Albright College is seeking a visionary, innovative and strategic leader to provide administrative and academic leadership as Dean of the School of Professional Studies (SPS).A regional leader in the development of educational pathways for post-traditional adult students, Albright’s SPS is transitioning from strictly accelerated degree-completion programs, to offering undergraduate course work for all adult students at any stage in their education. This currently includes complete course offerings for the general studies curriculum and required course work in select undergraduate majors, as well as M.S./M.A. degrees in Education, certificate programs, and the ADVANCE program for post-baccalaureate premedical course work.

The Dean will be a visionary and transformational leader, who can work collaboratively with faculty and staff in developing and implementing a vision for the future of SPS. The Dean oversees market research and program development, working with faculty and staff to create and implement a strategic plan for new program development and program revisions within the School. The Dean must have the vision to see how Albright SPS can serve as an anchor institution in the City of Reading and Berks County, and the collaborative skills to engage faculty in visualizing that future. This innovative leader must be able to interpret market research to build an understanding of the varied needs of post-traditional students, and work collaboratively identify solutions that meet these needs in ways that align with Albright College’s Inclusivity and Equity Statement.

The Dean is responsible for guiding the writing of proposals for new credit-bearing degree/certificate programs and graduate programs, as needed, and successfully navigating them through the College’s and Middle State’s approval processes. The successful candidate will be skilled at proposal writing and verbal presentation. The Dean is responsible for becoming the school’s expert on College governance procedures, and accreditation and compliance issues as they pertain to new program launch and program evolution.

The Dean is responsible for leading and managing the human and fiscal resources of the School and, working collaboratively with the Assistant Dean for Enrollment Management and the Director of Academic Programs, is an advocate for students, faculty, and staff. The Dean is the primary voice for the School on the campus, in the community and beyond, and works collaboratively to ensure productive community support and programmatic input. The Dean is expected to engage in collaborative efforts with faculty committees, department chairs, and industry/community partners to advance the SPS and the College’s Strategic Plan. In addition, the Dean works cooperatively with College Advancement in the continuing efforts to foster and maintain relationships with alumni and donors.

Review of applications for this position will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.

For best consideration, apply by March 1, 2021.  We are hoping to fill this position to start in the Spring of 2021.

Interested applicants should complete an application by clicking “Apply Now”.  To be considered for this position, please submit a cover letter that demonstrates your key qualifications and enthusiasm about this position, and potential contributions to achieving the goals set forth in Albright’s Inclusivity and Equity statement. The following must also be submitted as part of the application: current CV; names and contact information for three references.  All documents can be uploaded in a single PDF.  Albright offers a competitive benefits package, which includes tuition remission. 

As the oldest institution of higher learning in Berks County, Albright College has a long history of educating students of academic promise. Founded in 1856, Albright College is a diverse community of learners cultivating integrity, curiosity, connection, and resilience. The college’s flexible curriculum encourages students to combine and cross majors to create individualized academic programs. Close faculty mentorship and numerous experiential learning options create opportunities for Albright graduates to exceed their own expectations. Nationally ranked as a top performer for social mobility, Albright is proud of its wide cultural and economic diversity. Students learn to relate to people from different backgrounds, develop greater self-awareness, and gain a panoramic perspective of the world in order to view problems from multiple perspectives. The experience is valuable to students preparing to enter today’s global workplace, where differences in backgrounds and perspectives are the norm.

Albright College is a liberal arts institution with approximately 1750 students, located within an hour of Philadelphia and three hours of New York, Baltimore and Washington, DC. Additional information about Albright College is available at www.albright.edu.

At Albright, we believe our differences make us stronger and empower us to better understand and respect one another in a just and fair manner. With this in mind, the College recruits, houses, educates, employs, supports, and generally celebrates people of all statuses, identities, and backgrounds, including, but not limited to, race, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship status, religious or spiritual identity, gender and gender identity, sexual orientation, marital and parental status, veteran status, political affiliation, and physical and mental ability. Albright College is an EEO employer and, as stated above, is actively committed to inclusivity within its community. In pursuit of that, we actively encourage diversity in all dimensions among applicants for this position. Additional information about Albright College is available at www.albright.edu.