Associate Dean- Leavitt School of Health

If you’re passionate about building a better future for individuals, communities, and our country—and you’re committed to working hard to play your part in building that future—consider WGU as the next step in your career.

Driven by a mission to expand access to higher education through online, competency-based degree programs, WGU is also committed to being a great place to work for a diverse workforce of student-focused professionals. The university has pioneered a new way to learn in the 21st century, one that has received praise from academic, industry, government, and media leaders. Whatever your role, working for WGU gives you a part to play in helping students graduate, creating a better tomorrow for themselves and their families.

The salary range for this position takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets; experience and training; licensure and certifications; and other business and organizational needs.

At WGU, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their position, and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current range is:
 

Grade: Professional 314

Pay Range: $133,800.00 - $207,300.00

Job Description

The Associate Dean is a senior academic and business leader responsible for the strategic direction, performance, and growth of a portfolio of academic programs. This role owns program-level outcomes across the full value chain, including student performance, academic quality, portfolio growth, workforce alignment, and financial performance.

This role serves as the primary decision-makers for undergraduate and graduate programs and are directly accountable for program tuition revenue.

This role integrates academic authority with business leadership. Sets strategic direction and drive execution across cross-functional teams to ensure programs are academically rigorous, market-aligned, financially sustainable, and positioned for long-term growth. Represents WGU externally with industry partners, associations, states, accreditors, and media.

 

• Strategic Portfolio Ownership 

  • Serve as the primary owner of 2–6 academic programs across undergraduate and graduate levels. 

  • Establish long-term strategic direction for program growth, specialization expansion, and portfolio positioning. 

  • Make final decisions on program-level strategy, investments, and execution priorities. 

  • Ensure alignment between academic rigor, market demand, and financial sustainability. 

• Financial & Revenue Accountability 

  • Own program-level tuition revenue. 

  • Establish enrollment, growth, and contribution targets aligned with university objectives. 

  • Oversee budget performance and contribution margins. 

  • Balance academic integrity with sustainable financial outcomes. 

  • Drive continuous improvement initiatives informed by performance data. 

• Student Performance & Outcomes 

  • Own student performance outcomes including retention, progression, completion, and workforce ROI. 

  • Ensure academic and operational strategies are aligned to improve measurable student success. 

• Academic Direction & Quality 

  • Provide academic leadership across assigned programs. 

  • Ensure curriculum integrity, workforce alignment, and accreditation compliance. 

  • Guide new program development, revisions, and specialization expansion. 

  • Maintain high standards of instructional quality and academic credibility. 

• Execution Leadership 

  • Drive coordinated execution across the full program value chain, including academic leadership, program management, marketing, enrollment, student success, and operations. 

  • Leads a small group of indirect contributors to deliver high-quality student experiences and program performance. 

• External Influence & Institutional Impact 

  • Represent WGU externally to industry, professional associations, states, accreditors, and media.