Senior Associate Dean, Executive Education

Columbia Business School; New York (NY); On-site; USD 260,000 - 290,000; Full time

Job summary

Columbia Business School in New York seeks a Senior Associate Dean to lead the Executive Education enterprise, overseeing a ~50-person team and $40-50 million in annual revenue across custom, open enrollment, and online programs. You will translate strategy into execution and drive operational and commercial performance.

Reporting to the Vice Dean, you will align faculty engagement, curriculum relevance, and market positioning with CBS’s mission.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 8 years of progressive leadership experience, with demonstrated success in a senior general management or operational leadership role overseeing a complex, revenue-generating function.
• Proven track record of commercial performance, including revenue growth, client development, and P&L management.
• Strong people leadership skills, including experience managing large, multi-function teams and building high-performing organizational cultures.
• Experience working effectively with faculty or senior subject matter experts in a professional or academic environment.
• Exceptional communication and executive presence, with the ability to represent CBS credibly to corporate clients, senior administrators, and external partners.

Responsibilities

• Translate executive education strategy into clear priorities, plans, and accountabilities across the full portfolio.
• Own the performance of the Executive Education enterprise - revenue, margin, client outcomes, and program quality - across custom, open enrollment, and online offerings.
• Lead annual and multi-year planning processes, including portfolio strategy, investment priorities, and resource allocation across the function.
• Monitor competitive dynamics across the executive education market and ensure CBS's portfolio is well-positioned against peer institutions and non-academic providers.
• Represent the Executive Education function on the broader CBS leadership team and in external forums as needed.

Skills

Executive communication

Team leadership

Strategic thinking

Client development

Education

MBA or relevant advanced degree

Job description

Grade 16

• Job Type: Officer of Administration
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Salary Range: $260,000 - $290,000

The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to departmental budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training. The above hiring range represents the University's good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.

Position Summary

Reporting to the Vice Dean for Executive Education, the Senior Associate Dean is the senior operational and strategic leader of Columbia Business School's Executive Education enterprise - a portfolio generating approximately $40 to $50 million in annual revenue across custom, open enrollment, and online programs. The Senior Associate Dean has full responsibility for the function's people, operations, finances, and commercial performance, and serves as the Vice Dean's primary partner in translating the School's executive education strategy into execution. This is a general management role at scale: the Senior Associate Dean oversees a team of approximately 50 professionals across program management, marketing, sales, operations, finance, and compliance, and is accountable for the results of the entire enterprise.

About Columbia Business School

For over a century, Columbia Business School has helped develop leaders and builders of enterprises who drive value for their stakeholders and society at large through our MBA, MS, PhD, and Executive Education programs. We are equally committed to cultivating new scholars and teachers, and to creating and disseminating pathbreaking knowledge, concepts, and tools which advance the understanding and practice of management through our faculty research and PhD programs. Our vision is simple: to develop ideas and leaders that transform the world - from the very center of business.

Our ever-evolving curriculum - featuring pioneering courses, STEM certification, and immersive experiential learning - prepares students to excel in key areas such as digital transformation, entrepreneurship, AI and innovation, twenty-first century finance, the intersection of business and society, and climate and sustainability. The CBS administration enables CBS’ educational and scholarly mission through strategic and operational guidance and support, optimizing School resources through well-designed, transparent processes with a culture of respect for all.

Responsibilities

Strategy and General Management

• Serve as the Vice Dean's primary operating partner, translating executive education strategy into clear priorities, plans, and accountabilities across the full portfolio.
• Own the performance of the Executive Education enterprise - revenue, margin, client outcomes, and program quality - across custom, open enrollment, and online offerings.
• Lead annual and multi-year planning processes, including portfolio strategy, investment priorities, and resource allocation across the function.
• Monitor competitive dynamics across the executive education market and ensure CBS's portfolio is well-positioned against peer institutions and non-academic providers.
• Represent the Executive Education function on the broader CBS leadership team and in external forums as needed.

Faculty Engagement and Academic Partnership

• Build and sustain strong working relationships with CBS faculty, ensuring they are engaged as partners in the design, development, and delivery of executive education programs.
• Work with the Vice Dean and academic leadership to identify faculty whose research and expertise align with market demand, and create structures that make faculty engagement in executive education rewarding and sustainable.
• Ensure program content across the portfolio reflects CBS's intellectual strengths and meets the evolving needs of executives and organizations.
• Partner with the Senior Vice Dean for Curriculum and Instruction and other academic leaders on matters at the intersection of executive education and the School's broader academic mission.

Commercial Performance and Sales

• Oversee the full commercial operation of Executive Education, including business development, marketing, and sales across custom and open enrollment programs.
• Drive growth in the domestic and New York market specifically, ensuring CBS has a strong presence and pipeline among local and regional corporate clients.
• Ensure marketing and sales functions are well-aligned, with clear messaging, a strong brand presence, and effective lead generation and conversion across all channels.
• Partner with the Senior Executive Director of Custom Executive Education on client stewardship and business development for the custom portfolio, and ensure open enrollment and online offerings are similarly well-positioned commercially.

Operations, Finance, and Compliance

• Oversee the operational infrastructure of the Executive Education function, including program logistics, technology platforms, vendor management, and facilities coordination.
• Hold full responsibility for the function's financial performance, including budgeting, forecasting, margin management, and financial reporting in partnership with CBS's Financial Planning Office.
• Ensure compliance with University policies, contractual obligations, and applicable regulatory requirements across all Executive Education activities.
• Build and maintain operational systems and processes that allow a growing portfolio to scale without sacrificing quality or service.

Team Leadership and Organizational Development

• Lead, develop, and manage a team of approximately 50 professionals, fostering a high-performing, collaborative culture with clear goals, strong accountability, and genuine investment in staff growth.
• Build management depth within the function, ensuring senior leaders across custom, open, online, marketing, operations, and finance have the support and direction they need to lead their areas effectively.
• Partner with HR and the Vice Dean on organizational design, hiring, and talent development as the function evolves.

Minimum Qualifications

• Minimum of 8 years of progressive leadership experience, with demonstrated success in a senior general management or operational leadership role overseeing a complex, revenue-generating function.
• Proven track record of commercial performance, including revenue growth, client development, and P&L management.
• Strong people leadership skills, including experience managing large, multi-function teams and building high-performing organizational cultures.
• Experience working effectively with faculty or senior subject matter experts in a professional or academic environment.
• Exceptional communication and executive presence, with the ability to represent CBS credibly to corporate clients, senior administrators, and external partners.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in executive education, professional learning, or a related field.
• Familiarity with the New York and domestic corporate learning market.
• Experience managing online or digital program portfolios.
• MBA or relevant advanced degree strongly preferred.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.