Vice Dean of MarCom, IE Business School

Are you interested in joining a dynamic and international team of professionals to transform education? IE University's Business School is looking for a Vice Dean of MarCom to join its team IE Business School is the category leader globally in educational for the commercial front-office of business – what we call MarCom. Our portfolio is the most comprehensive in the world, with programs spanning branding & communication, marketing, customer insights and research, and sales. We address these business activities from strategic, digital, and creative perspectives to ensure our graduates are future-proofed for the evolving world of business. We are looking for a visionary, entrepreneurial leader to take the helm as Vice Dean of this critical area of IE Business School's portfolio.

Your Mission

As Vice Dean, you will oversee and shape a portfolio of specialized Master's programs that attract 500+ brilliant minds annually including our #3-ranked Master in Strategic Marketing & Communication.

The programs you will lead include:

• Strategic Marketing & Communication (full-time, executive part-time)
• Creative Direction, Content & Branding
• Digital Marketing
• Market Research & Consumer Behavior
• Customer Experience & Innovation
• Talent Development & Human Resources

As Vice Dean, you'll lead this portfolio of programs to ensure they remain the most cutting edge and impactful in the world – delivering world-class student education, experience and career results. You will be the aspirational figure for students in your programs and you'll be responsible for leading continuous innovation to ensure that your programs are (i) market-driven to meet the needs of candidates and recruiters, (ii) commercially successful, (iii) delivering outstanding student experiences and career placement, and (iv) financially sustainable. Additionally, you would lead external business development efforts for your programs, fostering corporate and academic partnerships, engaging with alumni, and representing the school at key events and in the media.

Why IE University?

With 50 years of experience and founded by and for entrepreneurs, IE University has turned business education on its head through disruptive teaching. We count on high-level faculty who bring real-world experience into the classroom and foster a hands-on approach to learning.

Our Purpose

At IE University, we foster positive change through education, research, and innovation.

As a transformative educational institution, we empower students to make their mark on the world. We provide them with the skills, knowledge and environment needed to make a difference, and they join a supportive and international community that lasts a lifetime.

Our People

At IE we are:

• People-driven
• Change Builders
• Autonomy Enthusiasts
• Communication Enthusiasts
• Knowledge Champions

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

Your role as Vice Dean will involve:

This isn't just an academic leadership role—it's a high-impact and high-energy position at the intersection of business, education, and innovation. You'll be responsible for:

1. Product Leadership: Keep Programs Ahead of the Curve
   • Lead program innovation and development to align with market needs and maintain commercial and financial viability. This can involve program repositioning and re-design as well as more incremental changes to the design of the program, its courses and non-course activities.
   • Ensure high student satisfaction with academics, extracurricular activities and career discovery and advising.
   • Monitor market trends, recruiter needs, and competitor positioning to maintain program relevance.
   • Integrate industry insights into curricula to enhance learning and employability.
2. Student Engagement & Leadership: Be a Rockstar Inspirer and Mentor
   • Act as a visible and inspirational leader, actively engaging with students.
   • Oversee student experience and collaborate with the Program Experience team to enhance student experience and engagement.
   • Address academic and conduct issues, including ethics violations and crisis management.
3. Business Development & Partnerships: Bring the Real World into Your Programs
   • Represent the school as a spokesperson and program leader in key external engagements.
   • Develop business and academic partnerships with recruiters, corporate leaders, and institutions.
   • Work with Talent & Careers (T&C) to enhance student employability and maintain recruiter relationships.
   • Engage with alumni networks in collaboration with the Alumni Office to support mentoring and program development.
   • Foster corporate involvement through student projects, industry competitions, and networking events.
4. Marketing, Admissions & Growth: Attract the Best and Deliver Results for the School
   • Collaborate with marketing, recruitment and admissions teams to enhance program positioning, pricing, and messaging.
   • Develop and refine sales narratives to address competitive challenges.
   • Ensure commercial materials are compelling, current, and aligned with student expectations.
5. Learning Innovation: Shape the Future of MarCom Education
   • Lead innovation in teaching methods for your programs in collaboration with the Education & Academic Experience team.
   • Drive faculty engagement and ensure continuous course quality improvement.
   • Integrate cutting-edge learning methodologies such as AI, behavioral insights, and experiential learning.
6. Financial & Operational Leadership: Keep the Programs Efficient and Sustainable
   • Develop business cases for program innovations, balancing financial sustainability with academic excellence.
   • Optimize cost-quality trade-offs to sustain strong profit margins while delivering an exceptional student experience.
7. Contribution to School-Wide Strategy
   • Shape IE Business School's strategic direction in areas such as: brand & positioning, program portfolio development, educational innovation, student and alumni engagement, corporate and recruiter relations and cross-program experience & innovation.

To thrive in this role you should have:

You are not an academic per se but a MarCom guru who wants to move to the world of education and who is excited to attract and train the next-gen of MarCom leaders in a business world under disruption.

You have all/most of the following:

• Deep industry expertise in at least two of the following: branding, brand management, marketing, corporate communication, creative direction, customer insights and behavior, and revenue growth and sales strategy.
• The ability to help us navigate how AI will disrupt all aspects of the commercial activities of a company.
• Master or doctoral degree from a top school in general management, marketing, communications or related field.
• A powerful global industry network that can help you attract star faculty and top corporate partners – and support the acquisition of key recruiters in MarCom.
• Proven leadership abilities, particularly in mobilizing people and resources in a fast-moving and matrixed/networked environment in which "dotted-line" relationships and leadership through influence is the name of the game.
• Business development savvy to drive industry collaborations and partnerships for your programs.
• Strong storytelling, and creative "packaging" skills to help position your programs, craft compelling narratives for them in the market, and engage both candidate and recruiter audiences.
• Strategic, managerial, and commercial skills, including P&L management and project execution.

It's time to bring your best and make your mark. Now the choice is yours

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