Director, School of the Environment | Washington State University (Pullman, WA)

Washington State University•Pullman, WA

9d•Onsite

About The Position

Washington State University seeks a visionary academic leader to serve as Director of the School of the Environment (SOE), a multi-college and multi-campus enterprise within the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences. The Director will provide academic and administrative leadership from the Pullman campus and will hold a four-year renewable administrative leadership appointment beginning August 1, 2027. The Director appointment is a 12-month academic-term position. In addition, the successful candidate will hold either a permanent full-time 9-month tenure-eligible Professor appointment, with an expedited tenure review upon acceptance for a successful Professor candidate, or a continuous full-time 9-month Career-Track Professor appointment. The Director will collaboratively develop and implement strategies to strengthen SOE teaching, research, Extension, and student support, while advancing access and opportunity in keeping with WSU’s land-grant mission. Responsibilities include overseeing academic programs and curriculum, advocating for the School, supporting recruitment and professional development, and managing the unit’s budget, strategic planning, growth, and daily operations. The Director will also work with academic leaders across the two colleges and the university to align SOE with broader priorities. The position is based on the Pullman campus. WSU describes Pullman as a community of around 20,000 students in southeastern Washington, with a four-season climate and access to the Palouse region and nearby Moscow, Idaho. The position may be eligible for work visa sponsorship and requires a background check.

Requirements

Earned terminal degree in a discipline represented within or closely aligned with the School of the Environment.
Demonstrated experience as an academic leader, such as chair, director, program leader, associate director, unit-level administrator, or in another significant academic leadership role.
Demonstrated administrative experience involving academic programs, budgets, and/or operations.
Demonstrated excellence in teaching, research, scholarship, Extension, and/or service appropriate to the candidate’s discipline and rank.
Evidence of successful program development and implementation.
Demonstrated experience effectively supervising, managing, or leading faculty, staff, and/or academic employees.
Demonstrated ability to collaborate across disciplines and organizational structures and with faculty, staff, students, administrators, and other stakeholders.
Demonstrated ability to work independently and in teams to advance complex initiatives while managing competing priorities and stakeholder interests.
Demonstrated strong communication and problem-solving skills.
Currently serving at the rank of Professor or equivalent in a tenure-track or career-track appointment, or having accomplishments commensurate with college standards for that track and rank.
Submit a cover letter addressing the qualifications and the requested land-grant mission prompt, a curriculum vitae, and a Future School Director’s Statement.
Provide names, addresses, and contact information for at least four references later in the recruitment process.

Nice To Haves

Three or more years of higher education administrative experience.
Demonstrated experience developing or implementing strategies supporting student recruitment, enrollment, retention, and student success.
Experience leading strategic planning or organizational change in an academic environment.
Demonstrated experience supporting and advancing faculty research, scholarship, Extension, and/or externally funded work.
Demonstrated experience with curriculum development, program assessment, accreditation, or academic program review.
Demonstrated success building collaborative relationships with external organizations.
Experience leading or working within an interdisciplinary academic unit or team.
Administrative experience working within shared governance structures and in policy development.
Demonstrated success supporting recruitment, retention, professional development, and recognition of faculty and staff.
Experience engaging alumni, external partners, donors, agencies, communities, or other stakeholders in support of academic priorities.

Responsibilities

Collaboratively develop and implement strategies to strengthen the School of the Environment’s teaching, research, Extension, and student support.
Advance access and opportunity in alignment with WSU’s land-grant mission across classrooms, collaborations, and academic work.
Build a collaborative and cooperative culture and environment within the School of the Environment.
Administer and oversee academic program delivery, and regularly update curricula, delivery methods, and teaching activities.
Represent and champion the School to university administration, other university units, and external stakeholders.
Oversee recruitment and retention of faculty, staff, and graduate and undergraduate students, and support their professional growth and development.
Oversee department management, including budget, strategic planning, academic growth, and daily operations.
Serve on the broader academic leadership teams of the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences, collaborating to align the School with college and university priorities.