Director, School of Education and Associate Professor or Professor

University of Illinois Springfield, IL•Springfield, IL

78d•$91,000•Onsite

About The Position

The University of Illinois Springfield (UIS), a regional public university committed to excellence in teaching, learning, and community engagement, seeks an experienced, collaborative, and visionary leader to serve as Director of the School of Education beginning July 1, 2026. The Director provides academic and administrative leadership to advance the mission of the School, including oversight of undergraduate and graduate teacher education and educational leadership programs, faculty development, student success initiatives, and accreditation compliance. This position offers the opportunity to lead a dedicated team of educators and staff, strengthen partnerships with area school districts, and contribute to strategic initiatives that prepare high-quality educators for diverse learning environments. The Director receives a teaching reduction to support their administrative duties, and teaches one to two courses per year. Rank: Associate Professor or Professor. This is a full-time (12-month) on-campus tenure-track faculty appointment. UIS tenure-system faculty are expected to be available and engaged in the university community, with assigned professional responsibilities for teaching, scholarship, and service.

Requirements

Earned doctorate in Education or closely related field that supports teaching within a UIS Education Program.
Record of successful teaching, scholarly activity, and service that merits appointment at the associate or full professor rank, including demonstrated excellence in teaching at the university level (tenure status negotiable).
Demonstrated experience in academic administration or leadership within Educational Leadership (Principalship or Superintendency), Teacher Education, or related fields.
Knowledge of educator preparation standards, accreditation, assessment, and licensure processes.
Proven ability to work collaboratively and communicate effectively with diverse internal and external constituencies
Demonstrated ability to manage and resolve conflict and stress within a complex academic unit.
Experience in online or hybrid program delivery and innovation in teaching and learning.

Nice To Haves

Experience with national and state accreditation, such as ISBE, or equivalent accreditation processes related to a School of Education.
Knowledge of Illinois state licensure requirements.
Successful P-12 teaching and/or administrative experience.
Demonstrated commitment to advancing educational equity.
Grant writing or external funding experience.

Responsibilities

Provide visionary leadership in academic planning, program development, assessment, and innovation.
Manage daily operations of the School of Education, including budget, scheduling, personnel, and facilities.
Support faculty governance and foster a collaborative, inclusive culture among faculty (in SOE and in licensure areas across campus), staff, and students.
Lead faculty recruitment, retention, development, and evaluation in alignment with university policies.
Ensure compliance with Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) licensure requirements and national accreditation standards as appropriate to UIS programs.
Lead continuous improvement efforts, including curriculum updates and program assessment cycles that are proposed from a student-centered approach.
Collaborate with the School of Education staff assigned to accreditation, compliance and licensure and the Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Assessment offices to maintain accreditation readiness.
Work closely with Enrollment and Retention Management offices to ensure compliance with university and state completion requirements including Registrar, Financial Aid, and Admissions.
Demonstrated experience applying educational theories to educational practice.
Develop and maintain strong partnerships with P-12 schools, school districts, regional office of education, and community organizations.
Represent the School on college and university committees.
Collaborate with School of Education staff and faculty and university leaders on strategic initiatives.
Serve as the School of Education primary point of contact between College and University committees.
Seek and steward external funding opportunities to support faculty research, outreach, and innovation.
Promote student-centered practices that improve access, retention, licensure completion, and graduation rates.
Oversee academic advising, licensure preparation, and clinical experiences in coordination with program coordinators/leads.
Support equity-minded practices in curriculum, instruction, and recruitment.
Support non-degree seeking students in their completion of licensure requirements.
Teach one or two courses per year.