oversight
  • Provide leadership and coordination for all graduate‑level programs within the Graduate School.
  • Collaborate with Program Associates and Assistant Deans staff and faculty to ensure high‑quality curriculum design, delivery and assessment.
  • Oversee the development, approval and implementation of new graduate programs.
  • Support student success initiatives (e.g., retention, academic advising, oversight).
  • Monitor enrollment trends, student outcomes and program performance metrics to inform strategic planning and resource allocation.
  • Support recruitment and retention of an outstanding and talented student body.
  • Support alumni activities and engagement.
• Program Review and Academic Quality
  • Lead the academic program review process, including development and implementation of policies, procedures and timelines for regular periodic program evaluation.
  • Provide guidance on analysis and interpretation of data related to program quality, effectiveness and compliance.
  • Collaborate with the Director of Institutional Effectiveness to prepare internal and external reports for accreditation, regulatory and institutional purposes.
  • Support programs in responding to review findings and implementing improvement plans.
• Academic Policy and Governance
  • Advise the Dean and other senior leaders on academic policies, standards and strategic initiatives.
  • Serve as a liaison to faculty bodies, curriculum committees and graduate councils.
  • Ensure compliance with federal, state and external academic regulations and reporting requirements.

• Bachelor’s degree required.

• 10 years experience in a business‑facing Program Management role with substantial consulting leadership & program implementation experience.
• Demonstrated experience managing, overseeing or leading multiple, large, complex program(s) with a focus on customer impact.
• Demonstrated experience in strategic planning, prioritizing programs and defining implementation approaches.
• Significant experience in risk management, issue resolution, resource management and financial tracking across multiple programs.
• Significant experience in operational management and budget planning & management across multiple diverse program teams.
• Experience building systems, tools and processes to leverage program synergies and drive continuous improvement in quality and consistency of programs.
• Experience managing program managers and teams with direct reporting.
• Proven performance in earlier or comparable roles.

• Education
  :
  Doctoral degree (Ph.D. or equivalent) in the biomedical sciences or health‑related sciences. A record of scholarly achievement and/or professional accomplishments is preferred.
• Experience
  :
  Significant experience in higher education academic leadership or administration with a proven track record of success in teaching, research and program management. Prior senior administrative experience is preferred; prior experience with SACSCOC or other regional accreditation processes is preferred; prior biomedical science faculty experience is highly desirable.
• Skills
  :
  Strong leadership and organizational skills; excellent communication and interpersonal skills; knowledge of current trends and challenges in higher…