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Executive Director of the Master of Science in Business Analytics Program

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Position description

BACKGROUND:
The Rady School of Management’s Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA) is a self-supporting program that was approved by UCOP in 2015. The program admitted its first cohort of 42 students in the summer of 2016 and its most recent cohort of 92 students in the fall of 2022. The program is now offered in a Part-time (weekend) format, as well.

POSITION:
The Academic Coordinator III will serve as the Executive Director of MSBA, a position that requires an individual with senior level experience and a unique blend of academic expertise, familiarity with industry practice, and a broad network of industry contacts that can facilitate graduate placements and liaise with local and global companies. Preparing our students for employment in the business analytics sector requires intimate knowledge of the profession including the types of analytical skills and quantitative profile that our students must develop to become competitive in the marketplace. By bringing together academic excellence, knowledge of industry demand profiles, and industry contacts at the highest level, the Executive Director will ensure that we attract and place the very best students and further add to the program’s growing reputation.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY:
This position will report to the Rady School of Management’s Associate Dean of Programs and coordinate activities with the Faculty Co-Directors of the MSBA program. The primary responsibilities are:

Drive long-term program success: The long-term success of the program will depend on (1) attracting top students, (2) educational excellence, (3) program administration, growth, and continuous improvement, (4) student placement, and (5) corporate and alumni engagement. The Executive Director will share responsibility for each of these success factors and work closely with staff in Graduate Admissions, the Career Management Center, Graduate Student Affairs, Marketing and Communications, Academic Personnel, and Finance as well as with faculty to ensure performance goals are met. The Executive Director will develop and refine an annual strategic plan, including KPIs and enrollment targets, with input from functional area directors (Admissions, Graduate Student Affairs, Career Management Center), faculty, alumni, and industry partners.
Student Internships and Job Placement: Securing internships and overall job placement is extremely competitive in the analytics industry. It is also a critical factor for success of the MSBA program. The program director will work closely with staff in the Career Management Center to place students into internships and permanent positions.

Program management: The position provides formal oversight to all curricular matters relating to the program. The Executive Director also partners with the Admissions, Student Affairs, and the Career Management Center, to ensure the success of the annual strategic plan, and advises on operational and administrative aspects that will enhance the Grad Program team’s ability to recruit top students, and provide an outstanding student experience. The Executive Director is expected to be continuously engaged with students throughout the program to develop the rapport required to optimally manage their program experience. Critical to this position (and for achieving students’ goals) is the development of a comprehensive strategy that prepares students for the job market and maximizes their career outcomes. The Executive Director will work closely with staff in the Career Management Center such that the strategy is effectively implemented and evaluated by formalized outcome measures.

Interface with Industry Sponsors: The success of the MSBA program will be defined to a large extent by its interaction and contacts with the growing business analytics industry. We need an individual who can leverage their professional network and seek out new connections so that MSBA students are (i) successfully matched with internships and job opportunities, and (ii) have an excellent educational experience in the Capstone course. Rady MSBA graduates have secured roles and advanced in their careers at great companies all over the world. The Executive Director will work to further build out strength in this network by engaging them in ways that help the program achieve its goals. All stakeholders want the program’s reputation to continue to improve as it increases the value of a Rady MSBA degree.

Capstone Project Supervision and Management: The Capstone Project is an essential element of the MSBA program. It is designed to prompt students to apply the knowledge and technical skills they have gained in the classroom to more complex and realistic, actual problems currently being faced by corporate partners. Management of the capstone will include scoping capstone topics for the MSBA students that are of sufficient academic rigor and industry partner interest. Supervision of the capstone will include meeting with student teams on a regular basis to monitor their progress and quality of work, and ultimately assess student performance on the project. The Executive Director will engage MSBA faculty members and lecturers for feedback on completed Capstone Projects and, based on all inputs, assign a final grade for the Capstone Projects course.

Qualifications

Basic qualifications (required at time of application)
  • Applicants must have a Master’s degree in a quantitative field.
  • High-level administrative management experience, including planning, leadership, and analysis.
  • Ability to provide educational leadership to adapt and improve a curriculum that combines strengths in analytics and business acumen.
  • Commitment to supporting teaching excellence at the graduate level.
Preferred qualifications
  • PhD preferred.
  • A network of national and international business and academic contacts.
  • Ability to successfully address the educational and academic needs of a diverse student population, including developing and updating curriculum and instructional strategies for the educational advancement of students from groups who are underrepresented in higher education.
  • Excellent communication skills and cross-cultural abilities to maximize effective collaboration with a diverse community of campus and external colleagues.
  • Experience with teaching and development of graduate level courses.

Application Requirements

Document requirements
  • Cover Letter

  • Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.

  • Statement of Contributions to Diversity - Applicants should summarize their past or potential contributions to diversity. See our Faculty Equity site for more information.

  • Statement of Scholarly Activities/Research (Optional)

  • Statement of Teaching (Optional)

  • Misc / Additional (Optional)

  • Misc/ Additional #2 (Optional)

  • Misc/ Additional #3 (Optional)

Reference requirements
  • 3-5 required (contact information only)
Apply link: https://apol-recruit.ucsd.edu/JPF03302

Help contact: ap@rady.ucsd.edu

About UC San Diego

The University of California, San Diego is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer advancing inclusive excellence. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, covered veteran status, or other protected categories covered by the UC nondiscrimination policy.

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.

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