Dean of the School of Educational Innovation

Albright College is seeking applications for Dean of the School of Educational Innovation.  The Dean of the School of Educational Innovation at Albright College is a dynamic, visionary leader who provides innovative leadership, driving the school’s mission to become a world- class, industry-leading institution in education. The inaugural Dean will be charged with the exciting and challenging task of building the school from the ground up, shaping its strategic direction, academic programming, and overall identity. The Dean will foster an environment that encourages creative thinking, interdisciplinary collaboration, and cutting-edge research, while also maintaining a strong focus on student success and engagement. The Dean will be instrumental in enhancing the school’s name recognition and prestige by developing world- class educational programs and positioning the school as a center for inventive and innovative thought leadership.

A critical aspect of the Dean's responsibilities will be the incorporation of Total Experience Learning®, a groundbreaking methodology at the forefront of educational innovation. The successful candidate will be expected to become well versed in TExpL instructional practice and methodology.   The Dean will champion this approach, establishing the school as a premier provider and advocate of this transformative educational model. The position demands a leader who is adept at navigating the complexities of academic administration and passionate about revolutionizing education through innovative practices. Central to this role is the establishment of strong relationships with educational, corporate and governmental entities to promote learning opportunities, research and funding, aligning educational programs with market needs and emerging trends. The Dean is a forward-thinking educator and leader, eager to shape the future of education and leave a lasting impact on the field.

Essential Job Functions:

1. Lead, guide and enhance the vision and structure for supporting and developing Education programs at Albright College: It is the responsibility of the Dean to develop and articulate a clear vision for the School of Educational Innovation (SoEI), and to engage faculty and staff in evolving the program offerings as part of Albright’s 2030 strategic vision. This work includes supporting faculty and staff to lead program development, including course design and delivery, to position the SoEI as a pioneer in educational methods, technologies and achieving measurable learning outcomes.

2. Lead and shape the vision and structure of coordinated programming that integrates the Total Experience Learning® (TExpL) methodology into all aspects of the curriculum. The Dean will lead work to establish TExpL as a transformative approach within the SoEI, at all levels of the educational programming, spearheading efforts to drive innovation and set new standards in educational practice.

3. Lead and manage the faculty and staff responsible for curricular development in the SoEI and coordinate with faculty and staff to ensure that college-wide policies and procedures are followed to further the strategic goals and mission of the College. This involves oversight of the creation and implementation of cutting-edge educational programs and assessment strategies, ensuring that curriculum is innovative, relevant and aligned with industry needs at all levels of educational instruction.

4. Support faculty development by working to enhance and evolve faculty skills and the support of teaching and pedagogy. The Dean leads efforts in faculty recruitment and development, to attract and retain world-class faculty, and foster a culture of academic excellence, collaboration, and continuous professional development. This work includes providing feedback to faculty based upon classroom observations, including peer observations, and providing mentoring and professional development opportunities for SoEI faculty that supports research in educational innovation and serves to position the school as a thought leader in educational reform.

5. Lead and manage fiscal responsibilities of the School of Educational Innovation. The Dean is responsible for the preparation of the annual operating and capital budgets for the SoEI, and works with direct reports to prepare and coordinate the budgets for their units. The Dean oversees work to manage the overall budget of this area, including regular review and reconciliation of income and expense accounts for all reporting units. As the fund manager for all restricted and endowment accounts for the reporting units, and the grant manager for external funding, the Dean oversees the preparation and documentation of all releases, and reconciliation of records with the Advancement and Comptroller’s offices.

6. Lead and manage work to increase the visibility and reputation of the SoEI, both nationally and internationally. This includes work across the divisions of the College, including plans for marketing and promotion of the school. The Dean coordinates with Communications, to develop and implement the strategy and effective external voice for Albright’s educational programs, as well as coordinating with local and global communities to develop programs to extend the SoEI influence and impact on educational policy and practice.

7. Lead the process of developing an environment that supports continuous improvement and adaptation. It is the responsibility of the Dean to oversee the development and implementation of processes to assess the SoEI programs and learning outcomes, and to champion adoption of strategies to meet the changing educational landscape. The Dean fosters an environment that embraces new technologies and methodologies in education, and supports data-driven decision making about the evolution of program development and delivery.

8. Oversee all aspects of program compliance and accreditation. The Dean works with the College’s Accreditation Liaison Officer to ensure that the SoEI meets all regulatory requirement and maintains necessary accreditations. This requires the Dean to maintain high standards of academic integrity and operational efficiency.

9. Office hours and teaching. The Dean will hold regular office hours for faculty, staff and students during the year. Teaching up to one course per semester is permitted with the permission and agreement of the Provost. Such teaching is considered part of the full- time appointment and is not additionally compensated.

Qualifications/Prerequisites:

1. COMMUNICATION
   1. Strong, clear, and persuasive communication skills, both written and oral.
   2. Intellectual depth necessary to understand and translate information for a variety of audiences, comprehensively and concisely.
   3. Demonstrated ability to work and communicate effectively with a variety of constituents, including external members of the community.
2. LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT SKILLS
   1. Good listening and decision-making skills.
   2. Strong organizational and project management skills.
   3. Demonstrated commitment to building an inclusive and equitable academic community, as described inAlbright College’s Inclusivity and Equity Statement.
   4. The ability to work collaboratively and effectively with faculty and administrators in a student-centered environment, working in multi-functional and cross-institutional teams.
   5. Strong interpersonal skills and capacity for networking, as well as tact and diplomacy.
3. TECHNICAL AND PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS
   1. Understanding of the confidential and sensitive nature of the work.
   2. Ability to proactively learn the intricacies of a project, manage a project, and to take initiative as appropriate.
   3. Demonstrated ability to manage a budget and financial resources within a resource- constrained environment.
   4. Database management experience highly desirable.
   5. Excellent attention to detail.
4. INTERPERSONAL SKILLS
   1. Honesty, integrity, enthusiasm, and perspective. A strong work ethic supported by meaningful response, commitment and follow-through.
   2. Demonstrated ability to serve as an effective, collaborative and contributing team member.
   3. Desire to play a meaningful role in the life and development of Albright College and its extended community, and to share in Albright’s commitment to educating students of academic promise for life and career in the 21st century.
   4. Creativity, humility, and a fair and open-minded leader, with a sense of humor and desire to help others succeed.
5. EMPLOYMENT EXPERIENCE
   1. At least 10 years of combined experience in college level teaching at the graduate or undergraduate level in the discipline, or K-12 education, and leadership roles within the education sector.
   2. Experience with faculty management.
   3. Experience with curricular assessment and evaluation.
6. EDUCATION
   1. Graduate degree appropriate for teaching in the discipline.

Preferred qualifications

1. Leadership experience in an academic setting.
2. Experience with undergraduate and graduate programs in Education.
3. Understanding of the regional environment in which the Albright community is situated.
4. Demonstrated success in grant writing
5. Understanding and experience with market research and demand analysis strongly desired.
6. Strong analytical skills
7. Experience in managing projects that integrate different areas of an organization
8. Ability to utilize project management tracking tools.
9. Advanced knowledge of relevant Microsoft Office products and academic data management systems.

Review of applications for this position will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Interested applicants should complete an application by clicking “Apply Now”.  Cover letter, a minimum of two professional references and any other supporting application materials can be uploaded in one document along with the resume.  Optional documents may be submitted can include: proof of education/certification, licenses, and letters of recommendation.  Albright offers a competitive benefits package, which includes tuition remission.  Albright offers a competitive benefits package, which includes tuition remission.

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