Dean, College of Nursing

University of Arizona; Tucson (AZ); On-site; USD 220,000 - 300,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Retirement plans

Tuition reduction for employee and fam

Paid vacation, sick leave, holidays

Job summary

The University of Arizona invites applications for the position of Dean of the College of Nursing. The Dean will lead strategic initiatives to modernize curricula, promote excellence in education, research, and practice, and foster an inclusive environment for faculty, staff, and students.

The role emphasizes interdisciplinary collaboration and responsible stewardship of resources. Reporting to university leadership, the Dean will shape partnerships with alumni, healthcare organizations,

Qualifications

• Proven ability to lead and develop academic programs and faculty.
• Strong strategic and financial leadership in a higher education setting.
• Committed to inclusion, collaboration, and stakeholder engagement.

Responsibilities

• Establish and advance a strategic vision for the College of Nursing.
• Oversee curriculum development, educational innovation, and quality improvement.
• Recruit, develop, and retain faculty and staff across all tracks.
• Provide financial leadership and responsible resource stewardship.
• Advance research, scholarship, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
• Act as an ambassador to alumni, partners, and stakeholders.
• Collaborate with university leadership on priorities and governance.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic planning

Communication

Diversity & inclusion

Education

Terminal degree in nursing or related field

Job description

Dean, College of Nursing

Position Highlights

The University of Arizona (U of A) invites nominations and applications for the position of Dean of the College of Nursing. This is a pivotal opportunity for a visionary and strategic leader to guide Arizona's top-ranked nursing program into its next era of excellence and impact.

The University of Arizona is one of the world's preeminent public research universities and the most prestigious institution in the American Southwest. The state's flagship, land-grant university, and a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI), the U of A serves more than 75,000 students across 20 colleges and advances more than $1 billion in annual research. Arizona is guided by its three Strategic Initiatives: Success for Every Student, Research that Shapes the Future, and Engagement with Our Communities to Create Opportunity.

The University of Arizona College of Nursing seeks an accomplished, visionary, and collaborative leader to serve as its next Dean. The Dean will advance excellence and innovation in nursing education, research, and practice; foster a supportive and inclusive environment for faculty, staff, and students; and strengthen the College's reputation and impact through strategic partnerships, interdisciplinary collaboration, and responsible stewardship of resources.

In alignment with the university's strategic imperatives, key priorities for the next dean include articulating a compelling vision that inspires faculty, staff, students, and partners to new levels of academic excellence and public value; modernizing curricula to enhance student success; and advancing interdisciplinary research. This includes implementing the Academic Success Goals through intentional engagement while cultivating cross-functional collaboration with deans, senior leaders, and the provost to set a transformative standard for student success.

The University of Arizona has been recognized for our innovative work-life programs.

Duties & Responsibilities

Essential Duties:

• Establish and advance a strategic vision that positions the College as a national and international leader in nursing education, research, and practice while advancing health equity and community impact.
• Oversee academic programs, curriculum development, educational innovation, and continuous quality improvement across undergraduate and graduate education, aligned with AACN standards.
• Recruit, develop, recognize, and retain outstanding faculty and staff across all tracks, overseeing personnel matters, promotion, tenure, performance evaluation, and professional development.
• Provides visionary yet disciplined financial leadership, thoughtfully balancing the pursuit of growth and innovation with responsible stewardship of the College's resources.
• Advance research and scholarship aligned with university priorities, supporting ethical conduct, scholarly productivity, and meaningful participation by tenure-track, career-track, and research-track faculty, staff, and students.
• Serve as a visible ambassador for the College, strengthening its reputation and relationships with alumni, Board of Regents, healthcare organizations, industry, government, and community stakeholders.
• Collaborate with university leadership to advance institutional priorities, secure resources, and contribute to university governance, strategic planning, and policy development.

Key Competencies:

• Strategic Financial Acumen: Demonstrates strong strategic planning skills and financial management expertise.
• Integrity, Transparency, and Accountability: Demonstrates ethical leadership, honesty, transparency in decision-making, and accountability. Builds trust through consistent actions, open communication, and a commitment to fairness.
• Collaborative and Inclusive Leadership: Fosters a culture of mutual respect, shared governance, and meaningful engagement with faculty, staff, students, and stakeholders. Values diverse perspectives and promotes collaborative decision-making.
• Communication and Relationship Building Skills: Communicates clearly and effectively, builds strong relationships, navigates difficult conversations, and engages internal and external stakeholders around shared priorities.
• National and Global Perspective: Demonstrates an understanding of national and international trends, health policy, and emerging challenges and opportunities affecting nursing education, research, practice, and healthcare.
• Organizational Leadership and Execution: Demonstrates a record of translating strategic vision into actionable plans, clear priorities, effective organizational structures, responsible resource allocation, and measurable results. Builds and develops effective leadership teams, leads organizations through significant change, and creates environments that enable faculty and staff to advance institutional priorities.

Minimum Qualifications

• Academic and Professional Credentials: Holds an active registered nursing license or is eligible for RN licensure in Arizona; a terminal degree in nursing or a related field; and a distinguished record of academic achievement appropriate for appointment as a professor.
• Administrative Experience: Possesses significant experience in nursing leadership and administration, preferably within a research-intensive university setting. Proven experience building and developing effective leadership teams, successfully leading organizations through significant change, and creating structures that enable employees to advance institutional priorities.
• External Relations Experience: Demonstrates a strong record of building and sustaining relationships with alumni, healthcare and industry partners, governing boards, and community stakeholders at the local, national and international levels.

Job Details

Posting Number: req27537

Department: College of Nursing

Department Website: https://nursing.arizona.edu/

Location: Tucson Campus, Tucson, AZ USA

FLSA: Exempt

Full Time/Part Time: Full Time

Number of Hours Worked per Week: 40

Job FTE: 1.0

Work Calendar: Fiscal

Job Category: Academic Administration

Benefits Eligible: Yes - Full Benefits

Rate of Pay: DOE

Compensation Type: salary at 1.0 full-time equivalency (FTE)

Type of criminal background check required: Fingerprint criminal background check (security sensitive due to job duties)

Number of Vacancies: 1

Contact Information for Candidates: Lisa Gundy, Director, Human Resources | [e-mail]

Open Date: 11/2/2026

Open Until Filled: Yes

Documents Needed to Apply: Curriculum Vitae (CV) and Cover Letter

Benefits

• Outstanding U of A benefits include health, dental, and vision insurance plans; life insurance and disability programs; paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays; U of A/ASU/NAU tuition reduction for the employee and qualified family members; retirement plans; access to U of A recreation and cultural activities; and more!

Notice of Availability of the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report

In compliance with the Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act (Clery Act), each year the University of Arizona releases an Annual Security Report (ASR) for each of the University’s campuses.Thesereports disclose information including Clery crime statistics for the previous three calendar years and policies, procedures, and programs the University uses to keep students and employees safe, including how to report crimes or other emergencies and resources for crime victims. As a campus with residential housing facilities, the Main Campus ASR also includes a combined Annual Fire Safety report with information on fire statistics and fire safety systems, policies, and procedures.

Paper copies of the Reports can be obtained by contacting the University Compliance Office at [e-mail].