Senior Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives, Innovation, and College Affairs

Department: College of Science

Classification: Administrative Faculty

Job Category: Administrative or Professional Faculty

Job Type: Full-Time

Work Schedule: Full-time (1.0 FTE, 40 hrs/wk)

Location: Fairfax, VA

Workplace Type: Hybrid Eligible

Sponsorship Eligibility: Not eligible for visa sponsorship

Salary: Salary commensurate with education and experience

Criminal Background Check: Yes

About the Department:

The Office of Strategic Initiatives, Innovation, and College Affairs within the College of Science will advance the college’s mission through visionary leadership, strategic planning, and cross-functional collaboration. The unit is responsible for identifying and implementing transformative initiatives that enhance academic excellence, student and faculty success, and community engagement. It serves as a catalyst for interdisciplinary collaboration, institutional alignment, and continuous improvement, ensuring the college remains responsive to emerging trends in science education.

About the Position:

The Senior Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives, Innovation, and College Affairs will be a vital member of the Mason Science executive leadership team. This position is charged with the planning, execution, and continuation of strategies for innovation and excellence in the areas of academic, student, and faculty affairs, strategic enrollment management, and community engagement. This position additionally serves as the college’s deputy, acting for the Dean when the Dean is unavailable.

Responsibilities:

College Affairs Leadership and Operations

• Oversees the college affairs functions and offices in the position portfolio;
• Ensures continuous alignment with the college’s mission and strategic plan, monitoring progress and evaluating performance;
• Oversees the college’s strategy for development, implementation, and evaluation of academic programs and student support;
• Oversees the college's enrollment management strategy, including setting both new and continuing student targets, recruitment, marketing, admissions, and student support and retention;
• Oversees the college’s strategy and processes for faculty recruitment, hiring, development, and performance evaluation; 
• Manages direct reports to ensure collaboration and continuity among them and their associated teams;
• Serves as a liaison between the Dean’s Office and academic departments to ensure alignment and effective implementation of initiatives; and
• By request, attends meetings and directs the college on the Dean’s behalf.

Strategic Initiatives and Innovation 

• Leads the implementation and assesses progress of strategic initiatives as identified in the college’s strategic plan, as well as related initiatives as directed by the Dean;
• Promotes a culture of innovation and collaborates with stakeholders to identify and assess emerging strategic opportunities for the college;
• Monitors progression toward goals, including data analysis and tracking of key performance indicators; and
• Supports the development of interdisciplinary programs, new academic offerings, and cross-unit collaborations.

Internal and External Relations  

• Collaborates with the college’s research, business operations, advancement and communications teams to support and promote the college’s initiatives and achievements;
• Represents the college in university-wide committees and task forces;
• Fosters collaborative and transparent communication, both internal and external to the college; and
• Oversees special projects and performs other related duties as assigned by the Dean. 

Required Qualifications:

• Terminal degree in a related field;
• Substantive leadership experience in higher education (or similarly complex organization), such as department chair, associate dean, or equivalent administrative role (typically five or more years);
• Demonstrable experience with the formulation and execution of strategic, high-level initiatives proven impactful for stakeholders;
• Experience as associate professor or higher with ability to meet tenure requirements;
• Experience effectively managing large teams;
• Experience using data to glean insights about plans or operations; and
• Significant record of timely, clear, and professional communication and collaboration skills (e.g., leading or co-chairing cross-functional committees or task forces).

Proven ability to:

• Lead strategic, high-level initiatives (e.g., program launches, cross-unit collaborations, institutional planning efforts) with demonstrable positive outcomes;
• Manage complex projects (e.g., coordination across multiple groups/units);
• Foster the professional development of direct reports;
• Leverage data to formulate insights and execute college-wide or otherwise large-scale action plans; and
• Communicate complex ideas clearly and effectively.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Significant experience as strategic academic leader, including leadership roles at the college, school, and/or university level;
• Demonstrable experience with change management across teams;
• Demonstrable experience building high-performing teams that work together to achieve impactful goals; and
• Experience collecting and managing data.

Demonstrable knowledge of:

• Higher education trends, especially in STEM fields (e.g., experiential learning, workforce/market demands);
• Change management and organizational development;
• Budget and resource management; and
• State, accreditor, and university policy compliance.

Instructions to Applicants: 

For full consideration, applicants must apply for the Senior Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives, Innovation, and College Affairs at https://jobs.gmu.edu/. Complete and submit the online application to include three professional references with contact information, and provide a cover letter and CV for review.

Posting Open Date:  November 5, 2025

For Full Consideration, Apply by:  December 5, 2025

Open Until Filled:  Yes