Assistant Director

Duke Careers; Durham (NC); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Duke University School of Medicine, DPHS, seeks an Assistant Director of Education to develop and administer education programs across undergraduate and graduate levels. This hybrid role requires on-site presence up to 2.5 days/week, collaborating with faculty, students, staff, and partners throughout Duke Health.

The role emphasizes independent judgment, emotional intelligence, and a collaborative approach to managing program operations, admissions, and curriculum oversight.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required with 5+ years in designing, delivering, and evaluating business education or training.
• Equivalent combination of education and experience accepted.
• Strong independent judgment, emotional intelligence, and collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Lead admissions activities such as Admitted Students Weekend, with planning, budget oversight and event execution.
• Develop admissions materials for MS and PhD programs; manage applications and liaison with DPHS admissions committee.
• Oversee onboarding and new student assimilation, including events and campus orientation.
• Execute marketing and recruitment campaigns and content for educational programs.
• Provide proactive student support, resolve issues, and manage internships and theses logistics.
• Oversee curriculum planning, course scheduling, and program evaluation; supervise the Program Coordinator.

Skills

Collaboration

Organization

Communication

Strategic thinking

Event planning

Public speaking

Budget familiarity

Education

Bachelor’s degree in a related field

Job description

Select how often (in days) to receive an alert:

Work Arrangement: Hybrid (On-Site and Remote mix)

Requisition Number: 272892

Regular or Temporary: Regular

Location: Durham, NC, US, 27710

Date: Jul 23, 2026

School of Medicine Established in 1930, Duke University School of Medicine is the youngest of the nation's top medical schools. Ranked sixth among medical schools in the nation, the School takes pride in being an inclusive community of outstanding learners, investigators, clinicians, and staff where interdisciplinary collaboration is embraced and great ideas accelerate translation of fundamental scientific discoveries to improve human health locally and around the globe. Composed of more than 2,600 faculty physicians and researchers, nearly 2,000 students, and more than 6,200 staff, the Duke University School of Medicine along with the Duke University School of Nursing, and Duke University Health System comprise Duke Health, a world-class academic medical center. The Health System encompasses Duke University Hospital, Duke Regional Hospital, Duke Raleigh Hospital, Duke Health Integrated Practice, Duke Primary Care, Duke Home Care and Hospice, Duke Health and Wellness, and multiple affiliations.

Be You.

The Department of Population Health Sciences in Duke University School of Medicine seeks an Assistant Director of Education to assist with the continued development and administration of all DPHS educational programs, both at the undergraduate and graduate levels. This position reports to the Associate Director of Education and works closely with faculty, students, staff, and administrative partners across schools, departments, campus offices, and the School of Medicine. This role requires strong independent judgment, emotional intelligence, and a collaborative and open-minded approach to working with a wide range of personalities and working styles. The successful candidate will be expected to assess issues appropriately, distinguish routine matters from higher-stakes concerns, solve problems independently when possible, and elevate matters thoughtfully when needed.

This is a hybrid position with an on-site presence required up to 2.5 days per week, based on program needs, student-facing activities, events, and departmental priorities.

Minimum Requirements:

Work requires completion of a Bachelor’s degree, as well as a minimum of 5 years in the design, delivery, and evaluation of business-related education, training, and/or development programs, preferably in a research environment. Or an equivalent combination of relevant education and/or experience.

Preferred Skills:

• Demonstrated ability to collaborate successfully with diverse constituencies, including faculty, students, staff, leaders, and partners with varied personalities, working styles, and communication preferences
• A highly organized work strategy and the ability to coordinate multiple parties
• Experience working with faculty and leaders from both within and without Duke
• Demonstrated ability to handle multiple activities simultaneously
• Strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills, including the ability to remain composed, clear, and constructive in sensitive or ambiguous situations
• High level of creativity, initiative, and motivation
• Strategic mindset to identify opportunities that can be leveraged
• Excellent presentation skills
• Strong service orientation with the judgement to distinguish routine requests from matters requiring urgent attention or escalation
• Attention to detail and follow-through
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision, exercise discretion, make sound decisions within role scope, and recognize when consultation or escalation is appropriate
• Flexibility to adapt to change, re-prioritize assignments as needed, and maintain progress across multiple concurrent responsibilities
• Comfortable working in situations where no previous models exist; able to develop practical processes, make recommendations, and move work forward without waiting for step-by-step direction
• High emotional intelligence, diplomacy, and professional maturity when navigating student, faculty, staff, and leadership interactions
• Demonstrated ability to assess the stakes of a situation, respond proportionately, and avoid unnecessary escalation while still recognizing true risks
• Proven follow-through and ownership of complex workstreams, including anticipating needs, identifying gaps, and resolving issues before they become barriers
• Proficiency in MS Office Suite programs, and willingness to learn additional programs and software when needed
• Familiarity with budgets and spreadsheets
• Familiarity with developing and executing regulatory documents a plus, in order to advise students as they begin their research experience.

Be Bold.

Work Performed:

Admissions

Lead pivotal aspects of the admissions process, such as the annual Admitted Students Weekend, including planning, coordination, budget oversight, and event execution. Conduct comprehensive post-weekend evaluations to gather feedback and strategize improvements.

Together with the Director of Graduate Studies, lead the development of admissions materials for MS and PhD programs. Oversee the application process. Engage with DPHS admissions committee members as necessary.

Assume full responsibility for new student assimilation, including all onboarding activities, such as special events, guest speakers, group outings, and department welcome.

Recruitment/Marketing

Execute the marketing and recruitment strategies set by the Associate Director. Lead the deployment of marketing and recruitment campaigns and content. Anticipate and forecast future education marketing and communications needs for DPHS, encompassing departmental digital sign content, showcasing current student achievements, and crafting DPHS newsletter/digest content.

Lead recruitment and marketing for educational programs, including developing marketing strategy and related assets and collaborating closely with Duke School of Medicine Communications for implementation. This includes leveraging social media, designing flyers, arranging event photography/videography, and coordinating promotional items.

Lead the planning and execution of special promotional events tailored for prospective students such as Beginner’s Guide sessions and Virtual Info Sessions.

Student Support

Serve as the first point of contact for operational and logistical student and faculty matters, resolving where possible, and strategically directing and communicating issues to relevant personnel. Lead the resolution of student and faculty concerns, using sound judgment to assess urgency, risk, and appropriate next steps; communicate and elevate issues to relevant personnel when warranted.

Oversee all MS internships, research assistantships, capstone projects, and theses defenses, ensuring smooth logistics and support throughout.

Oversee PhD comprehensive exams, dissertation proposal presentations, and dissertation defenses, managing all associated logistics and scheduling.

Provide regular and on-demand advice and guidance to individual students on complex academic issues.

Disseminate time-sensitive information to students, facilitate connections with campus support services, and share job and professional development opportunities.

Manage guest speakers, drop-in services, and workshops for support services.

Serve as a resource and provide expert knowledge for DPHS Student Council.

Offer comprehensive support for student visa concerns, including CPT and OPT documentation for all students.

Assist faculty leadership with individual student scholarship applications and the preparation of the annual Graduate School awards request.

Lead the planning and execution of all departmental graduation events.

Identify and facilitate educational opportunities beyond Duke for DPHS students.

Establish, nurture, and expand a robust network of DPHS alumni connections, spearheading events and opportunities for alumni engagement with the department.

Faculty Support

Oversee the Graduate Faculty nomination process and associated documentation.

Collaborate with the Director of Graduate Studies and the Graduate Programs Director to develop teaching faculty meeting agendas, extend invitations to guests, and manage meeting logistics.

Facilitate faculty access to teaching and administrative support services.

Build effective, service-oriented working relationships with faculty and program leaders, including individuals with varied communication styles, priorities, and expectations.

Curriculum/Courses

Support the Graduate Program Director curriculum and teaching decisions operationally, ensuring readiness of all aspects of new and recurring classes for registration in Courseleaf.

Proactively communicate with current students about upcoming registration periods and mandatory classes.

Support comprehensive examination scheduling and logistics under the Graduate Program Director.

Review and update TGS Bulletin annually.

Program Matters

Supervise the Program Coordinator, shaping their scope of work, providing guidance, evaluating performance, and driving enhancements.

Exercise full oversight and administration of the annual DPHS Summer Institute and Professional Certificate in Population Health Sciences Research.

Support the Graduate Program Director’s competency mapping and curriculum standards operationally.

Partner with the Office of Biomedical Graduate Education (OBGE) to oversee and manage all course evaluations dissemination and collection.

Independently identify operational needs, recommend practical solutions, and move routine program work forward with minimal day-to-day supervision.

Choose Duke.

Join our award-winning team as identified by Forbes magazine as America’s Best Large Employer 2024 and be part of an inclusive culture that values excellence, innovation, and discovery. As an organization, we have exciting opportunities to be forward-thinking leaders in our field. We want talented individuals to join us, examine our current operations, and create innovative solutions that will revolutionize and enhance the way we approach our work.

Duke University is consistently ranked among the top universities worldwide and is renowned for its cutting‑edge research across disciplines.

Beyond the engaging work, you'll also benefit from Duke's competitive benefits package including health insurance plans, generous paid time off, retirement programs with employer contributions, tuition assistance for employees and their children, and more.

Duke is an Affinitive Action/Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status.

Equal Opportunity Employer:

Duke is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy and pregnancy- related conditions), sexual orientation, or military status.

Duke aspirations to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas—an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourish. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.

Essential Physical Job Functions:

Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essential job functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and reasonable accommodation(s) can be requested with Duke Access and Accommodations Services (email: [e-mail]; phone: [phone]).

Nearest Major Market: Durham

Nearest Secondary Market: Raleigh

Read more about Duke’s commitment to affirmative action and nondiscrimination at hr.duke.edu/eeo.