Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs

Des Moines University Medicine and Health Sciences; West Des Moines (IA); On-site; USD 230,000 - 360,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Tuition assistance

10% retirement match

Flexible work arrangements

Wellness facilities access

Professional development funding

Job summary

Des Moines University Medicine and Health Sciences (DMU) in West Des Moines, IA, seeks a Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs to serve as the University’s chief academic and student affairs officer, providing visionary leadership across the student lifecycle and academic enterprise.

This executive will align academic affairs, enrollment management, and student services with our mission and strategic priorities.

Qualifications

• Terminal degree required; leadership experience in higher education preferred.
• Minimum seven to ten years of administrative experience in a complex institution; experience in an academic health sciences setting preferred.
• Position profile available at the bottom of the posting.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for academic affairs, enrollment management, and student services.
• Lead development of a unified student success strategy across recruitment, admissions, retention, and alumni engagement.
• Oversee academic quality, accreditation efforts, new program development, and continuous improvement.
• Direct and support senior leaders across admissions, student affairs, financial aid, counseling, institutional effectiveness, and registrar functions.
• Advise the President and Board of Trustees on academic and student affairs, supporting governance and strategic initiatives.
• Champion collaboration, accountability, and data‑informed decision‑making to promote student success and campus vitality.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Data‑informed decision making

Cross‑functional collaboration

Education

Terminal degree (PhD, EdD, MD, DO, or equivalent)

Job description

As a key member of the President’s Executive Leadership Team, the Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs serves as the University’s chief academic and student affairs officer, providing visionary leadership across the full student lifecycle and academic enterprise. This influential executive role is responsible for advancing institutional excellence by aligning academic affairs, enrollment management, and student services with the University’s mission, strategic priorities, and commitment to student success. The ideal candidate is a collaborative and forward-thinking leader who brings a deep understanding of higher education, a passion for innovation and continuous improvement, and the ability to foster a culture of accountability, engagement, and evidence-based decision-making. Working closely with academic and administrative leaders, faculty, students, and the Board of Trustees, the Vice President will help shape the future of the University by strengthening educational quality, enhancing the student experience, driving enrollment growth, and ensuring operational and financial sustainability.

What You’ll Do

• Provide strategic leadership for all academic affairs, enrollment management, and student services, ensuring alignment with the University’s mission, vision, strategic plan, and long‑term institutional goals.
• Lead the development and execution of a unified student success strategy across the entire enrollment continuum, from recruitment and admissions through graduation, retention, and alumni engagement.
• Oversee academic quality, innovation, and accreditation efforts, including the development of new programs, assessment of existing programs, continuous quality improvement initiatives, and compliance with accrediting and regulatory requirements.
• Direct and support senior leaders responsible for admissions and recruitment, student affairs, financial aid, counseling services, institutional effectiveness, academic innovation, and registrar functions to achieve operational excellence and student‑centered outcomes.
• Serve as a key advisor to the President and Board of Trustees, providing leadership on academic and student affairs matters, participating in executive‑level decision‑making, and supporting institutional governance and strategic initiatives.
• Champion a culture of collaboration, accountability, and data‑informed decision‑making, promoting student success, organizational effectiveness, regulatory compliance, and a positive campus experience for all students.

What We Are Looking For

• An earned terminal degree from an accredited institution of higher education (e.g., Ph.D., Ed.D., M.D., D.O., or equivalent)
• Minimum of seven to ten years of administrative experience in a complex, private or public sector institution; experience in an academic health sciences setting would be preferred.
• To see the full job profile go to Position Description at the bottom of this posting.

Total Rewards

Our employees are what make DMU special, so we treat them well! Our Total Rewards reflect this commitment.

Qualified faculty and staff enjoy a generous employer contribution toward the medical plan, 10% retirement match, flexible work arrangements, community service time, tuition assistance, professional development funding and access to wellness facilities with programs that promote a well‑balanced lifestyle.

DMU is proud to offer employees generous benefits and perks, paid time off, free use of wellness facilities and a host of employee engagement and recognition programs throughout the year.

Visit www.dmu.edu/employment to learn more about our benefits.

About

Founded in 1898, Des Moines University Medicine and Health Sciences is a premier medical and health sciences institution comprising three colleges — the College of Osteopathic Medicine, the College of Podiatric Medicine and Surgery and the College of Health Sciences. DMU offers graduate‑level professional degree programs in anatomy, biomedical sciences, health care administration, medical science, occupational therapy, osteopathic medicine, physical therapy, physician assistant studies, podiatric medicine and public health.

Located in West Des Moines, part of Iowa’s capital metro, DMU provides a collaborative, student‑centered academic environment. Our students consistently exceed national benchmarks in board exam performance, certification pass rates and medical residency match outcomes. Our mission is to improve lives in our global community by educating diverse groups of highly competent and compassionate health professionals.

It is an exciting time to join DMU. Our 88‑acre campus in West Des Moines brings the entire academic community together in one collaborative, future‑focused environment, while the Des Moines University Clinic serves patients within the DMU32 Health and Business Complex in downtown Des Moines. Our state‑of‑the‑art campus features technology‑rich, flexible learning environments that support innovative teaching and connect faculty and students across all of our programs. Modern research facilities include a vibrant open‑concept laboratory that fosters collaboration, accelerates discovery and empowers faculty and students to advance the health sciences.

DMU enhances our community’s quality of life by educating outstanding health professionals and leaders, providing expert and compassionate patient care, serving the community in diverse ways and contributing to the vitality of central Iowa.

At DMU, you will make a meaningful contribution to the dynamic future of medicine and health sciences by supporting a diverse community of faculty and staff with programs and services across the employee lifecycle.

Required Documents

Resume, cover letter and contact information for three professional references required at time of online submission.

Department: Office of Academic Affairs

Status: Exempt

Position Description