Associate Dean

Princeton's School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA) seeks an Associate Dean for Graduate Admissions, Career Development, and Alumni Relations. The Associate Dean for Graduate Admissions, Career Development, and Alumni Relations provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for graduate student recruitment, the admissions process, career services, and alumni engagement. This role plays an important role in cultivating a community of future leaders in public and international affairs by shaping the student lifecycle, from prospective applicant to engaged alumnus, and by ensuring alignment with the school’s mission and values. Princeton SPIA’s alumni are integral to its recruitment and career development programming. The Associate Dean will ensure coordination of these efforts by nurturing relationships and overseeing communication with the School’s numerous engaged global networks.

Reporting to the Senior Associate Dean for Academic Administration, the Associate Dean is a member of the School’s leadership team and works closely with faculty, administrative units, and external partners to design and implement innovative outreach strategies to support our admissions efforts, career preparation, and global alumni engagement. We seek an accomplished policy professional with a record of public service in domestic or international affairs. This individual will be a strategic thinker, exceptional communicator, and a principled leader who has demonstrated an ability to navigate complexity with fairness and integrity.

The Associate Dean for Graduate Admissions, Career Development, and Alumni Relations oversees the graduate admissions process, in collaboration with the admissions staff and faculty admissions committee, to ensure that Princeton SPIA’s graduate students reflect a range of perspectives and backgrounds that are critical for today’s policy challenges. The Associate Dean will leverage their professional experience and partner with our deeply engaged alumni networks to craft thoughtful and strategic career development programming. The Associate Dean also articulates the School’s alumni engagement strategy for its deeply engaged global alumni network. The Associate Dean partners with the School’s Centers and Programs, faculty, alumni networks, and international institutions and agencies to ensure that the School’s global outreach is coordinated with our recruitment, curricular, career development, alumni, and public affairs programming.

Key Responsibilities

1. Graduate Admissions and Recruitment 

• Oversee a comprehensive admissions strategy to attract a highly qualified, diverse, and mission-aligned applicant pool to our three degree-granting graduate programs:
  • Security Studies
  • Science, Technology, and Environmental Policy
• Early career Master in Public Affairs (MPA)
• Mid-career Master in Public Policy (MPP)
• PhD
• Supervise the admissions process, including application review, selection criteria, and yield management.
• Manage a team of four full-time admissions staff who plan and host recruiting events on and off campus and assist with all aspects of the admissions process. 
• Analyze admissions data and trends to inform strategy and improve outcomes.
• Strengthen existing relationships with external institutions and agencies and proactively identify new networks to expand recruiting pipelines.
• Nurture relationships with government agencies and non-governmental organizations domestically and internationally.
• Collaborate with faculty on admissions policies and selection processes; communicate recruiting and admissions objectives with leadership, faculty, and other stakeholders.
• Read and evaluate all applications for review by the Graduate Admissions Committee.
• Implement best practices in online admissions, document management, student relationship management, and application review processes.
• Analyze inquiry, applicant, and enrolled student data for the development, implementation and evaluation of recruitment strategies.
• This position requires international and domestic travel for student recruitment events, open houses, and information sessions, and occasional evening and weekend commitments.

2. Career Development 

• Provide strategic direction for career planning and placement, including coaching, employer relations, and internships.
• Manage a team of two-three full-time professionals who provide career coaching and oversee career related programming.
• Cultivate relationships with employers across multiple sectors, and government and non-governmental agencies globally.
• Ensure students are equipped with the skills, networks, and experiences necessary for impactful careers.
• Track and report employment outcomes and continuously improve career programming.
• Ensure that career development programming is aligned with the students’ academic experience in collaboration with faculty and other senior staff.
• Partner with the School’s committed alumni network to assist with career development programming.

3. Alumni Affairs and Engagement

• Set priorities, goals, and oversee the development of a comprehensive program to engage SPIA’s dedicated alumni in meaningful ways aimed at fostering lifelong connections.

• Lead initiatives to strengthen alumni engagement, including events, communications, and volunteer opportunities.
• Manage a team of one-two full-time professional staff who plan and host alumni events on and off campus.
• Cultivate alumni networks to support admissions, mentorship, and career placement.
• Develop programs that foster lifelong connections between alumni and the school.
• International and domestic travel for alumni events, open houses, and information sessions.

4. Strategic Leadership and Administration 

• Serve as a key advisor to the Dean on matters related to enrollment, career outcomes, and alumni relations.
• Position the School strategically in the most compelling way to attract and yield the best graduate students committed to public service.
• Manage budgets and allocate resources effectively across functional areas. 
• Represent the school at professional conferences, consortia, and external events. 
• Partner with SPIA Public Affairs to build targeted and effective recruitment and enrollment campaigns leveraging print and social media.

Qualifications

Required:

• Master’s degree and minimum of ten years of professional experience in a domestic or international government or non-governmental agency, multilateral organization, non-profit, philanthropic organization, or related.
• Demonstrated success in strategic planning, program development, and team management.

• Proven experience managing, mentoring, developing, and inspiring staff.

• Strong analytical skills and experience using data to drive decision-making.
• Exceptional communication and relationship-building skills.

• Possess an abiding commitment to public service and recruiting excellent and diverse classes that serve that goal.
• A cooperative spirit and demonstrated ability to build and maintain relationships and forge connections with multiple constituencies.

• Demonstrated tact, diplomacy, discretion, and appreciation for the values of higher education and sensitivity to the nuances of an academic culture.

• Evidence of collaborating and partnering with colleagues and building trust and credibility.
• Excellent administrative and organizational skills, including close attention to detail and deadlines.
• Comfort with change, ambiguity and fast paced working environment. 
• Willingness to work evening hours and weekends, as needed. 
• Prior experience in higher education is desirable, but not essential. 
• Familiarity with the SPIA community of graduate alumni is highly desirable, but not essential 

The ideal candidate will have a proven ability to work independently with limited supervision; have strong personal initiative; be highly self-motivated; and have demonstrated capacity to multi-task and manage competing priorities while consistently delivering results in a timely manner. The individual will have an enterprising, resourceful, and fluid work style complemented by a calm demeanor, possess the ability to interact and function in a competitive academic environment and must be a team player with empathy, humility, respect for others, and a sense of humor. The candidate should also be able to work occasional evenings and weekends as needed.

Preferred:

• Experience with admissions, career development, and/or alumni engagement in a graduate school of public policy, international affairs, or a related discipline.
• Advanced degree in public affairs or international relations.

Princeton University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

The University considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate's qualifications, work experience, education/training, key skills, market, collective bargaining agreements as applicable, and organizational considerations when extending an offer. The posted salary range represents the University's good faith and reasonable estimate for a full-time position; salaries for part-time positions are pro-rated accordingly.

If the salary range on the posted position shows an hourly rate, this is the baseline; the actual hourly rate may be higher, depending on the position and factors listed above.

The University also offers a comprehensive benefit program to eligible employees. Please see this link for more information.