Description

Associate Dean for Content & Product Strategy

College of Lifetime Learning

Georgia Institute of Technology

The Role In Context

Georgia Institute of Technology seeks an experienced and forward-looking leader to serve as Associate Dean for Content & Product Strategy which serves as Division Chief within the College of Lifetime Learning. Founded in 2024, the College represents a strategic evolution in how Georgia Tech advances learning across the full arc of life—integrating academic rigor, workforce-aligned programming, and flexible pathways designed for a rapidly changing world.

As a leading public research university with national and global reach, Georgia Tech operates within an increasingly dynamic educational landscape shaped by technological innovation, workforce disruption, and new expectations for accessibility and relevance. The College of Lifetime Learning plays a central role in positioning the Institute to respond to these forces, designing and delivering programs that extend beyond traditional degree models and serve learners at multiple stages of professional and personal development.

The Division Chief for Content & Product Strategy provides senior leadership for the College’s programmatic portfolio and platform ecosystem. The role carries responsibility for strategic direction, revenue sustainability, cross-institutional partnership, and the continued evolution of learning models that support both individual learners and institutional priorities. The position oversees a portfolio generating approximately $80 million in gross revenues and manages a multi-layered leadership structure responsible for non-credit programming, academic partnerships, digital platform expansion, learner experience, and learning design and analytics.

Reporting to senior College leadership, the Division Chief operates at the intersection of academic strategy, market responsiveness, and operational execution. The role requires the ability to translate institutional vision into scalable programs, to steward financial performance while maintaining academic integrity, and to lead teams through growth and innovation in a complex research university environment.

Why This Role

This position offers the opportunity to shape one of Georgia Tech’s most forward-looking initiatives. The Division Chief sets direction for the College’s content portfolio, ensures alignment across academic and non- credit offerings, and strengthens partnerships with colleges, schools, and industry collaborators. The role balances strategic vision with disciplined execution, guiding expansion while reinforcing operational rigor and institutional credibility.

Why Now

Higher education is experiencing sustained pressure to adapt to new patterns of learning, workforce demand, and technological change. Institutions are rethinking how education is delivered, credentialed, and accessed across a lifetime. As a newly established academic college, the College of Lifetime Learning is positioned to lead this evolution.

Georgia Tech seeks a leader who can guide the next phase of growth, refine its portfolio strategy, and ensure that platform-based and partnership-driven learning models remain responsive, sustainable, and aligned with the Institute’s mission.

Why Georgia Tech

Georgia Tech’s scale, research intensity, and public mission make it a uniquely compelling environment for a leader focused on innovation in learning systems. The Institute’s technological expertise, industry relationships, and global reputation create opportunities to design programs that connect research, workforce development, and lifelong education in distinctive ways.

The College of Lifetime Learning operates within this broader ecosystem, advancing the Institute’s commitment to accessibility, relevance, and public impact.

Core Responsibilities

The Associate Dean for Content & Product Strategy provides strategic leadership, operational oversight, and financial stewardship for the College of Lifetime Learning’s content and platform portfolio. The role encompasses institution-wide responsibilities and requires executive-level judgment, cross-functional leadership, and the ability to align innovation with disciplined execution.

STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP AND PORTFOLIO DIRECTION

• Provide vision and strategic direction for the College’s content and product portfolio, ensuring alignment with institutional priorities and market demand.
• Guide the development, expansion, and refinement of non-credit and platform-based programming across the lifespan of learners.
• Translate institutional strategy into scalable program models that advance growth, sustainability, and academic integrity.
• Establish annual portfolio priorities, performance targets, and long-range planning objectives.

NON-CREDIT PROGRAMMING AND ACADEMIC PARTNERSHIPS

• Set direction for all non-credit programming across the College, including internally developed offerings and partnership programs with other colleges and schools.
• Lead strategic review and innovation around online academic programming delivered in collaboration with credit-issuing units across the Institute.
• Partner with academic and financial stakeholders to evaluate program performance, fiscal sustainability, and future growth opportunities.
• Ensure program delivery models reinforce the College’s brand promise and learner-centered mission.

GT INFINITY PLATFORM STRATEGY AND EXPANSION

• Establish annual expansion goals and new initiative deployment for the Institute’s subscription-based non-credit platform.
• Ensure the continuous development of relevant, high-quality content aligned with evolving workforce and industry needs.
• Oversee functional and operational support of the Infinity platform, including performance monitoring and strategic reporting on impact and value.
• Align platform growth with broader portfolio strategy and institutional objectives.

LEARNER EXPERIENCE, ENROLLMENT, AND ENGAGEMENT

• Provide leadership for enrollment management, learner support, and alumni engagement functions within the College.
• Ensure alignment of services, messaging, and learner pathways with the strategic direction of the College.
• Strengthen integration across academic units, development efforts, and student services to enhance learner outcomes and retention.
• Advance practices that reduce friction and support accessible, flexible participation across diverse learner populations.

LEARNING DESIGN, ANALYTICS, AND DELIVERY INFRASTRUCTURE

• Oversee and set strategic direction for learning design, instructional technology, media production, and related instructional platforms.
• Ensure that program design reflects research-informed practices and supports measurable learning outcomes.
• Lead the use of analytics to inform content development, portfolio adjustments, and continuous improvement.
• Support innovation in delivery models while maintaining consistency, quality, and scalability.

FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP AND ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP

• Manage a programmatic portfolio generating approximately $80 million in gross revenues and an annual content and product strategy budget exceeding $54 million.
• Provide oversight to 6–8 director-level leaders and a staff of more than 85 full-time employees.
• Align staffing structures, resource allocation, and operational workflows with strategic priorities.
• Ensure fiscal discipline, accountability, and long-term sustainability of the College’s portfolio.

Experience and Professional Judgment

Georgia Institute of Technology seeks a leader whose experience reflects both strategic vision and disciplined execution within complex academic and market-driven environments. The successful candidate will bring demonstrated success leading large-scale portfolios, stewarding financial performance, and advancing innovation in learning systems.

This role requires the ability to operate at the intersection of academic integrity, market responsiveness, and institutional governance. The Associate Dean must be comfortable exercising authority, aligning diverse stakeholders, and guiding teams through sustained growth and transformation.

ACADEMIC BACKGROUND AND CREDENTIALS

• Master's degree, terminal degree strongly preferred. Faculty rank will be determined based on the candidate's background, credentials 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.
• 10 or more years of professional achievement consistent with appointment as Professor of the Practice or equivalent faculty designation.
• Demonstrated engagement with scholarship, practice, or innovation in learning systems, workforce education, or related domains is desirable.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

• Demonstrated experience managing large-scale program portfolios with substantial revenue responsibility.
• 10 or more years of progressively responsible leadership experience in higher education, continuing education, professional learning, digital learning environments, or related business sectors.
• Experience leading non-credit and/or partnership-based educational models.
• Experience collaborating across academic units and administrative divisions within complex institutions.
• Demonstrated financial acumen, including portfolio planning, budget oversight, and fiscal sustainability analysis.
• Experience overseeing multi-layered teams, including senior directors and functional leaders.
• Experience working effectively with senior institutional leadership, faculty governance structures, and external partners.

PROFESSIONAL ATTRIBUTES AND JUDGMENT

• Demonstrated ability to align innovation with operational rigor.
• Capacity to lead through growth, ambiguity, and evolving market conditions.
• Strategic thinker with the ability to translate institutional vision into scalable initiatives.
• Strong executive presence and credibility with academic and industry partners.
• Ability to balance entrepreneurial initiative with institutional accountability.
• Commitment to academic excellence, ethical stewardship, and the public mission of Georgia Tech.

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 programming, and flexible learning pathways designed to meet the needs of learners at every stage—from early exploration to professional reinvention.

The College was established in recognition of the accelerating pace of technological, economic, and workforce change. Traditional degree pathways alone are no longer sufficient to support careers that evolve continuously. The College of Lifetime Learning 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 degrees, non-credit credentials, subscription-based learning models, and professional education partnerships, the College contributes to Georgia Tech’s broader mission to develop leaders who advance technology and improve the human condition.

REPORTING STRUCTURE AND SCOPE

The Division Chief for Content & Product Strategy serves as a senior leader within the College and reports to the Dean (or designated senior academic leader). The role operates at the center of the College’s portfolio strategy, aligning academic programs, non-credit offerings, digital platform initiatives, and learner support functions.

The Division Chief oversees a multi-layered organizational structure including 6–8 director-level leaders and more than 85 full-time employees across content development, academic partnerships, platform operations, learner engagement, instructional design, and analytics.

The position holds responsibility for a programmatic portfolio generating approximately $80 million in gross revenues and manages an annual budget exceeding $54 million.

The role requires close collaboration with colleges and schools across the Institute, financial partners, development leadership, and external industry collaborators. As the College continues to define its identity and trajectory, the Division Chief plays a central role in shaping scalable systems, strengthening cross-unit alignment, and ensuring long-term sustainability.

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).