Dean, School of Nursing

Endicott College•St. Louis, MO

8d•$200,000 - $215,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Dean of the Cummings School of Nursing and Health Sciences, reporting to the Provost, serves as the chief academic and administrative officer for the School, providing strategic leadership across its undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral nursing and health sciences programs. The Dean is responsible for the School's academic quality, faculty leadership, strategic direction, operations, and financial stewardship. Aligned with Endicott College's mission to foster academic excellence, experiential learning, and community engagement, the Dean leads curricular innovation, strengthens clinical and community partnerships, supports student success, and oversees accreditation and regulatory requirements. The Dean also serves as a visible leader and ambassador for the School, building strong relationships with healthcare organizations, professional partners, alumni, donors, and the broader community.

Requirements

Earned doctorate in nursing, such as a Ph.D., DNP or Ed.D from an accredited institution.
Unencumbered Registered Nurse (RN) license, or eligibility for licensure in Massachusetts.
Minimum of 10 years of professional experience, including at least 7 years of progressive management or leadership experience in higher education, nursing education, or a related academic healthcare environment.
Demonstrated record of leadership in academic nursing, including experience overseeing academic programs, faculty, or complex organizational units.
Distinguished record of teaching, scholarship, and/or professional practice appropriate for appointment at the rank of professor or senior faculty level.
Demonstrated knowledge of ACEN accreditation, state board requirements, and applicable nursing education and clinical standards.
Demonstrated experience with budgeting, resource management, faculty leadership, and strategic planning.
Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills with a collaborative, transparent leadership style suited to a dynamic academic community.

Nice To Haves

Experience leading undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral nursing programs.
Proven track record of developing and expanding healthcare, clinical, and community partnerships.
Experience with fundraising, grant development, or other external resource development.
Experience leading program growth, curriculum innovation, or new academic program development.
Demonstrated record of direct patient care (e.g., Registered Nurse, Advanced Practice Provider) or indirect clinical leadership (e.g., Clinical Director, Manager of Clinical Education, or Director of Clinical Placements), ensuring deep familiarity with modern clinical practice and workforce demands.
Experience leading online academic programs is preferred.

Responsibilities

Provide strategic leadership for the Cummings School of Nursing, aligning academic priorities and initiatives with Endicott College's mission and strategic direction.
Serve as the School's senior academic leader, establishing priorities and fostering a transparent, collaborative, inclusive, and high-performing culture among faculty, staff, and students.
Lead school-wide strategic planning, interdisciplinary initiatives, program development, and continuous improvement.
Lead intentional, sustainable program expansion that explicitly safeguards student-to-faculty ratios, class size, and student-centered culture.
Represent the School to senior College leadership, healthcare organizations, professional associations, alumni, donors, and other external stakeholders.
Maintain high standards of academic quality and student outcomes across undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral nursing programs, including licensure examination performance, progression, graduation, employment, and other measures of program effectiveness.
Provide leadership for curriculum development and innovation, ensuring programs remain current, rigorous, evidence-based, and responsive to evolving healthcare needs.
Lead the School's nursing accreditation and regulatory requirements, including ACEN accreditation and applicable state board and clinical agency requirements, while contributing to the College's institutional accreditation efforts.
Direct the continuous assessment of academic and program outcomes and use assessment findings to inform curriculum and program improvements.
Build and sustain strategic relationships with healthcare systems, clinical organizations, community partners, and other stakeholders to strengthen experiential learning opportunities and clinical placements.
Partner with Enrollment Management and College Communications on recruitment, enrollment, marketing, and student retention strategies.
Maintain active relationships with regional and national healthcare leaders and professional organizations to understand workforce needs and position the School for continued growth and relevance.
Develop the School's external presence and reputation through professional engagement, community partnerships, and other opportunities that advance its mission.
Recruit, retain, develop, and evaluate highly qualified faculty and administrative staff.
Support faculty professional development, scholarly activity, clinical practice, teaching excellence, and instructional innovation.
Foster a culture of faculty engagement, shared governance, collaboration, accountability, and professional growth.
Establish and oversee policies and processes related to student progression, academic performance, clinical readiness, and faculty responsibilities in collaboration with nursing faculty and academic leadership.
Actively support and cultivate a culture of faculty research, scholarship, and professional practice to elevate the School's academic reputation and sustainable growth.
Develop and manage the School of Nursing's operating and capital budgets, ensuring responsible stewardship of financial and other resources.
Evaluate staffing, facilities, technology, simulation resources, and other investments needed to support the School's academic priorities and future growth.
Partner with Institutional Advancement to identify and pursue fundraising, grant, philanthropic, and other external funding opportunities.
Cultivate relationships with donors, alumni, healthcare partners, and other supporters to advance priorities such as scholarships, faculty development, simulation facilities, and academic programs.
Promote a strong culture of student success, belonging, and professional development across the School.
Maintain meaningful visibility and engagement with students, faculty, and staff and support nursing student organizations and activities.
In partnership with Student Affairs, establish a clear student support infrastructure—including dedicated academic advising and student mental health resources to streamline student care.
Modernize and streamline operational processes, including exploring automated solutions for clinical placements and expanding lab support resources to increase administrative efficiency.
As a member of the College's leadership team, the Dean is expected to be an active and visible member of the Endicott community. This includes attending and supporting major College events and activities and demonstrating a strong commitment to collaboration and community engagement.
Participate actively in the life of the College, including Commencement, Homecoming, and other major College events.
Perform other duties as assigned.
Responsible for the recruitment, hiring, mentoring, and performance evaluation of staff within the School, including the SIM lab and the following roles: Associate Dean, Graduate Nursing; Associate Dean, Undergraduate Nursing; Associate Dean, Cummings School of Nursing and Health Sciences.