Assistant/Associate Professor and Program Chair for Teacher Leader Program

National Louis University; Wheeling (IL); On-site; USD 75,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

National Louis University seeks an assistant professor, non-tenure track in the Teacher Leader Program within the National College of Education. The role leads program development, collaborates with faculty and school partners, and guides PK-16 educator leadership initiatives.

The candidate will build a research agenda, support data-driven decision-making, and contribute to graduate pathways including certificates, endorsements, M.Ed., and Ed.S. programs.

Qualifications

• Earned doctorate in Educational Leadership or related field.
• Minimum three years of leadership experience; coaching/mentoring experience valued.
• Experience conducting applied research in classrooms/school/district settings; higher education teaching experience commensurate with rank.
• Excellence in online teaching with adult learners.
• Applicants with experience obtaining personnel preparation or research grants would be viewed positively.
• Applicants with experience advocating at the state policy level would be viewed positively.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership, management, and administrative oversight to the Teacher Leader Program, including student advising, adjunct faculty workload management, curriculum, assessment, scheduling, technology development, and ISBE compliance.
• Teach courses in the Teacher Leader Program.
• Oversee clinical hour requirements in the Teacher Leader Program.
• Oversee the Teacher Leader endorsement requirements for ISBE.
• Work with state-level organizations to advocate for Teacher Leadership.
• Support University marketing and enrollment management processes.
• Engage in the learning-community life of National Louis University through meetings, committees, professional development, and collaborative projects with faculty and staff.

Skills

Leadership experience

Online teaching

Applied research

Grant experience

Policy advocacy

Education

Doctorate in Educational Leadership or related field

Job description

Overview

THE OPPORTUNITY

The National College of Education (NCE) at National Louis University (NLU) is pleased to announce a search for an assistant professor, non-tenure track faculty position in the Teacher Leader Program and solicits nominations and expressions of interest.

The Teacher Leader Program Chair serves as the academic and operational leader for the Teacher Leader Program, working collaboratively with faculty, university leadership, school partners, and professional organizations to ensure program quality, growth, innovation, and alignment with state and national standards. We seek a colleague with extensive teacher leadership experience at the school and/or district level. The successful candidate will provide vision, leadership, and innovation to the teacher leadership program at the Certificate, Endorsement, M.Ed., and Ed.S levels, preparing candidates to develop a strong foundation in leading adult learning, evidence-based decision-making, research project design, and using data analysis for PK-16 improvement. Experience in program evaluation and policy advocacy at the P-12 or higher education levels would be welcomed.

A demonstrated research agenda and productivity appropriate to the field of educational leadership with demonstrated skill in research methodologies is expected. Priority will be given to individuals with research in the area of teacher leadership, professional development, coaching, or mentoring. Priority will also be given to individuals with experience in with leadership with the higher education setting.

The successful candidate will contribute to strategic growth of the Teacher Leader Program by developing innovative pathways, strengthening district partnerships, and responding to emerging needs in educator leadership development.

The position is within a dynamic College of Education and is housed under the School of Educational Leadership Studies.

WHO WE ARE

NLU’s National College of Education (NCE) understands that serving PreK-12 students as teachers and school leaders is a calling, a commitment, and a career. Our unique style of partnership with students at all levels—from new teacher preparation to advanced professional programs to doctoral degrees—guides all we do as we create today’s teachers and tomorrow’s leaders.

Our programs are designed with the needs of our students in mind. Graduates frequently cite the National College of Education’s top quality professors, convenient locations, flexible course offerings and affordability. Most of all, the commitment to “real world” progressive education is unparalleled. NCE graduates make a difference. Our educators are found in 40% of Illinois public schools and 75% of Chicago Public Schools, collectively impacting the lives of 60,000 students each year.

At NCE, our commitment to learning includes ourselves. We have recently created four new programs and evolved an additional 21 programs to more appropriately address the needs of today’s educators.

WHO YOU ARE

You are: A Change Leader. You are an accomplished PreK-12 educator with a passion for developing students and teachers to their fullest potential. You are an experienced leader who has successfully guided schools and/or district through change. You are a constructive partner who leads the work that needs to be done and advocates for high quality education. You are a veteran educator attracted to university teaching as a new career step and a new level of positive influence on American education. You are deeply motivated by a desire to work in a learning community that is preparing the next generation of life-changing leaders.

You will: Model and Support Research. You believe in the power of practitioner researchers. You will draw upon current research to inform your instruction. You will use your research agenda to model research methodologies for our candidates. You will support our candidates as they become research practitioners.

You are ready to: Make an Impact. Each and every day, this program changes lives. You want to be a part of NCE’s societally impactful leadership as an educator preparation institution. You are someone who will always look for creative ways for students to earn success. We know this work is challenging, but we are in it together and you are inspired by the opportunity to work collaboratively with other educational leaders to optimize our impact together.

Essential Responsibilities

• Provide leadership, management, and administrative oversight to the Teacher Leader Program, including student advising, adjunct faculty workload management, curriculum, assessment, scheduling, technology development, and ISBE compliance.
• Teach courses in the Teacher Leader Program.
• Oversee clinical hour requirements in the Teacher Leader Program.
• Oversee the Teacher Leader endorsement requirements for ISBE.
• Work with state-level organizations to advocate for Teacher Leadership.
• Support University marketing and enrollment management processes.
• Engage in the learning-community life of National Louis University through engagement in meetings, committees, professional development, and collaborative projects with faculty and staff.

Qualifications

• Possess an earned doctorate in Educational Leadership, or a related field.
• At least three years of leadership experience, with preference given to teacher leadership experience. Formal coaching and mentoring experience will be viewed positively.
• Have experience conducting applied research in classrooms/school/district settings, and higher education teaching experience commensurate with rank.
• Demonstrate excellence in online teaching with adult learners.
• Applicants with experience participating in and/or obtaining personnel preparation or research grants in this area would be viewed positively.
• Applicants with experience advocating at the state policy level would be viewed positively.

NLU Inclusion Statement:

National Louis University is deeply committed to serving its community, advancing access and equity, and ensuring that all individuals are welcomed and valued. We are dedicated to fostering a culture where diversity, equity, and inclusion remain at the core of who we are. These are more than just words to us: they are truly a way of life for the NLU community. We recognize that differences in abilities, age, ethnicity, gender (identity and expression), race, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, and background bring richness to our work environment. We affirm diverse perspectives, innovative contributions, and authentic presentations of self from every member within the NLU community. We believe inclusion is grounded in the actions we intentionally take each day. Our goal is to inspire and empower NLU employees and community members to cultivate an environment where we collectively focus on uplifting and advancing our institutional culture.

Compensation and Benefits

At National Louis University, we offer our employees an innovative environment to work together and inspire the ideas that will make an impact. As our external environment changes, our employees are provided the opportunities and tools needed to grow both personally and professionally to remain successful. NLU employees and dependents are offered a wide range of benefits, including but not limited to, Health Insurance benefits, Retirement benefits, Paid Time Off and Educational Opportunities. Additional information regarding full-time faculty benefits can be found here.

NLU Faculty salaries are based on rank within each college. The ranges for each rank for the National College of Education are listed below:

2026 NCE 10-Month Faculty Salary Ranges

Compensation decisions are dependent upon the facts and circumstances of each position and candidate. Offers are based on multiple factors permitted by law, including but not limited to: budgetary considerations, job-related knowledge/skills, experience, current/previous faculty rank, market considerations, tenure and standing with the university (applicable to current employees), and internal equity.