Employment at MSM

Position Description

Title: Assistant Dean for Online Programs and Director of Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree
Department: Office of the Provost
Reports To: Executive Vice President and Provost & Dean of Youth, Education and Community-Career Connections
Internal Contacts: Admission, Registrar, Financial Aid, Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, Alumni Affairs, ORTO Center, Marketing and Communication
External Contacts: Prospective students; leaders in performing arts organizations, such as dance and theatre companies; Council for Adult Education and Learning
Employment Status: Full-time; Exempt
Salary Range: $90,000 – $100,000
Start Date:  August 30, 2024, or as soon as possible

Manhattan School of Music seeks the inaugural Assistant Dean for Online Programs and Director of Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree. The ideal candidate will be deeply committed to the value of and access to higher education, eager to innovate and creatively approach implementation of online programs. As the Director of a new degree offered by a premier conservatory with an international reputation and reach, the incumbent will, in time, support MSM in developing new online programs to expand MSM’s reach to serve performing artists and life-long learners. The incumbent will lead a new academic area focused on delivering online curricula specifically designed for adult learners who seek to increase career possibilities and relevancy in the performing arts sector. Building upon MSM’s 40+ years of experience delivering high quality, distance learning education and the more recent launch of the Global Conservatoire, MSM is pursuing approval from New York State Education Department (NYSED) to offer an online degree completion program (Bachelor of Fine Arts) for performing artists. The incumbent will join MSM as it finalizes critical aspects of this new degree, which is uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between lived, professional experiences of performing artists and an earned academic credential.

The Bachelor of Fine Arts curriculum will foster creativity, community connections, artistic-relevancy, and business/entrepreneurship skills to position graduates of the program to achieve personal and professional goals. The online degree program eliminates on-campus residency requirements, and applicants may apply for credit based on prior learning and professional, related work experiences, thus reducing students’ time to earn a degree.

The Assistant Dean/Director will provide leadership during the final stages of program development and application to NYSED. Upon NYSED approval, the Assistant Dean/Director will lead strategy and implementation of recruitment, oversee admissions and matriculation, and determine course sequencing and offerings. The incumbent will evaluate enrollment based on persistence and retention, engage faculty in course development, and provide data-driven recommendations for expanding new, innovative online programs beyond the BFA. The Assistant Dean/Director will join a collaborative and energized group of colleagues from the School’s senior leadership who have worked diligently to define the program’s goals, curriculum, and policies, and have begun its recruitment of faculty and preparation of material for state approval.

MSM seeks an Assistant Dean/Director who has experience with prior learning assessment, curriculum development, faculty and student recruitment, and best practices for online teaching and learning. Leading this new program, the Assistant Dean/Director will report to the Executive Vice President and Provost and collaborate closely with the Dean for Youth Education and Community-Career Connections. The Assistant Dean/Director will work closely with the Vice President for Enrollment; Vice President for Marketing, Communications, and Alumni Affairs; the CFO; Deans of Academic Affairs and Student Affairs; members of the ORTO Center, including the Digital Education Specialists, as well as the Office of the Registrar and the Office of Financial Aid.

Domains

Leadership

• Communicate across key constituencies the mission-driven goals for online programs ensuring offerings align with MSM’s vision and strategic objectives at an institutional and programmatic level.
• Support development and refinement of MSM’s strategic enrollment and revenue goals regarding online degree and non-degree offerings, providing information and context in reports prepared for the Executive Vice President and Provost, the Senior Vice President and CFO, and MSM’s President.
• Design framework to evaluate and recommend new opportunities for expansion of non-degree programs, such as certificates and alumni-career enhancement content.
• Manage budget from earned revenue to operational expenses. With and for the EVP and Provost & Senior VP and CFO, develop multi-year forecasts aligned to market research and enrollment potential to drive institutional goals for revenue and enrollment growth.

Program Excellence and Stewardship

• Oversee curriculum for online degree and non-degree programs, and support recruitment and hiring of qualified faculty for course delivery.
• Collaborate with the Digital Education Specialist as faculty design online courses and create LMS-based interfaces for students.
• Evaluate course offerings to ensure program-level objectives are met and all syllabi conform to accreditation standards, internal policies, and external compliance requirements regarding assessment and value of credit hours.
• Cultivate a thriving community among online constituents (i.e., students and faculty) as well as industry allies to maintain points of contact and build awareness for program achievements and opportunities.
• Collaborate with the Registrar to confirm accurate student registration and records to ensure students enroll in appropriate coursework to optimize time to degree; propose and evaluate course schedule to maximize enrollment potential.
• Coordinate collection and analysis of data for internal and external reports of online programs, making recommendations for improvement when appropriate.
• Supervise and evaluate faculty in online programs.
• Identify and track areas of concern with regard to program and course implementation. Provide regular updates and recommendations for on-going improvement to the Provost and designated leadership group.
• Develop and implement Prior Learning Assessment standards, ensuring clear and transparent guidelines for evaluation, training of faculty and/or other Subject Matter Experts (SMEs), and track credits awarded through PLA for future assessment and benchmarking.

Student Engagement and Success

• Recruit prospective students by forging relationships with applicants and partnerships with industry-specific organizations to build and sustain enrollment at a level that meets or exceeds MSM’s strategic initiatives.
• Oversee and provide continuity as primary point of contact for applicants, students, and faculty; respond to inquiries for admissions, curricular requirements, prior learning assessment outcomes, and general questions related to online programs.
• Collaborate with colleagues across the School to deliver seamless support for faculty and students.
• Collaborate with VP of Marketing, Communications, and Alumni Affairs to build awareness of online programs and yield prospective students and create web-based material for prospective and current students.
• Advise students; ensure materials (such as school policies, procedures, and handbooks for students and faculty; timelines, calendars, and deadlines, etc.) are developed and published in a timely manner.
• Assess student persistence in coursework and program offerings to set initial benchmarks and proactively engage students to support their continued enrollment and completion of their program.
• Lead onboarding and ongoing professional development, workshops etc. for faculty teaching online.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Job Requirements

• A Master’s degree in related fields to this position and/or program;
• Experience teaching and/or managing online, college-level programs and working with faculty and instructional designers;
• Experience with best practices in the assessment of students’ prior learning and its application to award credit;
• Ethical, sound judgment; detail-oriented, with strong organizational and time management skills;
• Exceptional interpersonal and relational skills, with an attitude of enthusiasm when working with students, faculty, and staff.

Preferred Experiences

• Experience developing and managing enrollment-driven budgets;
• Experience in faculty development and delivery of online coursework and assessing online courses for effectiveness, suitability, and alignment of course objectives to program-level outcomes;
• Experience utilizing Canvas or other LMS, and use of Student Information Systems (SIS).

Software and Web-based Products

• Canvas (LMS)
• Jenzabar J1 (SIS)
• EvaluationKit
• Slate
• Office 365, including TEAMs

Contact Information

Applicants must apply online HERE Complete applications must include a Cover Letter, CV/résumé, and contact information for three references.

No phone calls, please. Questions about this opportunity may be directed to provost@msmnyc.edu.

Equal employment and equal educational opportunity have been and will continue to be fundamental principles at Manhattan School of Music, where employment and enrollment are based upon personal capabilities and qualifications without discrimination or harassment because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, the status of being transgender, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship or veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law. Manhattan School of Music does not permit retaliation against individuals who oppose a discriminatory practice or participate in an investigation.