Assistant Dean of Full-time/MS Graduate Admissions

Southern Methodist University; Dallas (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Southern Methodist University in Dallas is seeking an Assistant Dean of Full-time/MS Graduate Admissions to lead the Cox School of Business' admissions for MBA and MS programs. This on-campus role drives recruitment, yield, and enrollment strategies for programs enrolling 500+ students and generating significant revenue.

The role oversees the Full-Time and MS Admissions team, partners with senior leadership and faculty, and represents the programs to corporate partners.

Qualifications

• Master's degree required; MBA preferred.
• At least 10 years of professional experience with 3+ years in management.
• Some admissions experience, preferably MBA admissions.
• Strong interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.
• Ability to lead, motivate, and develop professional staff.

Responsibilities

• FT MBA and MS Portfolio Strategy: develop strategies for FT MBA and MS programs.
• Staff Leadership: oversee a team and manage resources.
• Operational Excellence: create processes for candidate awareness, application, assessment, and yield.
• Marketing / Outreach: plan and execute marketing campaigns with Cox leadership.
• FT MBA & MS Program Support: ensure alignment with registrar and career support.
• Metrics / Rankings: compile and report data for rankings and internal reviews.
• Budget: manage operational budget and scholarship spend.
• Evening and weekend work for admissions programming.
• Domestic and international travel for admissions events.

Skills

Staff Leadership

Strategic Planning

Operational Excellence

Marketing & Outreach

Budget Management

Education

Master's degree

MBA preferred

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Slate

Salesforce

Job description

Job Description - Assistant Dean of Full-time/MS Graduate Admissions (COX00000282)

Job Description

Assistant Dean of Full-time/MS Graduate Admissions - ( COX00000282 )

Description

Salary Range:

Salary commensurate with experience and qualifications

About SMU

SMU’s more than 12,000 diverse, high-achieving students come from all 50 states and over 80 countries to take advantage of the University’s small classes, meaningful research opportunities, leadership development, community service, international study and innovative programs.

SMU is data driven, and its powerful supercomputing ecosystem – paired with entrepreneurial drive – creates an unrivaled environment for the University to deliver research excellence.

Now in its second century of achievement, SMU is recognized for the ways it supports students, faculty and alumni as they become ethical, enterprising leaders in their professions and communities. SMU’s relationship with Dallas – the dynamic center of one of the nation’s fastest-growing regions – offers unique learning, research, social and career opportunities that provide a launch pad for global impact.

SMU is nonsectarian in its teaching and committed to academic freedom and open inquiry.

About the Position:

This role is an on-campus, in-person position.

The Assistant Dean is responsible for driving the growth, competitiveness, and success of the Cox School of Business's portfolio of full-time and MS graduate programs, including MBA (1-Year and 2-Year), MSA, MSBA, MSAIB, MSF, MSM, and MSEM. Overseeing programs that enroll more than 500 students annually and generate over $25 million in revenue, this position plays a critical role in advancing the school's reputation, rankings, and strategic objectives.

The Assistant Dean will develop and implement comprehensive recruitment, admissions, and enrollment strategies to attract and enroll high-caliber candidates in an increasingly competitive market. The role provides day-to-day leadership for the Full-Time and MS Admissions team, ensuring operational excellence across the candidate lifecycle, from recruitment through admissions, yield management, and enrollment.

The position will ensure effective execution of recruitment strategies and alignment with key Cox stakeholders, including senior leadership, student services, faculty, and marketing. The position will also collaborate with the Senior Assistant Dean to enhance program competitiveness and deliver an exceptional student experience.

The position also represents the school's graduate programs to prospective students, corporate partners, and industry stakeholders.

Essential Functions:

• FT MBA and MS Portfolio Strategy: develop strategies for FT MBA and MS program portfolio, including program modifications/additions, marketing, recruitment, revenue and scholarship projections, and operational execution. Translate vision into directives for managers with goals and metrics, and collaborate with Sr Asst Dean, Working Professionals MBA Asst Dean, and others to ensure alignment with Cox strategy and effective implementation / ongoing support.
  
• Staff Leadership: Serve as a direct manager, overseeing a team to develop and sustain a high level of performance. Hire, train, supervise, motivate, and evaluate team members, assessing and adjusting resources to sync with strategic plan and changing market conditions.
  
• Operational Excellence: create and implement processes for candidate awareness, application, assessment, and yield that are effective, efficient, and seamlessly integrate with other Cox Graduate Programs. Partner with Cox leadership, Student Services, Career Center, Alumni Outreach, faculty, and vendors to enhance cooperation and create a consistently top-tier student experience.
  
• Marketing / Outreach: Collaborate with Senior Assistant Dean, Assistant Dean of Working Professionals MBA Programs, Corporate Relations, and Marketing on planning and execution of B2B and B2C marketing and sales campaigns related to FT MBA and MS programs. Present to prospective students and corporate partners.
  
• FT MBA & MS Program Support: provide support into holistic student experience for the Full-time MBA and MS programs. Ensure alignment with Student Services for registrar-related items and CMC for career support.
  
• Metrics / Rankings: coordinate the accurate compilation and reporting of all Full-time MBA and MS Admissions-related data for ranking entities, internal reviews, and publication.
  
• Budget: manage operational budget to align spending with strategic priorities. Manage annual spend and tracking, providing recommendations to leadership for variations as needed. Track and allocate scholarship spend.
  
• Position requires some evening and weekend work for admissions-related programming.
  
• Occasional to frequent travel to conferences and admissions-related recruitment events domestically and internationally.

Education and Experience:

A Master's degree is required. MBA is preferred.

A minimum of ten (10) years of professional experience, with at least three (3) years of management experience is required. Some admissions experience is also required, preferably with MBA admissions.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Candidate must demonstrate strong interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills, with the ability to effectively engage and collaborate with stakeholders across the University, including students, faculty, staff, and prospective students. Must also have the ability to build, foster, and maintain productive professional relationships with a broad range of constituencies. Strong presentation and public speaking skills, including the ability to clearly communicate information to audiences of varying sizes, are essential.

Candidate must possess strong problem-solving skills and critical-thinking abilities, with the capacity to identify challenges, analyze information, and develop effective, data-informed solutions. Must also have strong organizational, planning, and time-management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines. Strong analytical skills, including the ability to assess outcomes and utilize data to support decision-making, are required. Strong attention to detail and accuracy are essential.

Candidate must have strong fiscal planning and budget management skills. Demonstrated track record of achieving measurable results and meeting organizational goals is essential. The ability to lead, motivate, and develop professional staff while fostering a collaborative, high-performing work environment is required.

Candidates must have a strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite. Experience with and/or knowledge admissions software (e.g. Slate, Salesforce) preferred.

Physical and Environmental Demands:

• Sit for long periods of time

Deadline to Apply:

The position is open until filled.

Review of applications will begin immediately and full consideration will be given to applications received by September 14, 2026.

EEO Statement:

SMU is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, sexual orientation, or gender identity and expression.

SMU offers staff a broad, competitive array of healthand related benefit s. In addition to traditional benefits such as health, dental, and vision plans, SMU offers a wide range of wellness programs to help attract, support, and retain our employees whose work continues to make SMU an outstanding education and research institution.

SMU is committed to providing an array of retirement programs that benefit and protect you and your family throughout your working years at SMUand, if you meet SMU's retirement eligibility criteria, during your retirement years after you leave SMU.