Department Chair of Digital Arts + Media

Department Chair
Title: Chair of Digital Arts + Media 
Location: Lakewood, CO 
Target Salary: $80,000 - $95,000 per year 
Application Deadline: Open until filled, review begins January 20, 2025 

Rocky Mountain College of Art +Design is looking for a Department Chair for its Digital Arts + Media hybrid degree programs. The chair is to serve as the primary leader and administrator for the department, providing leadership to all department academic programming, including current degree programs: Animation, Game Art, Photography 

Chairs provide academic leadership with a focus on improving student learning and success, supervising and supporting faculty, and performing administrative functions such as scheduling, budgeting, and curriculum development. 

Minimum Qualifications:

• 3 years experience in academic, program, or organizational leadership as a director, program lead, department head, or department chair. 
• 5 years of teaching experience in an accredited postsecondary institution. 

Preferred Qualifications: 

• A relevant graduate degree (MA/MS, MFA, PhD or other terminal degree) with at least one degree or extensive professional experience in Animation, Game Art, or Photography. 
• Evidence of creative, professional, and/or scholarly work - documented in a portfolio or curriculum vitae in Animation, Game Art, or Photography. 
• Experience in curriculum development, assessment, accreditation, and online education.

Primary Responsibilities: 

Academic Leadership: 

• Lead and manage the hiring, evaluation, development, and supervision of department employees, including but not limited to academic staff, coordinators, program leads, and faculty, adhering to all academic and human resource requirements. 
• Support the mission, vision and objectives of RMCAD’s strategic plan; prepare reports and strategic plans for the department in cooperation with senior leadership, including, but not limited to Provost and Deans of respective divisions. 
• Maintain a practice of scholarship, professional achievement, and ongoing professional/creative research.
• Support student recruitment, enrollment, and success efforts by working collaboratively with various departments including, but not limited to admissions, marketing, advising, academic and co-curricular divisions and activities. 
• Department Chairs at RMCAD may teach with an approved course load. A department chair’s teaching workload will be determined by academic leadership and based on the administrative demands of the department. When assigned to teach courses, instruction will be delivered in accordance with all academic standards and instructional guidelines. 
• Represent the department on college committees; engage in service activities and college events as determined by senior leadership, including the Provost and Dean of their respective division.
• Chairs serve as key liaisons to appropriate professional organizations and industries.
• Perform other duties as assigned. 

Program Operations:

• Serve as the primary administrator for the assigned academic, co-curricular, and strategic program(s), managing various aspects of program operations including, but not limited to recruiting and admissions support, advising collaborations, academic course scheduling, financial budgeting and fiscal management, program and student learning assessment, campus and online studios, classroom technology, events, and division related contracts. 
• Manage the student complaint process and manage student enrollment. Develop department schedules and ensure that class schedules meet student needs with regard to course offerings, catalog descriptions, textbook selections, and instructional budgets. 
• Facilitate the ongoing program-level assessment and development or revision of curriculum to assure continual attention to student, program, and professional industry needs; with special attention to guidance from program advisory committees. 

Program Development: 

• Work closely with admissions and marketing to support program development and annual, strategic enrollment growth targets of assigned programs. 
• Responsible for program-level assessment and assessment of student learning, curriculum development, and degree management of each assigned program. 
• Work with the division dean to manage advisory board activities and contributions. Chairs gather input on curriculum design, program-specific equipment and software, co-curricular activities, internships and externships, and relevant industry needs or considerations for program success and development. 
• In collaboration with senior leadership and deans, support the leadership and management of efforts to research, analyze, design, build, launch, reach growth targets, and maintain new, degree and non-degree academic programs. 
• Lead and facilitate market analysis and competitive research for new program development and design, as needed. Work to secure discipline specific accreditation for new programs, including but not limited to regional, state, or Department of Education approvals. 
• Participate in all regional and specialized accreditation activities for the college, as directed by senior leadership and strategic initiatives. 

Note: This position is hybrid, and does require a consistent, designated set days per week on campus.

About RMCAD: 

Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design (RMCAD) is an innovative, rigorous, and community-oriented global learning environment that inspires passion for critical thinking and prepares learners to be forces of change in the creative industries, our communities, and the world. RMCAD was established in 1963 by Philip J. Steele, who had a vision to provide students with a quality higher education in art and design. RMCAD continues to experience growth since its comparatively modest beginnings and now thrives on a lush, historic campus including more than 23 acres of land and 16 buildings. We are also pioneers in the online learning environment for art and design. RMCAD currently has over 2,000 students enrolled. 

RMCAD is dedicated to living its mission and values, specifically that “Our students come first.” The college continuously works with faculty and staff towards developing an evolving student-ready paradigm. RMCAD is dedicated to diversity and inclusion and maintains a policy of inclusiveness that recognizes values and reflects the diversity of the community it serves. The college fosters a dynamic learning and working environment that encourages multiple perspectives and the free exchange of ideas. We welcome people from a multitude of backgrounds who are committed to creativity, academic excellence, societal and cultural evolution and betterment, civility, mutual respect, social justice, and the free and open exchange of ideas. 

Our Benefits: 

• Hybrid work environment 
• Time Off Package including paid vacation, sick and holidays (7 Most Observed, Birthday, & December Gift Holidays) 
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA) 
• Medical, Dental, & Vision Insurance 
• Basic Life & AD&D 
• Short & Long Term Disability 
• 401k employer match 
• Tuition Assistance 
• Other Voluntary Benefits Offered 

Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design is an Equal Opportunity Employer