Senior Director, Educator Preparation

University of North Texas System•Denton, TX

21d•Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Director of Educator Preparation serves as the chief operational and strategic leader of the University of North Texas Educator Preparation Office (EPO). This role is responsible for ensuring program excellence, regulatory compliance, and operational efficiency across all educator preparation pathways. The Senior Director provides end-to-end leadership across clinical practice, certification and accountability, and student success, ensuring alignment with university priorities and full compliance with the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC). The position acts as the primary institutional authority for EPO operations, data reporting, and state accountability. This role is both strategic and execution-focused, driving continuous improvement, strengthening PK–12 partnerships, and ensuring candidates are prepared, supported, and successful from admission through certification and employment. Additional responsibilities include managing departmental resources, advising college leadership on regulatory and programmatic initiatives, and leading strategic projects that support the mission and growth of the college's educator preparation programs. This role reports directly to the Chair of the Department of Teacher Education & Administration, with a dotted-line reporting relationship to the Dean of the College of Education, ensuring alignment across departmental and college leadership.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in a related field
7 years of progressively responsible professional experience in program administration, operations, higher education administration, or a related field
3 years of supervisory or leadership experience
Knowledge of university policies, procedures, and administrative operations.
Knowledge of applicable federal, state, accreditation, and regulatory requirements.
Demonstrated strategic leadership and organizational management skills.
Strong financial management and budget administration skills.
Ability to develop long-range strategic initiatives and operational plans.
Ability to evaluate organizational effectiveness through assessment methodologies, data analysis, and performance metrics.
Strong leadership, coaching, and staff development skills.
Excellent project and change management skills.
Ability to build collaborative partnerships across internal and external stakeholders.
Strong analytical, critical thinking, and problem-solving abilities.
Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills.

Nice To Haves

Earned doctorate in Education or closely related field
Experience in an equivalent senior leadership role
Experience working within Texas educator preparation programs and TEA requirements
Experience serving as TEA EPP Legal Authority or in a comparable compliance leadership role
Proven success leading accreditation or state approval reviews
Strong background in data systems, accountability, and program evaluation
Experience leading organizational restructuring or operational transformation

Responsibilities

Lead all educator preparation programs, managing 11 staff members and organizational design.
Serve as primary TEA contact and official legal authority for state compliance.
Ensure strict adherence to Texas Administrative Code (TAC) rules for admissions and accountability.
Oversee all ASEP submissions, Title II reporting, and 5-year continuing approval reviews.
Direct candidate recommendation processes and ensure data integrity via the ECOS system.
Build integrated data systems to track candidate progression and program outcomes.
Oversee all clinical teaching, field placements, internships, and residency pathways.
Establish strategic K-12 partnerships and manage MOUs across North Texas.
Strengthen teacher pipelines through innovative "grow-your-own" and residency models.
Manage student success models spanning advising, TExES preparation, and job placement.
Chair the mandated EPO Advisory Committee and engage regional community stakeholders.
Streamline workflows and administrative structures to eliminate redundancy and increase clarity.