Department Head - Department of Leadership Innovation Studies (Remote)

The University of Arizona Global Campus; United States; Remote; USD 95,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Arizona Global Campus seeks a Department Head for Leadership Innovation Studies. This role leads faculty and programs, promotes student success, and oversees administrative functions in a collaborative online environment. Ideal candidates will possess strong leadership skills and a terminal degree, with a focus on innovative pedagogy and faculty support.

Benefits

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Paid vacation

Tuition reduction

Qualifications

• Experience in academic leadership including faculty development and curriculum oversight.
• Familiarity with best practices in teaching and learning in virtual environments.
• A collaborative and student-centered approach to leadership.

Responsibilities

• Provides leadership and vision for academic programs and faculty.
• Delivers high-quality online instruction and facilitates supportive learning.|
• Implements strategies for continuous improvement and student success.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Collaboration

Organizational skills

Communication

Curriculum development

Education

Earned terminal degree

Job description

Position Summary:

The Department Head for the Department of Leadership Innovation Studies within the College of Integrative Learning provides strategic and operational leadership for the academic department, guiding its faculty, programs, and initiatives toward excellence while shaping the department’s vision and fostering a shared understanding of faculty success through leading efforts in faculty workload planning, scheduling, and performance. The position's main accountability is faculty success while also contributing to student and curriculum success. In collaboration with faculty and administrative teams, the Department Head ensures effective scheduling, facilitates faculty contracts, addresses faculty concerns, and supports continuous growth and faculty development. Department Heads are in 12-month, ranked, career-track (not eligible for tenure) positions with core duties to teach asynchronous undergraduate and graduate courses to adult learners; lead development of programs and courses and supervision/mentorship of associate faculty; and service to students and the institution to ensure its continued improvement toward its critical student success goals. At the heart of our institution is a deep commitment to a Culture of Care—an ethos that emphasizes proactive, compassionate, and responsive engagement to ensure every student feels supported and empowered to succeed. UAGC programs are intentionally designed to bridge academic learning and workforce relevance, equipping students with both practical skills and disciplinary expertise that prepare them for meaningful career advancement and lifelong learning.

The application window is anticipated to close 06/09/2025.

Essential Job Duties:

Administrative Service – 50%

• Collaboratively creates a vision and shared aims for the department

• Supports college leaders in developing relationships with external partnerships and relationships

• Reviews departmental success metrics through the lens of faculty outcomes and creates a strategy for continuous improvement

• Develops, organizes, and monitors outcomes of faculty success initiatives

• Mentors and supports faculty in helping them achieve their goals and desired career outcomes

• Engages in and organizes regular review of faculty teaching quality and development plans

• Supports and contributes to curriculum success initiatives and strategic plans at the divisional level

• Attends and actively participates in department, college, and university meetings

• Engages in shared governance activities and committees

• Work with faculty to create contracts and establish workload

• Oversees faculty scheduling in the department

• Leads search and hiring committees and makes departmental hiring decisions

• Works with college leadership to create and monitor the departmental budget

• Oversees program review, accreditation, and licensure efforts

Teaching Responsibilities – 25%

Department Heads demonstrate a passion for helping students achieve their goals, applying disciplinary and professional knowledge in effective practices in teaching, assessment, and student engagement for online, asynchronous courses.

• Deliver high-quality, engaging online instruction

• Connect the learning experience to workforce skills and professional advancement

• Foster a supportive learning environment for adult learners

• Prioritize student learning, achievement, and timely feedback

• Maintain strong communication with students and respond promptly to inquiries

Learning Leadership – 25%

The UAGC online educational model is built around a "quality at scale" approach, in which a centralized, expertly designed curriculum ensures consistency, rigor, and excellence across all course sections. All faculty teach from a shared course shell, allowing them to focus on delivering high-impact instruction and individualized support.

• Develop and improve courses and innovative teaching practices in collaboration with instructional designers, assessment specialists, and other experts

• Implement ideas and initiatives focused on enhancing student learning and success outcomes related to UAGC's institutional goals (retention completion, and value)

• Develop and improve course materials including texts, media, assessment tools, and other innovative instructional modalities

• Review, support, and mentor instructional quality of associate faculty

• Leads continuous improvement of curriculum and instructional design, with a focus on relevance, rigor, and accessibility

• Leads and supports the department in coordinating efforts with student success, student affairs, library, writing center, access and wellness, academic advising, and career services to create, monitor, and improve initiatives for a holistic student support experience

• Monitors, organizes, and reports on initiatives related to students’ sense of connection to the university in an online environment

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Ability to provide visionary and strategic leadership to guide academic programs and faculty toward institutional excellence

• Skill in managing faculty workload planning, performance evaluation, and development within an online workforce academic environment

• Ability to oversee complex academic operations, including course scheduling, faculty contracts, and resource allocation, with precision and fairness

• Strong organizational and decision-making skills to support the efficient and responsive operation of academic departments

• Ability to build and sustain collaborative relationships across faculty, program leadership, and administrative teams

• Skill in resolving faculty concerns and promoting a healthy and productive academic culture

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with a capacity to foster student engagement and clarity in a remote learning context

• Strong organizational and time management skills with the ability to meet deadlines and balance competing responsibilities within a flexible, evolving work environment

• Demonstrated ability to lead programmatic initiatives, mentor faculty, and foster continuous improvement

Minimum Qualifications:

• Earned terminal degree

• Experience in academic leadership, including faculty development, curriculum oversight, or departmental operations

• Evidence of experience demonstrating adequate training, depth of knowledge in a particular specialty, and capacity to undertake high-quality teaching and service

• Familiarity with best practices in teaching and learning, including curriculum development assessment strategies, especially in virtual environments

• A collaborative and student-centered approach to leadership and instructional support

• Experience contributing to or leading strategic planning and implementation in academic programs

• Familiarity with scaling innovative teaching practices and supporting holistic student development in online learning environments

Preferred Qualifications:

• Earned doctorate

• Qualitative and/or quantitative research experience beyond the degree

• At least 3 years of graduate-level teaching experience

• Working knowledge of IRB requirements and processes

• Doctoral Chair/Committee experience

• Applied professional experience in the field

• Experience teaching in on-ground and online higher education, including experience in faculty development, instructional design, and continuous improvement

• Experience working with adult, non-traditional, post-traditional learners

• Experience contributing to a strategic vision, increased student success, and growth preferred

Recommendations for appointment and faculty rank are made by department faculty and the College Dean and approved by the Vice Provost for Global Campus Academic Affairs, guided by standards of achievement in teaching and service at each rank, including the following expectations:

• Global Campus Associate Professor (terminal degree and 4 years full-time college teaching experience)

• Global Campus Professor (terminal degree and 8 years full-time college teaching experience)

Distribution and expectations of duties, including teaching load, vary annually depending on department needs.

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

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

Rate of Pay: $95,000+, DOE

Compensation Type: Salary at 1.0 Full-Time Equivalency (FTE)

Compensation Guidance:

TheRate of Pay Fieldrepresents the University of Arizona’s good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting. The University considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the role and associated responsibilities, a candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, and internal equity.

Career Stream: Professional Contributor

Level: PC4

Job Function: Instructional and Assessment Services

Job Family: UAGC Online Instructor

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. These reports 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].

For more information regarding this position, please contact us at [e-mail].