Position will serve as a full-time, 12-month, tenure-track position, at the Associate Professor rank or higher, as well as, serve as Department Head for Nursing with one quarter time teaching responsibilities. Position is responsible for developing a productive and collaborative atmosphere, mentoring faculty, developing an effective shared governance system, working effectively with the college dean and senior administration, building excellence in curriculum and coursework scheduling in collaboration with the department faculty, maintaining a program of scholarly activities/research.  In addition, the position is responsible for providing direction to and supervising the staff of the department. This position will begin Fall semester 2025.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Administration:
• Serves as the chief nurse administrator for the undergraduate and graduate nursing programs within the School of Nursing and Health Sciences.
• Works collaboratively with faculty to build a positive culture and effective structures, policies and communications channels.
• Serves as the chief advocate for advancing the mission of the college and the institution.
• Assesses departmental performance and determines critical requirements for program practices and documentation.
• Leads best practice expectations for recruitment and retention of students, faculty success, alumni relations, securing and managing extramural funding, and other scholarly and fundraising initiatives.
• Promotes and mentors the professional development of faculty within the academic department.
• Mentors faculty to success in achieving tenure and advancing through ranks. Maintains professional development and ongoing success of seasoned faculty.
• Encourages and supports attendance at professional conferences, grant writing, academic and research publications, professional consulting, mentoring, and community engagement.
• Performs annual evaluations of faculty and staff. Develops annual performance plans outlining what each faculty or staff member will accomplish in the coming year.  Combines results of individual plans to produce an annual performance plan for the academic unit as a whole.
• Ensures that departmental course offerings optimize resources and are offered in a timely manner with adequate student input to ensure the smooth flow of student progress toward graduation.
• Exercises fiduciary responsibility on all departmental operating, special, and endowment accounts as well as fixed and consumable assets assigned to departmental programs. Monitors dedicated scholarships closely and ensures that awards are made in a timely fashion.
• Develops and improves departmental plan for curriculum development, review and revision. Utilizes results from course student assessments and input from faculty, program graduates, and external stakeholders / employers to identify and respond to areas of greater demand and to seek out new areas of strength.

• Oversees, in conjunction with program faculty and departmental staff, an effective and continuous student academic advising program for each academic program of study in the department. Monitors graduation rates, and ensures compliance with any relevant Texas Board of Nursing and Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board requirements, particularly, where appropriate, state-mandated core curriculum learning goals. Collaborates with departmental faculty to mentor new graduate students and ensure that any graduate assistants employed by the department, including those supported by extramural funds, receive appropriate training and mentoring to enable them to perform their job assignments professionally.
• Serves as the primary liaison with the dean, graduate school, the registrar, and institutional effectiveness.
• Oversees the assessment processes used for both regional accreditation and national professional program accreditation.
• Keeps faculty informed of institutional issues in a timely and transparent fashion and manages departmental student issues; the graduation process; employment of adjunct faculty and GAs; departmental and program marketing, including the departmental website; student internships; alumni records; departmental fund-raising initiatives; ordering of equipment and/or supplies; facility renovations; and the completion of various required reports.
• Teaching and Service
• Teaches up to 3 sch per semester.
• Chairs the Nursing Faculty Organization committee.
• Serves as an ex-officio member of other departmental committees.
• Serves on selected, college and university committees.
• Research
• Maintains active scholarship endeavors per Texas A&M System, University, and College expectations and guidelines for tenure and promotion.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

• Education: Terminal degree in nursing or a terminal degree related field and a Master’s degree in nursing. 
• Experience / Knowledge / Skills: Academic background commensurate with the rank of associate professor or higher. Proven records of College/University nursing leadership experience, higher education teaching experience, and a commitment to shared governance and quality programs. 
• Ability to: Ability to multitask and work cooperatively with faculty, staff, and students. Ability to work beyond normal office hours and/or work on weekends as needed. Ability to travel.
• Licensing/Professional Certifications: License to practice as a Registered Nurse in the State of Texas
• Physical Requirements: None
• Other Requirements: None 

PREFERRED EDUCATION / SKILLS/ EXPERIENCE:

Leadership experience at the department head level. Higher education teaching and advising experience. Demonstrated experience with budgeting, curriculum / course design, and implementation; procuring external funding; and distance education. Evidence of effective interaction with students, faculty, administration, and community and active participation in professional organizations.

SUPERVISION OF OTHERS:

Departmental faculty and staff.