Associate Dean, Faculty Development

Overview Princeton's School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA) seeks an Associate Dean for Graduate Admissions, Career Development, and Alumni Relations. The Associate Dean provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for graduate student recruitment, the admissions process, career services, and alumni engagement. The role shapes the student lifecycle from prospective applicant to engaged alumnus and ensures alignment with the school's mission and values. SPIA's alumni networks are integral to recruitment and career development programming, and the Associate Dean will coordinate these efforts by nurturing relationships and overseeing communication with global networks.

Reporting to the Senior Associate Dean for Academic Administration, the Associate Dean is a member of the School's leadership team and collaborates with faculty, administrative units, and external partners to design and implement outreach strategies to support admissions, career preparation, and global alumni engagement. The position requires a policy-focused professional with a record of public service in domestic or international affairs, who is a strategic thinker, an exceptional communicator, and a principled leader capable of navigating complexity with fairness and integrity.

The Associate Dean oversees the graduate admissions process in collaboration with the admissions staff and faculty admissions committee, ensuring SPIA’s graduate students reflect diverse perspectives and backgrounds critical for today’s policy challenges. The Associate Dean will leverage professional experience and partner with alumni networks to craft strategic career development programming and articulate the School's alumni engagement strategy for its global network. The role involves coordinating with the School's Centers and Programs, faculty, alumni networks, and international institutions to align global outreach with recruitment, curricular, career development, alumni, and public affairs programming.

Graduate Admissions and Recruitment

Oversee a comprehensive admissions strategy to attract a diverse, mission-aligned applicant pool for three degree-granting graduate programs:

Early career Master in Public Affairs (MPA)

Mid-career Master in Public Policy (MPP)

PhD

Science, Technology, and Environmental Policy

Supervise the admissions process, including application review, selection criteria, and yield management.

Manage a team of four full-time admissions staff who plan and host recruiting events on and off campus and assist with all aspects of the admissions process.

Analyze admissions data and trends to inform strategy and improve outcomes.

Strengthen relationships with external institutions and agencies and identify new networks to expand recruiting pipelines.

Collaborate with faculty on admissions policies and selection processes; communicate objectives with leadership, faculty, and stakeholders.

Read and evaluate all applications for review by the Graduate Admissions Committee.

Implement best practices in online admissions, document management, student relationship management, and application review processes.

Analyze inquiry, applicant, and enrolled student data for recruitment strategy development and evaluation.

This position requires international and domestic travel for student recruitment events, open houses, and information sessions, and occasional evening and weekend commitments.

Provide strategic direction for career planning and placement, including coaching, employer relations, and internships.

Manage a team of two to three full-time professionals who provide career coaching and oversee career-related programming.

Ensure students are equipped with the skills, networks, and experiences necessary for impactful careers.

Track and report employment outcomes and continuously improve career programming.

Ensure career development programming aligns with students’ academic experience in collaboration with faculty and senior staff.

Partner with the School's engaged alumni network to assist with career development programming.

Manage a team of one to two full-time professional staff who plan and host alumni events on and off campus.

Cultivate alumni networks to support admissions, mentorship, and career placement.

Develop programs that foster lifelong connections between alumni and the school.

Coordinate international and domestic travel for alumni events, open houses, and information sessions.

Serve as a key advisor to the Dean on enrollment, career outcomes, and alumni relations.

Position the School strategically to attract and yield top graduate students committed to public service.

Represent the school at professional conferences, consortia, and external events.

Master's degree and minimum of ten years of professional experience in a domestic or international government or non-governmental agency, multilateral organization, non-profit, philanthropic organization, or related.

Demonstrated success in strategic planning, program development, and team management.

Strong analytical skills and experience using data to drive decision-making.

Exceptional communication and relationship-building skills.

Tact, diplomacy, discretion, and appreciation for the values of higher education.

Excellent administrative and organizational skills with attention to detail and deadlines.

Willingness to work evenings and weekends as needed.

Prior experience in higher education is desirable but not essential.

Familiarity with the SPIA community of graduate alumni is highly desirable but not essential.

The ideal candidate will work independently with limited supervision, demonstrate initiative, be self-motivated, and manage competing priorities while delivering results. Occasional evenings and weekends may be required.

Experience with admissions, career development, and/or alumni engagement in a graduate school of public policy, international affairs, or a related discipline.

Advanced degree in public affairs or international relations.

Princeton University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

The University considers factors such as scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate's qualifications, work experience, education/training, key skills, market, and organizational considerations when extending an offer. The posted salary range represents the University's good faith and reasonable estimate for a full-time position; salaries for part-time positions are pro-rated accordingly.

If the salary range on the posted position shows an hourly rate, this is the baseline; the actual hourly rate may be higher depending on the position and factors listed above.

The University also offers a comprehensive benefit program to eligible employees. Eligible for Overtime

Essential Services Personnel (see policy for detail)