Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences

Sacred Heart University (SHU) seeks in its next Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences a strong academic leader with an innovative, entrepreneurial spirit, proven management skills, a strong vision for academic excellence, and appreciation for collaboration in the strategic advancement of a mission-driven institution.

With a strong and dynamic leadership team and dedicated faculty and staff, Sacred Heart University continues to build on its momentum and on the positive trajectory of its past and present. Recently reclassified as a Carnegie Doctoral/Professional University, SHU has increased enrollment, selectivity and geographical reach, strengthened its finances and academic offerings and updated its campus. In a time of unprecedented competition for students and a steadily rising cost structure, Sacred Heart recognizes both an opportunity and a mandate to engage with all constituents — faculty, students, parents, alumni, employers, and other stakeholders—and to continue to deliver market-sensitive, future-oriented academic programs of distinction.

Sacred Heart University seeks in its next Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences a strong academic leader with an innovative, entrepreneurial spirit, proven management skills, a strong vision for academic excellence, and appreciation for collaboration in the strategic advancement of a mission-driven institution.  As the largest College at the university, with a diverse array of programs, the Dean will foster multidisciplinary pursuits and collaborations within and beyond the College. The Dean will develop a strategy that unifies the diverse and distinctive College that transforms students through a vibrant and engaging liberal arts education grounded firmly in the Catholic intellectual tradition. The Dean reports to the Provost and is a member of the University’s senior leadership team.

The successful candidate will bring outstanding academic vision, administrative leadership, energy, fiscal acumen, entrepreneurial talent, enthusiasm for engagement in an active and vibrant campus community, and a passion for external relations, including a strong appetite for fundraising. The Dean will possess an earned terminal degree and an outstanding record of scholarship, teaching and service commensurate with appointment as a full professor. Critical to the Dean’s success will be a track record of leading innovative change in a complex organization, the ability to work collaboratively, move agendas forward through implementation, and a commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. Successful experience in strategic planning, personnel management, organizational management, and resource allocation is necessary. The Dean should have demonstrated success in recruiting, hiring, and retaining exceptional faculty and staff and providing an environment in which they can flourish through meaningful engagement, collaboration, and professional development. The candidate must be a leader who fully embraces the preservation, transmission and development of the Catholic intellectual tradition and must be an articulate spokesperson for the value of the liberal arts and SHU’s distinct mission.

How to Apply

Greenwood/Asher & Associates, Inc. is assisting Sacred Heart University in this search. Applications and nominations are now being accepted. Confidential inquiries, nominations and application materials should be directed to Greenwood/Asher and Associates. For a full application package, please provide a cover letter, CV, and list of five references. Submission of application materials as PDF attachments is strongly encouraged. The search will be conducted with a commitment of confidentiality for candidates until finalists are selected. Initial screening of applications will begin immediately and will continue until an appointment is made.

Please direct inquiries, nominations, and application materials to:

Lauren McCaghren, Search Manager and Senior Executive Search Consultant

E-mail: laurenmccaghren@greenwoodsearch.com

To view the complete position description, please visit

https://greenwoodsearch.com/current-opportunities/

Sacred Heart University is a space that respects and embraces differences, recognizes the unique contributions that individuals can make, and creates a community that maximizes the potential of all faculty and staff. As an equal opportunity employer, applications from qualified candidates who reflect the wider world in which we live are encouraged.

The material presented in this leadership profile should be relied on for informational purposes only. This material has been copied, compiled, or quoted in part from Sacred Heart University documents and personal interviews and is believed to be reliable. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this information, the original source documents and factual situations govern.