Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives, Admissions and Financial Aid

Company: Northeastern University
Location: Boston
Posted on: April 1, 2026

Job Description:

About the Opportunity The School of Law seeks an Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives, Admissions & Financial Aid. With decades of experience in integrating theory and practice, the School of Law is the unparalleled leader in providing students with practical legal training. The School of Law has a strong commitment to lawyering in public interest and deeply values diversity in the student body, faculty and staff, and curricular offerings. The School of Law is focused on addressing challenges in the areas of health, security and sustainability, and committed to training graduates who will be leaders in promoting justice and the public good in the new age of technology and globalization. The Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives, Admissions and Financial Aid works closely with the Dean and other campus leaders to enhance the School of Law’s efforts and outcomes in strategic initiatives, to engage with diverse campus communities, and to advance partnerships that support the School of Law’s strategic mission. In this capacity, the Associate Dean will advance new programs and initiatives, manage special projects, and work with departments and key constituents on developing strategies and goals. The Associate Dean provides leadership, strategic direction, management and oversight for all activities related to recruitment, admissions, and financial aid for the School of Law’s JD, FlexJD, LLM, Online LLM and MLS programs. The Associate Dean is responsible for the development and implementation of a sophisticated strategic enrollment management plan for the School of Law. The Associate Dean will lead the school's effort to meet myriad enrollment goals, develop and implement marketing, recruitment, modeling, and conversion strategies to achieve these goals; and formulate assessment tools to determine which strategies are the most successful. The Associate Dean will also oversee the review of applicant files as the head of the Admissions Committee. The Associate Dean will have primary responsibility for creating and implementing a data-driven marketing, communications, and recruitment strategy that promotes our program to a broad and diverse applicant pool through translating the law school's key values and distinctive elements into communications that inform and engage key audiences. The Associate Dean oversees the Office of Admissions and Financial Aid, related budgets, and directly supervises three professional staff members (Senior Director of Admissions & Financial Aid, Director of International & Graduate Admissions, and Associate Director of Enrollment Marketing & Communications). Qualifications Minimum of 12 years of increasingly advanced experience in higher education administration or the professional equivalent, preferably in a law school setting in areas such as admissions, enrollment management, financial aid, and/or strategic planning. Education: A bachelor's degree is required, and an advanced degree in a related field such as higher education is preferred. Leadership: Demonstrated leadership skills and commitment to staff development. Experience managing a team, the typical candidate will have a minimum of 5 years of managerial/supervisory experience Communication: Demonstrated interpersonal skills with excellent verbal and written communication skills, as well as the ability to build relationships and collaborate and communicate effectively across all levels of the organization to identify needs, define goals, and track progress. Data Analysis & Reporting: Knowledge of data analysis and reporting tools to track performance metrics (e.g. enrollment data/projections), identify areas for improvement, evaluate program performance, and make data driven decisions. Ability to develop solutions to improve processes and systems. Prior exposure to new system implementation required, experience managing new systems implementation preferred. Subject-Matter Expertise: Expertise in strategic planning and in depth understanding of relevant laws, regulations and industry standards. This includes an understanding of admissions, financial aid, and enrollment processes (e.g. enrollment projections and recruiting strategies). Technology: Experience with relevant software and technology, such as admissions management systems and online application portals. Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as the ability to implement DEI initiatives and strategies pertaining to admissions and financial aid. Key Responsibilities & Accountabilities Manage Relationships ?(15%) Represent the office and its’ related programs to key constituents (e.g. faculty, current students, prospective students, University administration) for functions such as external events and committees. Recruitment, Marketing and Communications (15%) Oversee all external/internal communications. Develop, implement, and/or maintain a data-driven annual marketing, communications and recruiting plan. Office Management and Operations (15%) Responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the office to ensure the office runs smoothly and efficiently. This includes functions such as supervising staff, overseeing the department budget, ensuring compliance with relevant policies and procedures, data compilation for accreditation reporting, developing administrative protocols for the office, overseeing related projects, and setting and managing progress on department goals. One large area of focus relating to operations is the development, implementation, and ongoing assessment of systems relating to tasks such as application review. Another area of focus is serving as the Admissions Committee lead. This includes tasks such as daily oversight of application review, decision making and notifications for populations such as first-year and transfer students. Strategic Enrollment Planning (30%) Develop and implement an annual enrollment plan. Work with the Dean to lead the law school's effort to develop short-term and long-term enrollment management goals. Survey market and demographic trends and analyze internally and externally produced data. Build and present sophisticated models to predict and assess the likelihood of various outcomes. Strategic Initiatives (25%) Advance new programs and initiatives and work with departments on developing strategies and goals. Engage with diverse campus communities, and advance partnerships that support the School of Law’s strategic mission. Participate in strategic planning processes as well as routine problem-solving and management processes. Participate in constituent meetings to ensure appropriate and responsive follow-up and accountability. Lead and advance the strategic direction of the Office of Financial Aid. Documents to Submit: Please submit a resume, cover letter, and a list of 3 references in a single PDF file. Northeastern University will not provide H-1B, TN, O-1, E-3, or any other type of employment visa sponsorship for the successful applicant to this position, now or in the future. Furthermore, the successful applicant must be able to maintain valid work authorization in the United States throughout the entire appointment without Northeastern University’s sponsorship for a visa. Position Type Enrollment Additional Information Northeastern University considers factors such as candidate work experience, education and skills when extending an offer. Northeastern has a comprehensive benefits package for benefit eligible employees. This includes medical, vision, dental, paid time off, tuition assistance, wellness & life, retirement- as well as commuting & transportation. Visit https://hr.northeastern.edu/benefits/ for more information. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Compensation Grade/Pay Type: 114S Expected Hiring Range: $130,945.00 - $189,868.75 With the pay range(s) shown above, the starting salary will depend on several factors, which may include your education, experience, location, knowledge and expertise, and skills as well as a pay comparison to similarly-situated employees already in the role. Salary ranges are reviewed regularly and are subject to change.

Keywords: Northeastern University, Methuen , Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives, Admissions and Financial Aid, Education / Teaching , Boston, Massachusetts