Dean of the Undergraduate College

The next Dean of the Undergraduate College (UGC) at National Louis University will join a college focused on advancing the mission of driving excellent outcomes in bachelor’s degree attainment and employment, by providing a student-centered, innovative, professionally-focused, inclusive, and supportive learning experience for NLU undergraduate students. The Dean of the Undergraduate College will need to be an enterprising and bold visionary prepared to explore, develop, and implement innovative approaches to curriculum and instruction, student engagement, student support, career preparation, and faculty and staff development, leading the college to higher and more equitable student outcomes. The Dean must embrace and model a growth mindset and practice that prioritizes career readiness and employment outcomes as the ultimate measure of its graduates. Further, the Dean must be willing to challenge the status quo of current academic and student support models to reduce complexity, increase efficiency and advance strategies and cutting-edge models that lead to the academic, personal, and professional development and success of all students.

The next Dean must possess a data-informed orientation and have a track record of executing necessary change to advance the reputation and contributions of the college. With an eye on the present and an eye toward the future, the Dean should have strong command of and attention to the day-to-day business and academic operations of the college, while also having an ability to think strategically and systematically about priorities and opportunities to scale. The Dean must have a strong external presence and serve as a fundraiser and build relationships that will support innovative initiatives within the college.  The Dean should also demonstrate external awareness of relevant higher education trends as well as experience in cultivating partnerships to enhance the impact of the college. Overall, we seek a Dean who is relentlessly passionate about advancing success in students’ education and career outcomes, and who will build on the college’s early foundations while also challenging the status quo to lead the college to greater heights.

The Dean reports to the Provost and works directly with the President and Provost on strategic matters. The Dean will be responsible for leading a talented team of approximately 62 full-time faculty, 38 full-time staff, and 250+ adjunct faculty and part-time staff. The successful candidate will be a strategic, innovative, and results-oriented leader with a track record of success – setting clear expectations, inspiring people, collaborating across the institution, cultivating external champions, and managing effectively. This individual must show evidence of a deep appreciation for employing student-centered approaches; prioritizing instructional best practices; gaining internal and external stakeholder buy-in; and, exercising sound fiscal stewardship and decision-making related to the financial operations and goals of the college.

As a member of the University’s Leadership Team, the Dean must demonstrate the ability to think strategically, collaborate effectively, and execute at an enterprise level. This includes working across colleges and departments, contributing to institutional initiatives, and helping secure partnerships that advance the best interests of the University community. The Dean serves as an ambassador for the Undergraduate College and a key leader for the University. This includes building external relationships, cultivating partnerships and resources, supporting efforts to elevate the University’s brand, and serving as a thought leader by highlighting the innovative work and student success across the Undergraduate College and the institution.

• →Strategic Vision/Goal Setting and Execution: Provide vision and leadership for the College. In partnership with the Provost and aligned with the University’s strategic plan, establish multi-year vision and priorities as well as annual action plans to scale college enrollment and strengthen student outcomes - informed by institutional data and external trends. Ensure efficient processes and procedures are implemented to drive outcomes of strategic initiatives undertaken by the College. Guide ongoing reflection based on performance relative to priority Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) including student learning outcomes, persistence to graduation, employment, and student satisfaction. Collaborate closely with University Strategic Data Center to ensure relevant analytics inform and enhance College planning and execution.
• →Talent Acquisition and Team Leadership: Attract, hire, develop, and retain faculty and staff talent. Provide direction, coaching, and supervision to the college’s leadership team, including two associate deans, executive director of undergraduate student success, assistant dean of operations, and additional directors of priority strategic initiatives. Maintain a regular presence on campus and work with all stakeholders to advance the organizational culture of the College, which is based on student-centeredness, service excellence, data-informed decision-making, and continuous improvement/innovation. Engage actively in shared governance dialogues, cultivating a culture of inclusion and ensuring ongoing feedback loops with faculty and staff regarding priority College matters. Manage personnel matters related to faculty and staff in the College.
• →Instructional Quality, Student Support, and Career Success: In collaboration with associate deans, faculty, success coaches/advisors, and career staff, establish and execute priorities to grow student outcomes. Work with associate deans and faculty to advance the instructional model that is student-centered, strengths-based, industry-aligned, career-focused, culturally responsive, and data-informed. Collaborate with the Online Education unit to ensure high-quality experience and strong outcomes for UGC online students. Work with associate deans, chairs/directors, and Provost’s Office to complete annual program assessment and accreditation requirements. Work with executive director of undergraduate student success as well as Student Affairs, Academic Advising, and Learning Support teams to ensure robust academic advising, student engagement, and wraparound support services are provided. Partner closely with University Career Bridge department to advance integrated UGC career preparation and placement model, ensuring college-wide faculty and staff engagement in the career development and employment outcomes of UGC students. Engage actively with the UGC Dean’s Student Advisory Council to ensure student voice informs College plans.
• →Fundraising and External Partnership Development: Work closely with the University’s Institutional Advancement team to raise external funding through philanthropy, partnerships, and grants, including annual fundraising goals to build capacity, invest in innovation, and grow student support resources. Forge and strengthen strategic partnerships locally and nationally between school districts, community colleges, community organizations, and employers to build college capacity, cultivate employment opportunities, and fuel enrollment. Represent the College at public events. Cultivate and lead engagements with the College’s Brain Trust – a strategic advisory council to the College and Dean.
• →College Vitality and Strategic Growth: Work closely with the Vice President of Marketing and Enrollment to support student recruitment initiatives, and to foster the recognition and growth of the College. Collaborate with community partners including but not limited to the UGC external advisory council and multiple industry advisory councils to identify existing and emerging market needs for new programs and/or the transformation of existing programs. Explore opportunities for regional and national growth, e.g., via expansion to new campus locations and/or leveraging remote and online modalities.
• →Financial Stewardship: Work with UGC Assistant Dean of Operations and University VP of Finance to develop and manage the budget, allocating resources appropriately to achieve strategic goals. Ensure lean operating model wherein the College remains financially self-sustaining at the UGC’s affordable tuition rate. Collaborate with Institutional Advancement to ensure that annual fundraising goals are stretching, reasonable, and aligned with strategic priorities and student support needs.
• →Institutional Leadership: Serve as an active member of University leadership team including President’s Cabinet and Academic Cabinet. Contribute and model proactive and strategic thought leadership, student-centeredness, collaborative spirit, team leadership, and equity mindset to advance university planning and execution. Serve as a role model ambassador of NLU. Perform other duties and lead additional special initiatives as assigned.

• Earned doctorate in educational leadership, business administration, human services, or a related field required.
• Minimum of five years in leadership capacity with record of increasing responsibility.
• Demonstrated capacity for strategic leadership; the ability to move an organization forward, including supervision of large, cross-functional, and senior teams.
• A record of academic achievements including teaching and/or research supervision preferred.
• Experience in business planning as well as financial and budget management.
• Experience in developing community partnerships and strong relationships required, especially with community and employer partners; demonstrated ability to raise money preferred.
• Familiarity with online education, technology, and its impact on pedagogy.

National Louis University is a private not-for-profit university offering career-building, life-changing educational programs through the doctoral level. NLU serves a diverse student body and is recognized as both a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) and Minority-Serving Institution (MSI). Noted for its achievements in educational access, the Washington Monthly ranked NLU fourth on its Social Mobility list and first on its Best Bang for Your Buck – Midwest category. Money Magazine featured NLU on its “Colleges Whose Graduates Say They Make the World a Better Place” top 10 list.

At NLU, undergraduate tuition averages about $13,000, meaning that students who qualify for the maximum federal and state grants can attend the university for zero dollars out-of-pocket. As such, NLU is recognized as a national leader in closing the post-secondary completion gap, and students completing an undergraduate degree from NLU enter the workforce earning an estimated $46,000 per year after graduation, ranking NLU among the top five of all Illinois post-secondary schools.

The University offers more than 80 undergraduate and graduate degree programs through seven academic units: the Undergraduate College, Kendall College of Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management, the College of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, the National College of Education, the School of Business and Leadership, the School of Nursing, and Accelerate U, the University’s workforce development division. NLU is one of the most diverse universities in the Midwest, helping students of all ages and backgrounds achieve their personal and professional goals. Its network features three campuses in the Chicagoland area: Downtown Chicago, IL; Wheeling, IL; Lisle, IL, and one campus in Tampa, FL. The University offers programs through various modalities including face-to-face, blended, online, synchronous, and remote learning in which courses can be supplemented with well-planned and meaningful on-campus experiences.

After significant enrollment growth in recent years, including a 23% increase in new, degree-seeking student enrollment in AY23-24, NLU’s community is composed of nearly 13,000 students (6,300 of whom are undergraduates, and 6,700 are graduate students) and 775 full-time personnel across the four campuses and online programs. Among degree-seeking undergraduates, 60 percent are eligible for federal Pell grants and 58 percent are first-generation college students. Its average undergraduate age is 28 and graduate age is 37. Its students are from 50 states and 48 countries.

National Louis University is deeply committed to serving its community, advancing access and equity, and ensuring that all individuals are welcomed and valued.  We are dedicated to fostering a culture where diversity, equity, and inclusion remain at the core of who we are. These are more than just words to us: they are truly a way of life for the NLU community. We recognize that differences in abilities, age, ethnicity, gender (identity and expression), race, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, and background bring richness to our work environment. We affirm diverse perspectives, innovative contributions, and authentic presentations of self from every member within the NLU community. We believe inclusion is grounded in the actions we intentionally take each day. Our goal is to inspire and empower NLU employees and community members to cultivate an environment where we collectively focus on uplifting and advancing our institutional culture.

• Resume (Required)
• Cover Letter (Required)
• Current NLU employees please also submit an Internal Posting Form