As a part of a diverse community of faculty and staff who represent many faith systems and worldviews, Marian University is seeking a Senior Associate Dean for Operations and Academic Affairs who will promote our Catholic Franciscan mission and identity by serving as the principal advisor and strategic partner to the Dean of the Wood College of Osteopathic Medicine (WCOM). Working collaboratively with the Dean, this position supports the implementation of the Dean's vision and strategic priorities while fostering alignment across the school's academic, faculty, research, and physician education initiatives.
The Senior Associate Dean coordinates the work of key academic leaders, facilitates communication and collaboration among administrative units, and provides guidance on operational and academic matters to support informed decision-making by the Dean. This role serves as a trusted resource to the Dean, helping translate strategic priorities into coordinated action while promoting organizational effectiveness and continuous improvement.
Through direct supervision of designated academic leaders, the Senior Associate Dean supports the successful execution of institutional initiatives, encourages cross-functional collaboration, and helps ensure the medical school's programs operate in alignment with its mission, accreditation standards, and commitment to excellence in osteopathic medical education.
The position provides direct supervision for:
- Associate Dean of Academic Affairs
- Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs
- Director of Research
- Assistant Dean for the Continuum of Physician Education
- Assistant Dean of Clinical Affairs
The Senior Associate Dean serves as the Dean's principal advisor on academic operations and implementation of strategic initiatives.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
- Actively engage the Catholic Franciscan mission and identity of Marian University by modeling the Franciscan Sponsorship Values and honoring the legacy of the founding congregation through transformative education, unity in diversity, leadership through service, integrating faith and life, and institutional policies.
Executive Leadership
- Provide day-to-day leadership of academic operations.
- Provide direct supervision, mentoring, and performance evaluation for direct reports.
- Foster collaboration across academic affairs, faculty affairs, research, continuing, and clinical education.
- Ensure alignment across academic units.
- Lead special projects on behalf of the Dean.
Strategic Planning and Operations
- Ensure accountability for strategic goals and operational performance.
- Coordinate implementation of strategic initiatives.
- Monitor institutional performance metrics.
- Coordinate annual goal setting, budget planning, and operational priorities.
- Monitor organizational performance and key performance indicators.
- Identify opportunities to improve organizational effectiveness and efficiency.
Academic Administration
- Partner with the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs to support curricular excellence and accreditation.
- Promote collaboration across preclinical, clinical, and continuum of physician education.
- Support implementation of new academic initiatives and educational innovations.
Faculty and Research
- Partner with the Assistant Dean for Faculty Affairs to advance faculty recruitment, development, promotion, and retention.
- Support growth of the research enterprise through collaboration with the Director of Research.
- Foster a culture of scholarship, innovation, and continuous improvement.
Clinical Education and Physician Continuum
- Oversee the integration of undergraduate medical education, graduate medical education, and continuing professional development.
- Support expansion and quality improvement of clinical education programs and partnerships.
- Ensure strong collaboration with affiliated health systems and community partners.
Organizational Culture
- Promote a collaborative, mission-driven culture grounded in excellence, accountability, innovation, and service.
- Support leadership development across the medical school.
- Lead organizational change initiatives as directed by the Dean.
University Expectations:
- Knowledge of and commitment to the mission of Marian University
- Adheres to Marian University’s policies and procedures
- Strong attention to detail and basic data-entry skills.
- Shows courtesy and respect in interactions with fellow employees, students subordinates, and supervisors
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
Required Qualifications:
- Terminal degree, DO preferred, DO or MD
- Prior experience in academic medicine and higher education leadership experience- 5 years or more
- Demonstrated success leading complex academic or healthcare organizations
- Experience with accreditation, assessment, curricular design
- Experience supervising senior administrators
- Strong strategic planning, operational, and financial management skills
- Experience in osteopathic medical education
- Experience with accreditation (COCA, LCME, ACGME, or equivalent)
Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.
For Consideration All Applications Require:
- Contact information of three professional references. The reference contact information must be entered after the application is submitted in the "My Presence" section of the applicant profile.
- Responses to the supplementary mission & identity questions.
Please Review Marian University’s Mission & Identity Statement before responding to the supplementary questions on your application:
https://www.marian.edu/faith (https://www.marian.edu/faith)
Essential Functions:
Work hours necessary to perform job requirements satisfactorily on a regular basis. Manage absence from work in responsible manner to ensure service to clients, work teams, and coworkers. Comply with Marian University policies and practices and seeking clarification of them when necessary.
Physical Requirements:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use their hands to handle or feel objects, equipment, or controls; and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, reach with their hands and arms, climb or balance, and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.
The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus.
Work Environment:
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Limitations and Disclaimer:
The above job description is meant to describe the general nature and level of work being performed; it is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required for the position.
All job requirements are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. Some requirements may exclude individuals who pose a direct threat or significant risk to the health and safety of themselves or other employees.
This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee occupying this position. Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform other job-related duties requested by their supervisor in compliance with Federal and States Laws.
Requirements are representative of minimum levels of knowledge, skills and/or abilities. To perform this job successfully, the employee must possess the abilities or aptitudes to perform each duty proficiently. Continued employment remains on an “at-will” basis.
Marian University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All individuals, including minorities, women, individuals with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply.
Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights (https://www.eeoc.gov/poster) notice from the Department of Labor.
