Assistant Dean of Full-time/MS Graduate Admissions

Southern Methodist University (SMU) serves approximately 7,000 undergraduates and 5,000 graduate students through eight degree-granting schools. Located in Dallas, SMU is data-driven, with a powerful supercomputing ecosystem and entrepreneurial culture that fosters research excellence. The university supports students, faculty, and alumni in becoming ethical, enterprising leaders.

About the Role

This on-campus, in-person position drives the growth, competitiveness, and success of the Cox School of Business’s portfolio of full-time and MS graduate programs, including MBA (1-Year and 2-Year), MSA, MSBA, MSAIB, MSF, MSM, and MSEM. The role oversees programs enrolling over 500 students annually and generating more than $25 million in revenue, playing a critical role in advancing the school’s reputation, rankings, and strategic objectives.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement recruitment, admissions, and enrollment strategies to attract high-caliber candidates in a competitive market.
• Provide day-to-day leadership for the Full-Time and MS Admissions team, ensuring operational excellence across the candidate lifecycle.
• Oversee FT MBA and MS portfolio strategy, including program modifications, marketing, recruitment, revenue projections, and operational execution.
• Translate strategic vision into actionable goals and metrics for managers, collaborating with senior leadership to align with Cox’s broader strategy.
• Lead and manage the admissions team, including hiring, training, supervising, and evaluating staff to maintain high performance.
• Create and implement efficient processes for candidate awareness, application, assessment, and yield, integrating seamlessly with other Cox Graduate Programs.
• Collaborate with Cox leadership, Student Services, Career Center, Alumni Outreach, faculty, and vendors to enhance the student experience.
• Partner with marketing, corporate relations, and other stakeholders to plan and execute B2B and B2C campaigns for FT MBA and MS programs.
• Present to prospective students and corporate partners, representing the school’s graduate programs to industry stakeholders.
• Support the holistic student experience for Full-time MBA and MS programs, ensuring alignment with Student Services and Career Management Center.
• Coordinate accurate compilation and reporting of admissions-related data for rankings, internal reviews, and publications.
• Manage operational budget, aligning spending with strategic priorities, tracking annual expenditures, and allocating scholarship funds.

This position requires occasional evening and weekend work for admissions-related programming, as well as frequent domestic and international travel for conferences and recruitment events.

Requirements

• Master’s degree required; MBA preferred.
• Minimum of ten (10) years of professional experience, with at least three (3) years in a management role.
• Admissions experience, preferably in MBA admissions.

Skills

• Strong interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills, with the ability to engage diverse stakeholders.
• Proven ability to build and maintain productive professional relationships.
• Excellent presentation and public speaking skills for audiences of varying sizes.
• Strong problem-solving, critical-thinking, and analytical skills, with a data-driven approach to decision-making.
• Exceptional organizational, planning, and time-management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Attention to detail and accuracy in all tasks.
• Fiscal planning and budget management expertise.
• Track record of achieving measurable results and meeting organizational goals.
• Ability to lead, motivate, and develop a high-performing team in a collaborative environment.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite; experience with admissions software (e.g., Slate, Salesforce) preferred.

Benefits

SMU offers a competitive array of health and related benefits, including:

• Health, dental, and vision plans.
• Wellness programs to support employee well-being.
• Comprehensive retirement programs for long-term financial security.
• Professional and personal development opportunities, including tuition benefits.