Description

Associate Dean for Academic Affairs

Georgia Institute of Technology

A NATIONAL LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITY WITHIN THE COLLEGE OF LIFETIME LEARNING

Search conducted by Ferra Executive Search

The Role In Context

Georgia Institute of Technology seeks a distinguished academic leader to serve as Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in the College of Lifetime Learning. This tenured or tenure-track appointment will play a central role in shaping the academic direction, faculty governance, and degree-granting portfolio of one of the Institute’s newest and most forward-looking colleges.

Founded in 2024, the College of Lifetime Learning represents a strategic evolution in how Georgia Tech advances education across the full arc of life. As the College builds its academic identity, the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs will guide the development, approval, and stewardship of degree programs, oversee faculty affairs processes, and ensure that academic standards remain rigorous, transparent, and aligned with Institute and University System of Georgia expectations.

This role carries responsibility for the new School of Learning Systems, all degree programs housed within it, and the faculty affairs infrastructure of the College. The Associate Dean will serve as a senior academic leader and trusted advisor to the Dean, working closely with faculty, Institute leadership, and external stakeholders to advance the College’s long-term strategy.

The position requires deep familiarity with curriculum governance, accreditation processes, faculty recruitment and advancement, and institutional policy. At a pivotal moment in the College’s formation, the Associate Dean will help define the academic structures, policies, and processes that will guide the College for years to come.

Why This Role

This position offers the opportunity to shape the academic foundation of a newly established college at a leading public research university. The Associate Dean will guide program development, faculty growth, and governance structures that define the College’s scholarly identity and degree-granting authority.

Why Now

As the College advances toward its 2035 strategic goals, the development of coherent academic structures and rigorous curricular pathways is essential. Georgia Tech seeks a leader who can steward this work thoughtfully and deliberately, ensuring that innovation in learning is grounded in strong academic practice.

Why Georgia Tech

Georgia Tech’s scale, research intensity, and public mission provide a distinctive environment for advancing the study and practice of learning systems. The Institute’s commitment to academic excellence, freedom of inquiry, and ethical stewardship creates a strong foundation for building a new academic unit with lasting impact.

Core Responsibilities

The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs provides senior academic leadership for the College of Lifetime Learning’s degree-granting portfolio and faculty governance infrastructure. The role carries institution-wide responsibilities and requires executive-level academic judgment, policy fluency, and the ability to align innovation with rigorous academic standards.

STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP AND PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT

• Provide vision and direction for the development, approval, and continuous refinement of undergraduate and graduate degree programs within the College.
• Lead the execution of academic programming initiatives aligned with the College Strategy 2035 goals.
• Serve as a thought leader and advocate for new and existing degree programs, certificates, and credential pathways in Lifetime Learning.
• Oversee curricular review and approval processes in accordance with Institute and University System of Georgia policies.
• Ensure that academic program growth reflects both scholarly integrity and long-term institutional sustainability.

FACULTY AFFAIRS AND GOVERNANCE

• Provide leadership for faculty recruitment, appointment, and advancement processes across the College, including full, joint, and courtesy positions.
• Oversee reappointment, promotion, and tenure processes, post-tenure review, and Regents’ Professor and Regents’ Researcher selection procedures.
• Support and collaborate with the College faculty advisory committee and maintain the development and ongoing revision of the College faculty handbook.
• Develop and implement faculty-related policies consistent with Institute and USG guidelines.
• Lead initiatives that support faculty, postdoctoral scholars, and graduate students in advancing their academic careers.

SCHOOL OF LEARNING SYSTEMS AND STRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT

• Guide the strategic assessment of a school-based organizational model within the College.
• Provide leadership in determining the appropriate academic structure to support long-term growth and scholarly identity.
• Lead the College through any necessary approval processes should a transition to a school-based model be pursued.
• Ensure that structural decisions reinforce academic coherence, faculty engagement, and institutional alignment.

INSTITUTIONAL COLLABORATION AND STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT

• Partner with the Dean in advancing the College’s academic strategy in support of the Georgia Tech Strategic Plan.
• Collaborate with the Associate Dean for Research and other academic leaders to integrate faculty scholarship with educational initiatives.
• Work closely with Institute leadership, faculty governance bodies, and cross-college partners to ensure strong academic coordination.
• Represent the College in academic and policy discussions at the Institute and system levels.

Experience and Professional Judgment

Georgia Institute of Technology seeks a scholar-leader whose experience reflects both academic distinction and demonstrated administrative leadership within complex research university environments. The successful candidate will bring a record of intellectual contribution, curricular innovation, and faculty leadership consistent with appointment at the rank of Associate or Full Professor.

This role requires the ability to operate at the intersection of academic governance, institutional strategy, and program innovation. The Associate Dean must be comfortable exercising academic authority, stewarding faculty processes, and guiding the development of degree programs within the policies and expectations of the Institute and the University System of Georgia.

ACADEMIC BACKGROUND AND CREDENTIALS

• Earned terminal degree (Ph.D., Ed.D., or equivalent) required. Faculty appointment at a rank commensurate with scholarly record and experience. More information on the determination of faculty rank, promotion and tenure evaluation is available online in the GT Faculty Handbook in section 3.3.4 here.
• Record of scholarly achievement, teaching excellence, and service consistent with appointment at a research-intensive public university.
• Demonstrated engagement with scholarship or practice in areas related to learning systems, higher education, curriculum design, workforce education, or related fields is desirable.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

• Seven to ten years of progressively responsible experience in higher education leadership, including academic program development and faculty governance.
• Demonstrated success developing, approving, and launching new degree programs.
• Experience managing curricular review and assessment processes in alignment with accreditation and institutional standards.
• Experience overseeing faculty recruitment, reappointment, promotion, and tenure processes.
• Proven ability to collaborate effectively with faculty governance bodies and senior academic leadership.
• Experience developing and implementing faculty-related policies in accordance with institutional and system-level guidelines.

PROFESSIONAL ATTRIBUTES AND JUDGMENT

• Demonstrated commitment to academic excellence and rigorous standards.
• Ability to align innovation in learning with established governance structures.
• Strong executive presence and credibility with faculty and institutional leadership.
• Capacity to balance entrepreneurial academic development with institutional accountability.
• Commitment to ethical stewardship, freedom of inquiry, and the public mission of Georgia Tech.
• Demonstrated dedication to teaching, mentoring, and the development of students and emerging scholars.

About Georgia Institute of Technology

Georgia Institute of Technology is a leading public research university situated in the heart of Atlanta, Georgia. Founded in 1885, Georgia Tech is recognized nationally and globally for its commitment to technological innovation, academic rigor, and public impact. The Institute serves more than 50,000 undergraduate, graduate, and executive students across programs in engineering, computing, science, business, design, and the liberal arts.

Georgia Tech’s research enterprise exceeds $1.4 billion annually and spans disciplines ranging from artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing to sustainability, semiconductors, biomedical technology, and national security. The Institute ranks among the nation’s top universities for research and development expenditures and maintains strong partnerships with industry, government, and nonprofit organizations.

As a public institution within the University System of Georgia, Georgia Tech is guided by principles of integrity, excellence, accountability, and respect. Its mission is to develop leaders who advance technology and improve the human condition. This commitment extends beyond traditional degree pathways to include innovative models of education that respond to workforce evolution, technological change, and societal need. The Institute identifies nine core values that guide its work.

The College of Lifetime Learning operates within this broader institutional framework, contributing to Georgia Tech’s strategic focus on accessibility, innovation, and public service. The Institute’s scale, technological expertise, and industry engagement provide a distinctive environment for advancing learning systems that are adaptable, research-informed, and aligned with real-world outcomes.

Organizational Context and Reporting Structure

THE COLLEGE OF LIFETIME LEARNING

Founded in 2024, the College of Lifetime Learning represents a strategic evolution in how Georgia Institute of Technology advances education across the full arc of life. As a research-driven academic college, it integrates academic rigor, workforce-aligned learning, and flexible pathways designed to meet the needs of learners at every stage—from early exploration through advanced study and professional reinvention.

The College was established in recognition of the accelerating pace of technological, economic, and workforce change. Traditional degree models alone are no longer sufficient for careers and communities that evolve continuously. The College advances the science and practice of learning systems that adapt over time, emphasizing stackable credentials, learner agency, reduced friction, and sustained engagement.

Through undergraduate and graduate degree programs, research initiatives, and innovative credential pathways, the College contributes to Georgia Tech’s broader mission to develop leaders who advance technology and improve the human condition. As a newly established academic college, it is actively shaping its scholarly identity, faculty structure, and long-term academic framework.

REPORTING STRUCTURE AND SCOPE

The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs serves as a senior academic leader within the College and reports directly to the Dean. The role operates at the center of the College’s academic strategy, overseeing degree program development, curricular governance, faculty affairs processes, and structural planning initiatives.

The Associate Dean provides leadership for the School of Learning Systems and all degree- granting programs housed within it. The position holds primary responsibility for academic programming initiatives aligned with the College Strategy 2035 goals and plays a central role in defining the College’s faculty governance infrastructure.

The role requires close collaboration with Institute academic leadership, faculty governance bodies, accreditation stakeholders, and University System of Georgia partners. As the College evaluates the potential development of a school-based structure, the Associate Dean will guide strategic assessment and, if appropriate, lead the College through formal approval processes.

This position demands institutional fluency, policy expertise, and the ability to balance academic innovation with established governance expectations.

Atlanta, Georgia

Georgia Institute of Technology is located in Atlanta, one of the nation’s largest and most influential metropolitan areas. Atlanta serves as a major center for higher education, government, healthcare, business, and transportation, and plays a significant role in the economic and civic life of the southeastern United States.

The Atlanta metropolitan region is home to more than six million residents and a diverse range of institutions and organizations, including Fortune 500 companies, research universities, nonprofit organizations, and federal and state agencies. The city’s economy spans technology, healthcare, logistics, finance, media, and advanced manufacturing, creating a dynamic and interconnected professional environment.

Atlanta offers a broad range of cultural, educational, and civic resources. The city is home to nationally recognized museums, performing arts organizations, and historic institutions, as well as extensive park systems and public spaces. Neighborhoods throughout the region provide a variety of residential options, reflecting the city’s size and diversity.

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport provides direct access to destinations throughout the United States and around the world, supporting national and international engagement. Georgia Tech’s centrally located campus allows for close connection to the region’s professional, governmental, and cultural institutions.

For leaders seeking a setting that combines professional opportunity, public engagement, and institutional complexity, Atlanta provides a substantive and well-connected environment.

About Ferra Executive Search

Ferra Executive Search is a boutique executive search firm with experience recruiting senior leaders for research universities, complex public institutions, and mission-driven organizations. The firm works closely with governing boards, presidents, chancellors, and senior administrators on searches that require judgment, discretion, and institutional fluency.

Ferra is known for a hands-on, highly engaged approach. Searches are led directly by senior consultants who remain closely involved throughout the process, from early consultation and candidate development through final selection. The firm places particular emphasis on understanding institutional context, leadership expectations, and the sensitivities associated with high-profile and regulated roles.

This search is led by Kevin Ferra, President and Founder of Ferra Executive Search. Kevin brings more than two decades of experience working with senior leaders in higher education and other complex environments. He is known for his thoughtful, candidate-centered approach and for conducting searches with professionalism, care, and discretion.

Ferra is committed to a search process that is thorough, confidential, and respectful of both candidates and institutions. All inquiries and conversations are handled with appropriate sensitivity, recognizing the professional responsibilities and standing of individuals currently serving in senior leadership roles.

Procedure for Candidacy

Georgia Institute of Technology has retained Ferra Executive Search to assist with this important search. Applications, nominations, and inquiries are welcomed and will be handled in confidence.

Candidates should submit a curriculum vitae and a letter of interest addressing relevant experience, leadership approach, and alignment with the responsibilities of the role. Materials should reflect experience in strategic portfolio leadership, academic collaboration, revenue stewardship, and innovation in learning systems, as applicable.

Nominations of qualified individuals are encouraged and may be submitted in confidence. Additional information regarding the search timeline and process will be shared with candidates as appropriate. References will not be contacted without a candidate’s knowledge.

For inquiries, nominations, or to apply, please email:

Kevin Ferra, President and Founder

Ferra Executive Search

kevin@ferrasearch.com

USG Core Values Statement

The University System of Georgia is comprised of our 26 institutions of higher education and learning as well as the System Office. Our USG Statement of Core Values are Integrity, Excellence, Accountability, and Respect. These values serve as the foundation for all that we do as an organization, and each USG community member is responsible for demonstrating and upholding these standards. More details on the USG Statement of Core Values and Code of Conduct are available in USG Board Policy 8.2.18.1.2 and can be found on-line at https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section8/C224/#p8.2.18_personnel_conduct.

Additionally, USG supports Freedom of Expression as stated in Board Policy 6.5 Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom found on-line at https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section6/C2653.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. The Institute is committed to maintaining a fair and respectful environment for all. To that end, and in accordance with federal and state law, Board of Regents policy, and Institute policy, Georgia Tech provides equal opportunity to all faculty, staff, students, and all other members of the Georgia Tech community, including applicants for admission and/or employment, contractors, volunteers, and participants in institutional programs, activities, or services. Georgia Tech complies with all applicable laws and regulations governing equal opportunity in the workplace and in educational activities.

Equal opportunity and decisions based on merit are fundamental values of the University System of Georgia (“USG”) and Georgia Tech. Georgia Tech prohibits discrimination, including discriminatory harassment, on the basis of an individual’s race, ethnicity, ancestry, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age, disability, genetics, or veteran status in its programs, activities, employment, and admissions. Further, Georgia Tech prohibits citizenship status, immigration status, and national origin discrimination in hiring, firing, and recruitment, except where such restrictions are required in order to comply with law, regulation, executive order, or Attorney General directive, or where they are required by Federal, State, or local government contract.

More information on these policies can be found here: https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section6/c2714 (Board of Regents Policy Manual, University System of Georgia, usg.edu).