Associate Professor/Professor and Master of Social Work (MSW) Program Director (6363)

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BLACK SOCIAL WORKERS; DeKalb (IL); On-site; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Northern Illinois University invites applications for a full-time, 9-month Associate Professor or Professor to serve as the inaugural MSW Program Director, leading development of the MSW program and guiding early CSWE accreditation.

You will oversee academic and administrative leadership, including curriculum design, budget management, staffing, field placement coordination, and partnerships with community organizations, while engaging in teaching, scholarship, and service aligned with the

Qualifications

• PhD in Social Work or terminal degree in the field.
• Experience leading MSW programs or equivalent leadership.
• Strong record of teaching, scholarship and service aligned with university mission.

Responsibilities

• Provide visionary leadership to develop the MSW program and navigate initial CSWE accreditation.
• Oversee curriculum design, budget management, staffing and field placements.
• Drive program growth via marketing, recruitment and community partnerships; teach and engage in scholarship.

Skills

Academic leadership

CSWE accreditation

Curriculum design

Budget management

Staffing

Partnership development

Teaching, scholarship

Education

PhD in Social Work

Tenure-track capable

Job description

This role provides comprehensive academic and administrative leadership for the online Master of Social Work (MSW) program, overseeing everything from CSWE accreditation and curriculum design to budget management and staffing. You will drive program growth by managing marketing, recruitment, and field placements while ensuring instructional excellence through continuous evaluation and data analysis. A key focus involves building strategic partnerships with state boards and educational agencies to diversify the social work workforce and strengthen professional pathways. Additionally, you will remain active in the academic community through teaching, scholarship, and committee service aligned with the university’s mission.

The School of Clinical and Developmental Sciences in the College of Health and Human Sciences at Northern Illinois University invites applications for a full-time, 9-month, Associate Professor or Professor to serve as the inaugural Master of Social Work (MSW) Program Director and provide visionary leadership to develop the MSW program and navigate initial accreditation with CSWE.

We seek a dynamic social work educator who will demonstrate a commitment to NIU’s mission by supporting access to high-quality education, mentoring faculty, and developing partnerships with community-based organizations while directing the program.

NIU is a Carnegie Doctoral/Research University-High Research Activity located in DeKalb, IL. The main campus is in DeKalb, which is a diverse and growing community, 65 miles west of Chicago’s “Loop” and 40 miles southeast of Rockford with education centers in Rockford and Naperville. DeKalb County, with a population of about 100,000, is a modern paradox, a rural/urban community. It is simultaneously recognized for its manufacturing and rich farmlands, as evidenced by it being the site of the first manufacturing of barbed wire and the development of hybrid seed corn. NIU faculty and students live in communities throughout Northern Illinois, including the western Chicago suburbs, city of Rockford, and small towns within driving distance from the university. The recently revitalized downtown city of DeKalb offers shops, restaurants, and other amenities. Business investment is evident in DeKalb’s Chicago West Business Center, whose residents include companies such as Facebook/Meta, Ferrara Candy, and Kraft/Heinz.