Senior Associate Director at International Executive Programs

Overview:

Are you interested in joining a dynamic and international team of professionals to transform education? IE University's Open Programs Department is looking for an Senior Associate Director to join its team!

Why IE University?

Every story begins with a purpose, and ours has always been about people. Founded in 1973, IE University has continuously raised the bar to drive positive change through education. We believe education is more than a path to professional success; it is a catalyst for personal transformation and meaningful impact.

At IE University, we place people and their potential at the center of everything we do, empowering individuals to become extraordinary. We encourage bold thinking and foster a culture where innovation, curiosity, and courage lead to real-world impact. Together, we create an environment where talent thrives, and ideas shape the future.

Our mission

We support students in developing impact skills to live and lead with positive impact. This ignites a ripple effect: We transform people, who then transform others, systems, society, and, ultimately, our world.

Our Purpose

To foster positive change.

Values

Cultivate the humanistic approach.

Empower your entrepreneurial spirit

Cherish the diversity of people, mind, and experience

Drive innovation with a proactive mindset

We are looking for a person to join a full-time position in Madrid - María de Molina.

Responsibilities:

Your role as a Senior Associate Director will involve:

Strategic Portfolio Leadership

Lead the strategic planning, evolution and positioning of IE’s Open Programs portfolio within Executive Education.

Identify growth opportunities, new program formats and market-driven innovations to strengthen competitiveness and participant impact.

Collaborate with senior leadership on long-term portfolio strategy, program scalability and international expansion initiatives.

Analyze market trends, participant data and competitive intelligence to support data-driven decision-making and portfolio optimization.

Contribute to revenue growth initiatives, profitability analysis and executive education business development efforts.

Actively participate in cross-school strategic initiatives related to lifelong learning, AI integration and executive education transformation.

Executive Academic Program Oversight

Oversee the full lifecycle management of high-profile executive open-enrollment programs with full accountability for operational excellence and delivery quality.

Ensure consistency and excellence across multiple simultaneous program deliveries in both in-person, hybrid and online formats.

Define and monitor operational KPIs, academic quality standards and participant satisfaction metrics.

Lead continuous improvement initiatives focused on participant experience, operational efficiency and learning effectiveness.

Ensure effective coordination across calendars, faculty schedules, learning materials, assessments, classroom operations and digital platforms.

Anticipate operational risks and proactively implement mitigation strategies to ensure seamless execution.

Faculty & Learning Innovation Leadership

Serve as senior academic liaison for faculty, associate deans and external contributors across assigned programs.

Build strong relationships with world-class faculty and support excellence in teaching delivery and participant engagement.

Lead faculty coordination for complex and high-visibility programs, including international modules and corporate collaborations.

Drive the adoption of innovative learning methodologies, experiential learning models and AI-enhanced educational experiences.

Collaborate with Learning Innovation and EdTech teams to pilot and scale new pedagogical initiatives.

Support faculty development and alignment around learning outcomes, participant impact and program objectives.

Operational Excellence & Process Transformation

Lead operational transformation initiatives aimed at improving scalability, efficiency and service quality across Executive Education programs.

Design and implement standardized processes, dashboards and reporting frameworks to improve visibility and decision-making.

Oversee budgeting, forecasting, resource allocation and financial tracking for assigned program portfolios.

Ensure optimal utilization of academic, operational and technological resources.

Drive cross-functional coordination across Admissions, Marketing, Finance, Learning Innovation, Operations and Program Management teams.

Champion operational best practices and continuous improvement culture across the department.

Participant & Corporate Relationship Management

Ensure a premium and highly personalized executive participant experience throughout the full learner journey.

Manage high-level participant situations, executive client interactions and sensitive relationship matters when required.

Strengthen alumni engagement, networking opportunities and executive community-building initiatives.

Support corporate partnerships and customized executive learning opportunities linked to Open Programs.

Represent IE with senior executives, corporate partners and international stakeholders in a professional and strategic manner.

Leadership & Team Development

Provide leadership, mentorship and professional development support to Associate Directors, Program Managers and junior team members.

Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, innovation and high performance.

Lead complex cross-functional projects and institutional initiatives with significant organizational impact.

Support change management and organizational transformation initiatives within Executive Education.

Act as a senior reference point within the Academic Affairs team for operational and strategic decision-making.

Qualifications:

To thrive in this role, you should possess the following qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree strongly preferred. MBA or advanced degree in Education, Management or related fields is a plus.

Minimum of 8-10 years of progressive experience in executive education, higher education, academic operations or program leadership.

Proven experience managing complex executive education portfolios and high-impact international programs.

Demonstrated strategic leadership and cross-functional management experience.

Strong financial acumen, budgeting and business planning capabilities.

Experience leading teams and mentoring professionals in dynamic environments.

Strong analytical and data-driven mindset with experience using dashboards, KPIs and reporting tools.

Excellent stakeholder management, negotiation and communication skills.

Strong project management and organizational capabilities with ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.

High level of adaptability, executive presence and solution-oriented thinking.

Fluency in English and Spanish required.

Desired Profile

Strategic and business-oriented mindset combined with strong operational execution capabilities.

Strong leadership presence with the ability to influence across multiple stakeholders and levels of the organization.

Passion for executive education, innovation, lifelong learning and transformational participant experiences.

Collaborative leadership style with exceptional interpersonal and communication skills.

Comfortable operating in highly international, entrepreneurial and fast-paced environments.

Strong attention to detail while maintaining a broad institutional and strategic perspective.

Demonstrated ability to lead change, drive innovation and improve organizational performance.

What IE Offers

Opportunity to play a senior strategic role within one of the world’s leading international business schools.

High visibility and exposure to global faculty, senior executives and corporate partners.

Dynamic, entrepreneurial and highly international working environment.

Participation in cutting-edge educational innovation and AI-driven learning initiatives.

Leadership opportunities within a rapidly evolving executive education ecosystem.

Professional growth and career development opportunities within IE University / IE Business School.

Opportunity to contribute directly to the future of executive learning and global talent development.

Unleash your full potential and make an impact. The next move is yours!

If you want to be part of this educational revolution, we invite you to apply and be part of our dynamic team at IE University.

At IE University, we actively promote equal opportunities in recruitment processes and access to employment, always ensuring the absence of gender, sexual orientation, religion, age, ethnic origin, or disability bias throughout the entire selection process.