Director, School of Communication

Job Description

The Virginia Tech College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences seeks a Director of the School of Communication. This full-time, 12-month appointment is to begin July 1, 2022.

The Director should be an established senior scholar with successful records of teaching, research, service, administrative and financial leadership, and demonstrated potential for collaborative leadership and shared faculty governance. Candidates should be able to implement the School’s strategic plan and promote new strategic research, teaching, and community-based initiatives. The successful candidate must have a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and will champion the University’s mission of student success.

The School of Communication is home to undergraduate major programs in communication, mass communication, public relations, advertising, and sports media and analytics as well as Master of Arts majors in communication and reputation management. The School has more than 40 full-time and adjunct faculty members, 900 undergraduate majors, and more than 20 graduate students. It also serves thousands of other students through its public speaking courses, minors, the Comm Lab, and related programs. Facilities include a state-of-the-art digital broadcast studio.

The Director works with faculty, staff, and Office of the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences to realize the School’s vision and mission and continue to build a School of national and international distinction. The Director supports ongoing development of the School through external fundraising, alumni support, and marketing.

Duties or Responsibilities:
• Facilitate the growth of faculty research and creative work and assist faculty members in securing external funding from public agencies and private foundations.
• Promote student recruitment and retention in conjunction with College and University admissions.
• Foster and sustain an academic environment that prioritizes diversity, equity, inclusion, and collaboration among School faculty members, staff members, and students.
• Take primary responsibility for the quality of teaching, scholarship, and service within the School. Among other things, the Director will complete formal annual performance evaluations for all full-time School of Communication faculty and staff members in guiding faculty members through steps of tenure and rank promotion and execute corresponding personnel policies.
• Maintain a realistic program of research or creative activity representing a division area that is disseminated through publications, conference presentations, or similar activities.
• Be qualified to teach in a field of study within one of the School’s three curricular divisions: communication studies, journalism and mass communication, and public relations and advertising.
• Develop partnerships with professional communication and media organizations to promote internships, experiential learning, and student networking opportunities.
• Maintain and further develop a network of alumni initiatives to bolster the School’s visibility, image, and high academic standards.
• Manage School branding to augment internal, College, and University efforts to enhance image and visibility.
• Support transdisciplinary research and teaching within the College and across the University.
• Supervise the allocation, administration, and monitoring of School funds.
• Monitor renovation and construction of facilities and acquisition of equipment to support teaching, learning, research and creative work.
• Recruit new faculty members who can meet the School’s instructional and research missions.
• Supervise the School seven-person administrative staff.
• Direct elections of faculty members to academic committees and leadership positions within the School and make appointments as appropriate.

Required Qualifications

• Doctoral or other terminal degree in communication.
• Established record of teaching and research publication in a discipline related to the School’s curriculum.
• Significant academic administrative experience.
• Outstanding reputation and academic achievements commensurate with appointment as a full professor with tenure.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with curriculum accreditation and the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (ACEJMC).
• Experience as the leader of an academic department or school.
• A track record in fundraising.
• Demonstrated experience in grant writing, implementation, and reporting.
• Significant experience as a communications professional.
• A track record of working with students.

Appointment Type

Regular

Salary Information

Commensurate with experience

Review Date

11/1/2021

Additional Information

The successful Candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check

About Virginia Tech

Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech pushes the boundaries of knowledge by taking a hands-on, transdisciplinary approach to preparing scholars to be leaders and problem-solvers. A comprehensive land-grant institution that enhances the quality of life in Virginia and throughout the world, Virginia Tech is an inclusive community dedicated to knowledge, discovery, and creativity. The university offers more than 280 majors to a diverse enrollment of more than 36,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in eight undergraduate colleges , a school of medicine , a veterinary medicine college, Graduate School , and Honors College . The university has a significant presence across Virginia, including the Innovation Campus in Northern Virginia; the Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke; sites in Newport News and Richmond; and numerous Extension offices and research centers . A leading global research institution, Virginia Tech conducts more than $500 million in research annually.

Virginia Tech does not discriminate against employees, students, or applicants on the basis of age, color, disability, sex (including pregnancy), gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status, or otherwise discriminate against employees or applicants who inquire about, discuss, or disclose their compensation or the compensation of other employees or applicants, or on any other basis protected by law.

If you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, please contact Mimi Harris at mimih@vt.edu during regular business hours at least 10 business days prior to the event.

Advertised: July 28, 2021
Applications close: