Job Announcement: Dean of the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs

The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) invites inquiries, nominations and applications for the position of Dean of the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs (UCLA Luskin).

One of UCLA’s 12 professional schools, located in one of the world’s largest and most diverse urban regions, UCLA Luskin’s vision is that of being an outstanding living laboratory for addressing society’s most pressing issues. The school has 76 faculty (including visiting and joint positions), of whom 47 are full time; approximately 57 field faculty, academic coordinators and lecturers; and more than 1,200 students enrolled in 10 degree programs (bachelor of arts and three undergraduate minors, four professional masters and two doctorates). The school is organized in three departments — public policy, social welfare and urban planning — and houses 12 research centers. Faculty members and students work at scales ranging from neighborhood to international on topics such as aging, democracy, child welfare and education, economic development, environmental challenges, healthcare and mental health, housing and urban design, immigration, poverty, transportation and national security. A fundamental part of the school’s service mission is realized through its engagement in local, regional, national, and international programmatic and research collaborations.

As the chief executive and academic officer for UCLA Luskin, the dean provides strategic vision for and operational leadership of the school, which has an annual operating budget of approximately $117 million. The dean works to advance scholarship, education and civic engagement; encourage distinctive programmatic innovation; enhance inclusive excellence in educational programs and faculty and student recruitment; and link the work of the school’s faculty and students to other disciplines, communities, and interests within and outside of the academy. Supporting the university’s research mission, the dean will advance the faculty’s scholarly activities, including opportunities afforded by interdisciplinary approaches. The dean serves as the school’s public voice, articulating its contributions to local, state, regional, national and international communities, and pursuing an ambitious development program to build the school’s resources. Reporting to the executive vice chancellor and provost, the dean serves on the deans council and the council of professional school deans, and collaborates with leadership across UCLA and the UC system as well as local, national and international leaders in the public sphere.

UCLA seeks an innovative and visionary thinker to lead UCLA Luskin’s highly influential programs on the forefront of problem-solving scholarship and practice. Ideal candidates will be nationally and/or internationally recognized for scholarly and/or professional achievement, with substantial administrative leadership experience; a strong commitment to education and research; and demonstrated leadership as an innovator, ambassador and partner in collaborating with leaders from various institutional and community sectors. Minimum requirements include a record of distinguished intellectual leadership and scholarly accomplishment; significant organizational leadership and administrative responsibility; deep engagement in addressing social and economic issues in a wide variety of settings; demonstrated success in external relations and fundraising, particularly with alumni; an established record of advancing inclusive excellence; and credentials that merit appointment at the rank of full professor.

With its 419-acre campus in Westwood and site acquisitions in Downtown and West L.A., UCLA is enriched by the cultural diversity of the dynamic greater Los Angeles area, as well as the geographic advantages of Southern California. One of the world’s preeminent public research universities, UCLA is an international leader in breadth and quality of academic, research, health care, wellness, cultural, continuing education and athletic programs, with more than 6,567 faculty members who teach approximately 48,000 students in the UCLA College and 12 professional schools. UCLA is consistently ranked among the top institutions nationally for research funding, having generated nearly $1.6 billion in research grants and contracts in the last fiscal year alone.

Confidential review of applications, nominations and expressions of interest will begin immediately and will continue until an appointment is made. Address nominations and inquiries to our DSG | Storbeck consultants Holly Jackson, Steve Leo and Lisa Solinsky at UCLAPublicAffairs@dsgco.com. To be ensured full consideration, please submit a letter of interest and curriculum vitae via the DSG | Storbeck Talent Profile portal by January 21, 2026.

The anticipated annual compensation range for this position is $450,000 – $570,000, commensurate with related experience and qualifications. The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected categories covered by the UC nondiscrimination policy.