Associate Dean for Workforce and Professional Development

Working Title: Associate Dean for Workforce and Professional Development

State Role Title:N/A

Position Type:Administrative & Professional (Non-teaching Faculty)

Position Status: Full-Time

FLSA Status: Exempt: Not Eligible for Overtime

College/Division: School of Professional & Continuing Education

Department: 100066 - Professional & Continuing Education

Pay Band:N/A

Pay Rate:Pay Range

Specify Range or Amount: $110000 - $135000

Is this a JMU only positionNo

Is this a grant-funded positionNo

Is this a Conflict of Interest designated positionNo

Beginning Review Date:09/25/2026

About JMU:

Mission
We are a community committed to preparing students to be educated and enlightened citizens who lead productive and meaningful lives.

Vision
To be the national model for the engaged university: engaged with ideas and the world.

Who We Are
Situated in the heart of Virginias beautiful Shenandoah Valley the city of Harrisonburg is a vibrant community with a population of approximately 52000. Harrisonburg is conveniently located approximately 120 miles from Washington D.C. and Richmond VA.

JMU is a selective public institution with a growing national reputation for offering experiences that lead to an outstanding education and supportive environment for students faculty and staff. The student body includes approximately 21000 undergraduate and 1800 graduate students with over 1000 full-time instructional faculty.

JMU offers thriving programs in the liberal arts science and technology and professional disciplines at the undergraduate masters and doctoral levels. JMU has achieved national recognition for the high quality of its academic programs focus on maintaining strong student/faculty interaction and innovative faculty research.

General Information:

JMUs School of Professional & Continuing Education (SPCE) fosters learning across lifespans through transformative education and enrichment. SPCE offers a range of programs including youth camps adult degree completion professional and workforce development and lifelong learning as well as partners with academic units across JMU to support a number of online or off-campus degree and certificate programs. The Associate Dean for Workforce and Professional Development serves as a senior member of the School of Professional & Continuing Education (SPCE) leadership team and provides strategic leadership for workforce development employer engagement partnership development and innovative educational initiatives that advance the mission of James Madison University and SPCE.

Reporting directly to the Dean the Associate Dean works collaboratively across the university and with external partners to identify emerging workforce needs develop responsive educational solutions expand strategic partnerships and enhance JMUs role as a preferred partner for economic vitality and talent development throughout the Commonwealth and beyond.

The Associate Dean serves as a key representative of SPCE and JMU with employers industry associations government agencies community partners and educational institutions. The position contributes to strategic planning resource development program innovation and operational leadership within SPCE.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership
Serve as a member of the SPCE senior leadership team and Deans Council and contribute to the strategic direction growth and continuous improvement of the school.
Collaborate with the Dean and other Associate Dean to implement SPCEs strategic plan and institutional priorities.
Identify opportunities for growth innovation and new revenue generation aligned with workforce and community needs.
Represent SPCE on university regional and statewide committees and initiatives.

Workforce and Professional Development
Lead the development and implementation of workforce-focused initiatives that support talent development and economic vitality.
Build and maintain relationships with employers industry leaders workforce boards chambers of commerce and government agencies.
Identify emerging workforce trends and translate those needs into educational programs and partnerships.
Advance SPCEs and JMUs role as a responsive and publicly accountable partner addressing workforce and community challenges.

Partnership Development
Develop and sustain strategic partnerships with external organizations to expand educational opportunities and community impact.
Negotiate and manage partnership agreements contracts and collaborative initiatives.
Foster cross-campus collaboration to connect university expertise with external partner needs.
Support the development of regional statewide and national partnerships that enhance JMUs visibility and impact.

Program Innovation and Growth
Collaborate with academic and administrative units to develop workforce-aligned credit and non-credit educational offerings prioritizing JMU faculty engagement while establishing strategic partnerships with external organizations industry experts and vendors to address workforce needs that cannot be met through existing institutional expertise or capacity.
Oversee the creation and expansion of certificates microcredentials customized training programs and other innovative learning opportunities providing institutional leadership and coordination for the development approval implementation and management of microcredentials across the university.
Assist in identifying new markets and audiences for SPCE programs and services.
Utilize data and market intelligence to guide program development and investment decisions.

Resource Development and External Relations
Support fundraising grant development sponsorship opportunities and philanthropic initiatives aligned with SPCEs professional development and workforce priorities.
Serve as an ambassador for SPCE with external stakeholders.
Collaborate with University Advancement Alumni Relations and other campus partners to advance strategic initiatives.
Promote SPCEs non-credit professional development programs services and impact through presentations meetings and community engagement.

Leadership and Administration
Provide direct supervision and leadership for assigned personnel and initiatives.
Assist with budget planning resource allocation assessment and operational decision-making.
Support compliance assessment and reporting requirements as appropriate

Madison Promise and Learner Success
Provide strategic oversight for SPCEs responsibilities related to the Madison Promise including the development implementation and continuous improvement of guaranteed pathways and learner success initiatives.
Collaborate with academic colleges Enrollment Management Academic Affairs and other university partners to ensure successful implementation and sustainability of guarantee programs.
Perform other duties as assigned by the Dean.

Qualifications:

Required Qualifications
Masters degree from an accredited institution or an equivalent combination of advanced education and significant relevant professional experience.
Substantial professional experience in workforce development professional or continuing education economic development higher education employer engagement community innovation or a closely related field.
Demonstrated leadership experience developing and managing programs including the ability to translate workforce need into innovative educational programs services and partnerships.
Demonstrated success building and sustaining strategic partnerships with employers industry government agencies community organizations educational institutions and other stakeholders with the ability to lead collaborative initiatives and build consensus across organizational boundaries.
Excellent interpersonal written and oral communication skills including the ability to represent an organization effectively with senior leaders employers community partners and other external audiences.
Demonstrated strategic thinking sound judgment and organizational agility including the ability to manage multiple priorities and operate effectively in a dynamic collaborative and entrepreneurial environment.

Preferred Qualifications
Earned doctorate terminal degree or other advanced professional credential relevant to the position.
Demonstrated success developing revenue-generating programs employer partnerships grants contracts sponsorships or other externally supported initiatives.
Knowledge of emerging trends and best practices in workforce development professional and continuing education alternative credentials lifelong learning and employer-responsive education.

Additional Posting Information:

JMUs Dual Career and Community Resources Program is available for candidates that will be relocating to the area. For more information please visit of Employment:

Employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a criminal background check.

E-Verify Notice: After accepting employment new hires are required to complete an I-9 form and present documentation of their identity and eligibility to work in the United States. James Madison University uses the E-Verify system to confirm identity and work authorization.

EEO Statement:

James Madison University is committed to creating and supporting a diverse and inclusive work and educational community that is free of all forms of discrimination. This institution does not tolerate discrimination or harassment on the basis of age color disability gender identity or expression genetic information national origin parental status political affiliation race religion sex sexual orientation or veteran status.

We promote access inclusion and diversity for all students faculty staff constituents and programs believing that these qualities are foundational components of an outstanding education in keeping with our mission. The university is interested in candidates whose experience and qualifications support an ongoing commitment to this core quality.

Anyone having questions concerning discrimination should contact the Office for Equal Opportunity: .

Reasonable Accommodation:

If you are an individual with a disability and need assistance searching or applying for jobs please contact us at or You may also visit the JMU Human Resource Office located at 752 Ott Street Harrisonburg VA 22807 and we will be happy to assist you.