Associate/Full Professor of Strategic Communication Department Chairperson

Montclair State University•Montclair, NJ

1d•$118,155 - $143,608

About The Position

The College of Communication and Media (CCOM) at Montclair State University invites applications for a faculty member to serve as chairperson for the Department of Strategic Communication. Qualified candidates will be hired with tenure as either an associate or full professor. Candidates must have earned tenure prior to applying. This person will have the opportunity to lead an engaged and talented faculty in ensuring academic and co-curricular programs are contemporary and industry-aligned while continuing to build the national reputation and distinctiveness of programs within the department. They will also lead the Department in furthering critical interdisciplinary work both in the College and across the University. The Department chair will provide leadership in supporting external engagement with industry and community, lead the department in best practices in teaching and in a range of administrative functions, drive innovative academic and public scholarship that informs the discipline, and champion new programs and curricula that prepare students for the future strategic communication workplace. The ideal candidate will have an established record as a faculty member in one of the Department’s disciplines. They should have a record of excellence in teaching, scholarship, and service that merits tenure at Montclair. They must have administrative experience, which could include serving as department chair, deputy chair, graduate director, assistant dean, and other leadership roles. The candidate must embrace the importance of responsibilities assigned to the chair, including efficient and equitable scheduling, faculty evaluation, assessment, student grievances, mentoring of junior faculty, student recruitment, and hiring and overseeing adjunct faculty. They must recognize the importance of resource management and prioritization. They should be excited to fully embrace the professional opportunities that come from a campus in the shadows of NYC, the center of the nation’s communication and media industries. Ideal candidates will foster a positive environment where faculty work collaboratively towards student success, creative and scholarly initiatives, and department innovation. Candidates from all disciplines within the Department are welcomed to apply, and they must be keenly focused on the technologically evolutionary nature of these fields and ensuring that the Department’s academic programs prepare students for these career opportunities. Department chairpersons do maintain a teaching schedule, reduced for their administrative load, and receive additional compensation for their administrative responsibilities throughout the summer. THE DEPARTMENT OF STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION The Department of Strategic Communication houses two undergraduate (B.A.) majors, Advertising and Social Media & Public Relations; and a graduate (M.A.) program, Strategic Communication & Media. The undergraduate programs currently enroll over 319 majors and are experiencing rapid growth in both majors – particularly true as the Advertising major was only launched in 2022. While these are two separate majors, they share several common courses and a recognition of the synergies between the two disciplines in a highly integrated academic and professional landscape. The graduate program in Strategic Communication & Media is a highly innovative and fully online curriculum that prepares graduates for careers in the contemporary professional landscape. The department also supports several key co-curricular programs, including Hawk Communications (the Department’s strategic communications agency), a PRSSA chapter, and a newly forming Ad Club. The Department also oversees participation in the Bateman PR competition, in which Montclair finished second nationally in 2024, and is preparing to participate in the National Student Advertising Competition. Department faculty oversee the work of the Joetta Di Bella and Fred C. Sautter III Center for Strategic Communication, which has garnered extensive global media coverage through its public scholarship of timely social issues using social media analytics tools THE COLLEGE OF COMMUNICATION AND MEDIA Founded in 2012, the College of Communication and Media offers a range of dynamic programs in communication and media to a talented and diverse student population of approximately 2,000 students. Offering degrees in Advertising, Animation & Visual Effects, Communication & Media Studies, Film & Television, Journalism & Digital Media, Social Media & Public Relations, Sports Communication, and an MA in Strategic Communication & Media, the College prepares the next generation of communication and media practitioners and leaders. It maintains several critical strategic partnerships, including membership in NBCU Academy, the summer residency program for Ghetto Film School, and a highly collaborative partnership with WNBC/Telemundo 47. CCOM houses award-winning student programs that include WMSC Radio, The Montclarion newspaper, Hawk Communications PR Agency, the Red Hawk Sports Network, Hawk+ OTT streaming platform, a Los Angeles residential program, and News Lab, as well as the Joetta Di Bella and Fred C. Sautter III Center for Strategic Communication and the Center for Cooperative Media, the latter of which serves the public by working to grow and strengthen local and collaborative journalism. Recent national recognitions for the College include an Edward R. Murrow Award, several Marconi Award nominations, two College Television Awards from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, and several SVG Sports Media nominations. The College consists of four departments: Animation, Film, & Television; Communication & Media Studies; Journalism & Sports Media; and Strategic Communication. The College will continue to drive the upward trajectory of its faculty, staff, and student endeavors, which aspire toward inclusive excellence and national recognition across departments, degrees, centers, and programs.

Requirements

An earned doctorate in advertising, public relations, strategic communication, or a closely related field
Administrative experience in higher education institutions
A distinguished record of teaching, research, and service that qualifies the candidate for tenure at the rank of Associate Professor or Professor
Significant teaching and research experience in strategic communication
Demonstrated leadership experience in an academic setting
Strong commitment to student success and the ability to work effectively with students from varied backgrounds
Excellent communication, organizational, interpersonal and technical skills
Experience with accreditation processes
Proven track record of securing external funding and developing partnerships
Experience with innovative curriculum development
Active involvement in relevant professional organizations
Experience in leading and mentoring faculty and staff

Responsibilities

Overseeing curriculum development and assessment
Supporting faculty and staff in their professional growth
Fostering a culture of research and creative activities among faculty and students
Fostering excellence in teaching
Managing departmental budgets and resources
Facilitating collaborations with industry professionals and academic partners
Enhancing the department's presence in national organizations in our field
Supporting student media initiatives, including AdClub and PRSSA.