Global Education Executive Director & Innovation Leader

Duke PA; Durham (NC); On-site; USD 92,000 - 183,000; Full time

Job summary

Duke University’s Office of Undergraduate Education seeks an Executive Director of Global Education to lead the GEO. This role shapes global learning opportunities for undergraduates while advancing experiential education, intercultural learning, and academic excellence across Duke’s study-abroad and domestic programs.

The Executive Director provides strategic, operational, and financial leadership, guiding partnerships, risk management, and program development to expand access, quality, and

Qualifications

• Earned doctorate required (PhD, JD, or EdD).
• Minimum eight years in international education; at least five in leadership.
• Experience leading international programs with personnel, risk, and financial oversight.
• Proven ability to develop and sustain study-away programs.
• Experience negotiating partnerships and contracts with domestic and international institutions.
• Ability to navigate legal, compliance, risk, and safety in international programming.
• Ability to lead complex teams and organizational change.

Responsibilities

• Implement the strategic vision for Duke Global Education in partnership with senior university leadership and the Global Education Advisory Committee.
• Identify and launch innovative global and domestic study-away programs, partnership models, and experiential learning opportunities that align with university priorities and evolving student interests.
• Monitor international education trends and emerging opportunities to ensure Duke remains a leader in global learning.
• Foster a culture of innovation, responsiveness, and continuous improvement that enhances student, faculty, and partner experiences.
• Provide executive oversight of GEO's compliance with U.S. regulations, international laws, Duke policies, host-country requirements, and accreditation expectations.
• Lead risk assessment, emergency preparedness, and crisis response efforts across the global education portfolio in collaboration with Duke's Office of Global Health and Safety.
• Serve as the primary liaison with legal counsel on contracts, institutional agreements, and partnership negotiations.
• Advise university leadership regarding significant legal, financial, operational, and reputational risks.
• Lead and develop a high-performing, geographically distributed team responsible for advising, program administration, marketing, faculty support, and student services.
• Establish operational priorities, staffing strategies, and workforce plans that support organizational effectiveness and long-term growth.
• Manage GEO's overall financial performance, including budget development, revenue forecasting, enrollment targets, pricing models, and profitability analysis.
• Develop strategies that increase revenue diversification and growth while maintaining affordability and access for students.
• Oversee the full lifecycle of study-away programs, including program design, launch, evaluation, enhancement, and retirement.
• Ensure programs align with curricular goals, student learning outcomes, and institutional objectives.
• Direct credit-transfer activities, course approvals, registration processes, and international grade conversion practices.
• Advance student belonging, accessibility, intercultural learning, and educational outcomes through program design and advising services.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Global education expertise

Risk management

Negotiation & partnerships

Intercultural communication

Education

Earned doctorate (Ph.D., J.D., or Ed.D.)

Tools

CRM systems

Advising technologies

AI-enabled tools

Job description

Duke University’s Office of Undergraduate Education seeks an Executive Director of Global Education to lead the GEO. This role shapes global learning opportunities for undergraduates while advancing experiential education, intercultural learning, and academic excellence across Duke’s study-abroad and domestic programs.

The Executive Director provides strategic, operational, and financial leadership, guiding partnerships, risk management, and program development to expand access, quality, and