Associate Dean, Liberal Arts, Education & General Studies

Thank you for your interest in a career at Northcentral Technical College (NTC).

NTC offers outstanding career opportunities on a modern campus with state-of-the-art technology that allows for a collaborative learning and work environment.  Employees are offered an amazing Total Rewards package with competitive salaries, excellent benefits, and generous paid time off – including two paid closures for the winter holiday (Christmas – New Year) and summer (week of July 4th), for most full-time positions.  NTC is “The College that Cares” and makes a difference in the lives of our employees and students.  If you have the desire to help students while positively impacting the community, we’d love for you to join our team! See why our current employees did!

Salary is commensurate based on occupational experience and qualifications.

JOB SUMMARY, DESCRIPTION & QUALIFICATIONS:

Job Summary

The Associate Dean of the School of Liberal Arts Transfer, Education, & General Studies provides academic and operational leadership in close partnership with the Dean to advance instructional excellence, faculty development, student success, and continuous improvement. Serving as a key member of the School's leadership team, the Associate Dean supervises assigned faculty and oversees academic programs, curriculum, scheduling, resource management, and daily operations across General Education, University Transfer (Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degrees), Adult Education, English Language Learning, Alternative High School, and Education programs. Recognizing the integral role of General Education across NTC's academic programs, the Associate Dean collaborates with leaders, faculty, and staff throughout the College to support instructional quality and student success. The Associate Dean also partners with the Dean, Transfer Coordinator, and faculty to strengthen transfer pathways, university partnerships, and faculty engagement in transfer initiatives. Through collaborative, data-informed leadership, the Associate Dean advances School and College priorities in alignment with NTC's mission.

Please note this is an in-person position located on campus in Wausau, Wisconsin.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities

The following duties are primarily performed and are essential for this position. Employees are expected to be able to perform each of these job duties satisfactorily and successfully with or without reasonable accommodation.

As a member of the School of General Studies leadership team, the Associate Dean provides leadership and oversight for assigned academic programs, faculty, and operations. Working in close partnership with the Dean, the Associate Dean promotes consistent practices, coordinated decision-making, and alignment with School and College priorities.

Academic Leadership & Program Quality

• Provide leadership and oversight for assigned academic programs and General Education disciplines, ensuring high-quality instruction, academic rigor, and alignment with College standards and student needs.
• Lead and support curriculum development, review, and improvement, ensuring alignment with established learning outcomes, academic standards, and applicable transfer requirements.
• Monitor and evaluate program and course performance using student success data, enrollment trends, assessment results, and other measures to inform decisions and continuous improvement.
• Collaborate with faculty and College stakeholders to identify opportunities for instructional innovation, program improvement, and responsiveness to evolving educational needs.
• Ensure compliance with applicable Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS), Higher Learning Commission (HLC), accreditation, and College requirements.
• Support the development, implementation, and evaluation of new and existing courses, certificates, programs, and instructional initiatives.

Faculty & Staff Leadership

• Provide direct supervision, leadership, and support to assigned full-time and adjunct faculty and staff, establishing clear expectations, promoting accountability, and fostering a collaborative, student-centered team environment.
• Lead faculty and staff recruitment, selection, onboarding, evaluation, and performance management processes in collaboration with Human Resources and College leadership.
• Coach, mentor, and support faculty and staff in professional growth, instructional effectiveness, and continuous improvement.
• Collaborate closely with the Dean to ensure consistent expectations, equitable practices, and coordinated leadership across the School's faculty and staff.
• Promote faculty engagement, shared decision-making, and meaningful participation in School and College initiatives, committees, and continuous improvement efforts.
• Foster a positive and inclusive work environment that values communication, innovation, professional responsibility, and a commitment to student success.

Academic Operations & Resource Management

• Oversee daily academic operations across assigned programs and disciplines, ensuring efficient processes, effective resource utilization, and alignment with School and College priorities.
• Lead course scheduling, faculty assignments, and instructional workload planning in coordination with faculty and other College departments to support student access, program needs, and operational efficiency.
• Manage assigned budgets, monitor expenditures, and make data-informed recommendations regarding staffing, equipment, instructional resources, and other operational needs.
• Collaborate with academic leaders and College departments to coordinate instructional offerings and optimize resources across programs and locations.
• Monitor enrollment trends, course capacities, instructional costs, and other operational measures to inform scheduling, staffing, and resource allocation decisions.
• Ensure compliance with College policies, procedures, contractual obligations, and applicable regulatory requirements related to academic operations.
• Identify opportunities to improve operational processes, resolve challenges, and implement solutions that enhance efficiency, responsiveness, and service to students and faculty.
• Oversee the implementation and administration of assigned grants, including budget management, compliance, reporting, and achievement of grant deliverables, while collaborating with College leadership and stakeholders to identify funding opportunities and support grant proposal development.

Student Success & College Collaboration

• Collaborate with academic leaders, Student Services, and other College departments to support student access, retention, progression, completion, and overall academic success.
• Partner with faculty and College stakeholders to identify and address barriers to student success, implement effective interventions, and promote inclusive, student-centered learning environments that support students with diverse educational backgrounds and needs.
• Provide leadership in resolving student concerns and academic issues, ensuring timely, consistent, and appropriate responses in accordance with College policies and procedures.
• Strengthen collaboration between General Education faculty and occupational program areas to ensure instructional offerings align with program requirements, student needs, and academic pathways.
• Support student recruitment, enrollment, and retention initiatives in collaboration with Student Services, faculty, and other College departments.
• Participate in cross-functional teams, committees, and College initiatives to improve the student experience, strengthen institutional effectiveness, and advance shared goals.

University Transfer, Partnerships & Strategic Initiatives

• Collaborate with the Dean, Transfer Coordinator, Student Services leaders and staff, and faculty to advance University Transfer and Articulation initiatives, strengthen academic pathways, and promote alignment between NTC coursework and receiving institutions.
• Facilitate meaningful faculty engagement in the development, review, and implementation of transfer agreements, academic pathways, and related initiatives.
• Build and maintain collaborative relationships with university partners, K-12 districts, Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) colleagues, community organizations, and other educational stakeholders to support academic programs and student opportunities.
• Advance School and College strategic priorities by translating institutional goals into actionable initiatives and operational improvements.
• Lead assigned projects and initiatives, coordinating faculty, staff, resources, and cross-functional teams to achieve established goals and outcomes.
• Represent the School and College on internal and external committees, workgroups, and professional organizations, as appropriate.

Minimum Qualifications Required

In limited circumstances, NTC may consider a combination of education, training, and experience which provides the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties of this position.

Education: Master's Degree

• Master's degree in education, higher education administration, educational leadership, a General Education discipline, or a related field.
• Preferred Qualification:  Doctoral degree in education, educational leadership, a General Education discipline, or a related field.

Experience: 4 Years

Additional Experience Information:

• Teaching experience in higher education, preferably at a community or technical college.
• Experience in academic leadership, including faculty supervision, performance management, curriculum development, or program administration.
• Experience with General Education, University Transfer, Adult Education, English Language Learning, Alternative High School, or Education programs.
• Experience with cross-functional collaboration, budgeting, grant development and administration, resource management, and data-informed decision-making to support academic operations and student success.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

In order to perform the functions and responsibilities of the position (listed above) the following knowledge, skills, and abilities, including language skills, reasoning and mathematical abilities are essential.

Language Skills:

Ability to read, write, analyze and interpret complex documents; present topics to internal and external individuals of all levels.

Math Skills:

Ability to perform and work complex calculations, make comparisons, interpret and provide logical explanations to others.

Reasoning Ability:

Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw conclusions to critically create resolutions; interpret instructions in mathematical or diagram form with abstract and concrete variables.

Technical Skills:

Ability to perform complex operations in a variety of job-specific systems, understand functionality to apply advanced functions, manage/customize and create calculations with data.

Customer Service Skills:

Ability to understand complex concerns and formulate solutions; communicate professionally with various audiences in different situations.

Other Requirements

• Must have a valid Wisconsin driver’s license and ability to meet NTC’s insurance carrier standards.

Physical Requirements

Carrying/Lifting 10-25 lbs: Low

Carrying/Lifting 25-50 lbs: Low

Carrying/Lifting >50 lbs: N/A

Sitting: Medium

Standing/Walking/Climbing: Medium

Squatting/Crouching/Kneeling/Bending: Low

Repetitive Hand/Foot Movement: Low

Pushing/Pulling/Reaching Above Shoulder: Low

Work Environment

Indoor/Office Work Environment: High

Outdoor Weather Conditions: N/A

Irritated or Agitated Individuals: N/A

Hostile or Violent Individuals: N/A

Hazardous Fumes/Odors/Toxic Chemicals: N/A

Confined Spaces (as identified by OSHA): N/A

Work-Related Travel: Low

Smell Requirement: N/A

Specific Vision: N/A

Hearing: N/A

Taste: N/A