When I heard that the master of health administration (M.H.A.), a hybrid program here at Dartmouth, is searching for an assistant director, I knew I wanted to highlight the role as a Featured Gig. Katy Milligan, associate dean of Health Care Management Education, agreed to answer my questions.
Q: What is the university’s mandate behind this role? How does it help align with and advance the university’s strategic priorities?
A: Dartmouth is investing in specialized master’s programs as a core strategic priority. These programs extend the institution’s reach beyond traditional residential learners while leveraging distinctive areas of academic excellence. The M.H.A. program exemplifies this approach: It combines the strengths of the Tuck School of Business and the Geisel School of Medicine and delivers a hybrid learning model that attracts high-potential early- and midcareer health-care professionals who would not otherwise relocate to Hanover.
The assistant director role is essential to executing that strategy. It ensures the operational excellence required to deliver a high-quality hybrid learning experience at scale: supporting both students and faculty while maintaining rigorous academic and accreditation standards. In other words, this role realizes institutional strategy through consistent, high-quality program delivery characterized by continuous improvement.
Q: Where does the role sit within the university structure? How will the person in this role engage with other units and leaders across campus?
A: The position sits within Health Care Management Education, a partnership between Geisel and Tuck that is structurally and culturally distinct within Dartmouth. It operates at the intersection of medicine and business, requiring coordination across both schools as well as with central university functions.
The assistant director works closely with faculty, students and HCME leadership on day-to-day program execution, while also collaborating with peer roles across Dartmouth to align on best practices in hybrid education, student services and academic operations. This is not a siloed role; it requires constant cross-functional engagement with academic departments, student support services, accreditation stakeholders and institutional partners to ensure consistent quality and innovation across the program.
Q: What would success look like in one year? Three years? Beyond?
A: One year: The program is running smoothly and predictably. Course delivery, student services and faculty support are highly coordinated, with strong student satisfaction and clear, reliable processes. Accreditation and assessment activities are organized and on track, with actionable insights being generated from program data.
Three years: The assistant director has strengthened and scaled the program’s operational model to support growth. Continuous improvement processes are embedded and the student experience is demonstrably differentiated. The individual is contributing to program innovation—introducing improvements to curriculum delivery, student engagement and operational efficiency.
Beyond: The role evolves from execution to leadership influence. The assistant director becomes a key driver of program excellence and innovation, helping shape how HCME delivers hybrid education at Dartmouth and contributing to broader institutional practices. The program is positioned as a benchmark for quality and impact in graduate health management education.
Q: What kinds of future roles would someone who took this position be prepared for?
A: This is a deliberately broad, generalist role with significant operational scope. It builds a portfolio of experience across program management, student services, faculty engagement and accreditation—areas that typically sit in separate functions.
As a result, successful candidates are positioned for multiple advancement paths:
- Program leadership: Progression to director-level roles overseeing academic programs and ultimately to senior administrative roles (e.g., executive director, associate dean or dean-level positions).
- Specialized leadership tracks: Deeper focus in areas such as accreditation, assessment or student services, with potential advancement to senior roles in those domains.
- Hybrid/online education leadership: Given the program’s format, experience here is directly transferable to institutionwide or cross-institutional roles shaping digital and hybrid learning strategy.
The role is a platform for upward mobility because it provides both operational depth and cross-functional breadth—an uncommon combination in higher education administration.
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