Dean of Academic Affairs, Orlando, FL

Dean of Academic Affairs Role Overview

Excelon Associates is conducting a search for a Dean of Academic Affairs in Orlando, FL. The Dean provides the leadership necessary to fulfill the mission, objectives, plans, and goals of the campus across all education and training areas, and plans, organizes, directs, staffs, trains, coordinates, motivates, supervises, and evaluates all facets of the campus Education Department.

The ideal candidate is patient, empathetic, and adaptable, enjoys problem-solving, and can adjust quickly to new and rapidly changing situations. The Dean is accountable for retention and attendance goals and for the quality of instruction across every program. Academic leadership of this kind operates within the standards of accreditors recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, and reflects faculty development expectations common across accredited institutions.

Key Responsibilities

Academic Operations and Retention

• Meet or exceed the monthly and annual retention goals of the college.
• Meet or exceed the daily student attendance rate goal of 85 percent.
• Develop and maintain the master schedule for all programs and courses.
• Verify all classes have appropriate coverage, including instructors and teaching assistants, and that instructors complete contractual agreements through module end dates.

Faculty Recruitment and Development

• Recruit, interview, and train quality faculty, staff, and teaching assistants.
• Provide appropriate orientation and training programs for new hires.
• Conduct quarterly formal classroom observations of instructors.
• Schedule and provide faculty development, in-service, and professional growth activities to meet accreditation criteria.
• Develop individual annual faculty professional development plans with instructors and monitor progress quarterly.
• Complete annual performance evaluations on faculty and staff members in a timely manner.

Quality Assurance and Supervision

• Verify instructors' maintenance of administrative duties, including grades, attendance, and record keeping.
• Conduct student satisfaction surveys on all instructors at the end of each grading period, then summarize and share results to reinforce or improve instructional quality.
• Supervise the Registrar, Student Services, and Library and Resource Center personnel and all related reports, functions, and operations.
• Lead staff meetings with faculty members and support the performance appraisal process.
• Develop people through coaching and mentoring.

Qualifications

Required

• Master's degree in Education from an institution accredited by a regional or national accrediting body approved by the U.S. Department of Education.
• Minimum of five years of supervisory experience in a college-level educational setting.
• Minimum of three years of successful teaching experience at the college level.
• Ability to work extended hours, including evenings and Saturdays, to meet business objectives.

Benefits

• Medical coverage, including HSA and FSA options for dependent and health care.
• Dental and vision insurance.
• 12 paid holidays, paid time off, and a paid volunteer day.
• 401(k) with 50 percent employer matching.
• Short-term disability and life insurance, with supplemental life options.
• Growth opportunities, education assistance, and professional development benefits.
• No-cost group life insurance, long-term disability, a talent referral program, and a discount entertainment program.
• A paid day off on your birthday for full-time employees after two years.

Who Thrives as a Dean of Academic Affairs

This role rewards an academic leader who runs a campus education department with both rigor and heart. The strongest candidates hold a master's in education, bring real college-level supervisory and teaching experience, and own retention and attendance as hard targets rather than aspirations. They build the master schedule, keep every class covered, and hold the operational details together.

Faculty leadership is central. People who do well here recruit, train, observe, and develop instructors, run classroom observations and satisfaction surveys, and build individual development plans that raise instructional quality over time. Patience, empathy, and adaptability matter as much as process discipline.

Finally, this is a broad supervisory seat spanning the Registrar, Student Services, and the Library and Resource Center. The best fit coaches and mentors across those functions, keeps the campus aligned to accreditation criteria, and adjusts quickly when situations change.

About Excelon Associates

Excelon Associates is a retained executive search firm founded in 2007, headquartered in Asheville, North Carolina, with offices in Boca Raton and Delray Beach, Florida. The firm recruits academic and operational leadership across higher education and post-secondary career education, including deans, program directors, and campus leaders.

This Dean of Academic Affairs role is a confidential search conducted by Excelon Associates, with a recruiter as the single point of contact through screening, interviews, and offer. You can explore the firm's higher education recruitment practice, browse current open roles, or review recent campaigns to see the kinds of searches Excelon runs.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to Apply for This Dean of Academic Affairs Role

Excelon does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, marital or veteran status, disability, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.