Executive Director, Academic Operations

uscareers-nyu; New York (NY); On-site; USD 130,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

New York University in New York, NY seeks an Executive Director of Academic Operations to lead Graduate Admissions, Financial Aid, Online Program Operations, and Project Management.

This role partners with Academic Affairs, Faculty Affairs, Finance and Administration, Marketing and Web to implement data-driven enrollment strategies and school-wide policies that support the academic mission and long-term fiscal health.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree required; Master's degree preferred.
• 7+ years progressive leadership in higher education, SEM, graduate financial aid modeling, online program operations, or university policy development at a large institution.
• Strong collaboration and stakeholder management across matrixed university teams with data-driven decision making.

Responsibilities

• Oversee Offices of Graduate Admissions and Financial Aid, Online Program Operations, and Project Management.
• Serve as the school-level liaison for Undergraduate Admissions.
• Develop and implement evidence-based enrollment growth strategies and school-wide operational academic policies.
• Collaborate with Academic Affairs, Faculty Affairs, Finance and Administration, Marketing and Web.

Skills

Graduate Admissions

Strategic Enrollment Management

Data analytics

Change management

Vendor management

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Master's Degree

Job description

Position Summary

Reporting directly to the Vice Dean for Academic Affairs, the Executive Director of Academic Operations oversees the Offices of Graduate Admissions and Financial Aid, Online Program Operations, and Project Management. This leader also serves as the strategic school-level liaison for Undergraduate Admissions. Operating at the intersection of educational excellence and modern institutional sustainability, this role is responsible for executing evidence-based, data-driven growth strategies for graduate enrollments and online programs, and developing and implementing school-wide operational academic policies. Every aspect of this portfolio is designed to champion and protect the school’s academic mission while building the state-of-the-art enrollment and operational infrastructure necessary for long-term fiscal viability and institutional growth. This position requires deep, continuous collaboration with all school-wide teams (Academic Affairs, Faculty Affairs, Finance and Administration, Marketing and Web) and departments to ensure all initiatives are academic-led, and student-centered.

Qualifications

Required Education: Bachelor's Degree and Preferred Education: Master's Degree

Required Experience: 7+ years Progressive leadership experience in higher education, specifically within strategic enrollment management (SEM), graduate financial aid modeling, academic operations, online program development and implementation, or university policy development at a large institution.

Required Skills, Knowledge and Abilities: Advanced Enrollment Competency: Proven track record of leveraging modern recruitment technologies, predictive analytics, and data ecology to drive enrollment and yield in a graduate or online space. Scale & Sophistication: Proven track record of navigating the operational complexities of a large school across multiple distinct departments. Collaborative Diplomat: Demonstrated success navigating highly matrixed organizations and building deep, collaborative relationships with cross-functional leaders and diverse faculty groups. Communication & Mission Alignment: Evidence of being an active listener and a clear, transparent communicator who builds trust across diverse groups, with a deep, demonstrated commitment to the school’s academic mission. Vendor Management: Track record of managing complex, high-stakes relationships with third-party education vendors or Online Program Managers (OPMs) using data-driven accountability frameworks.

Additional Information

In compliance with NYC's Pay Transparency Act, the annual base salary range for this position is USD $130,000.00 to USD $170,000.00. New York University considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate's work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, as well as, market and organizational considerations when extending an offer. This pay range represents base pay only and excludes any additional items such as incentives, bonuses, clinical compensation, or other items. NYU aims to be among the greenest urban campuses in the country and carbon neutral by 2040. Learn more at nyu.edu/nyugreen. NYU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to a policy of equal treatment and opportunity in every aspect of its recruitment and hiring process without regard to age, alienage, caregiver status, childbirth, citizenship status, color, creed, disability, domestic violence victim status, ethnicity, familial status, gender and/or gender identity or expression, marital status, military status, national origin, parental status, partnership status, predisposing genetic characteristics, pregnancy, race, religion, reproductive health decision making, sex, sexual orientation, unemployment status, veteran status, or any other legally protected basis.