Department Chair, Academic Schools - Prelicensure Nursing

Company: Western Governors University
Location: Salt Lake City
Posted on: November 9, 2024

Job Description:

If you're passionate about building a better future for individuals, communities, and our country-and you're committed to working hard to play your part in building that future-consider WGU as the next step in your career.Driven by a mission to expand access to higher education through online, competency-based degree programs, WGU is also committed to being a great place to work for a diverse workforce of student-focused professionals. The university has pioneered a new way to learn in the 21st century, one that has received praise from academic, industry, government, and media leaders. Whatever your role, working for WGU gives you a part to play in helping students graduate, creating a better tomorrow for themselves and their families.Western Governors University (WGU) is seeking an individual to help disrupt higher education by providing relevant, high quality, innovative programs. WGU currently has over 100,000 actively enrolled students in degree programs at both the bachelor and master's levels and across several endorsement programs. Enrollment has grown exponentially year over year for the past several years and is projected to continue this phenomenal growth. We are looking for a dynamic and future-thinking leader that will provide input on the vision, strategy, and roadmap to achieve this exciting and transformative mission.The Leavitt School of Health department chair ensures the integrity, excellence, national reputation, and continuous improvement of assigned educational programs through leadership, influence, innovation, partnerships, and the advancement of the discipline. This position exhibits the highest level of expertise and knowledge in the educational department/program. This position helps ensure our program(s) are of the highest quality by providing the most relevant and current information, blending industry-based knowledge and academics. The department chair will lead the program cross-functional team, have in-depth knowledge of the organization's goals, and is responsible for student success and all associated program outcomes.The department chair must be skillful in curriculum planning and analysis, faculty development, and developing internal and external relationships. This position is responsible for communicating relevant program information to stakeholders. The department chair will work with school-level leadership to help establish operational /strategic objectives and to positively impact student outcomes, program quality and enrollment growth within educational programs. The department chair provides and advocates for the program course faculty, facilitates faculty evaluation, program evaluation, continuous quality improvement to advance education excellence, maintains the programs P&L, is the subject matter expert for their program working collaboratively though the curriculum development and implementation process to ensure positive student learning outcomes and overall program outcomes. The department chair provides direct oversight of the program, this includes, but is not limited to, processes, outcomes, surveillance of student admission, progression, graduation data; faculty-student ratios; experiential learning opportunities; and leadership of track revisions.Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

• Creates and approves goals for department by interpreting and supporting the goals of the institution as they relate to the department.
• Drives a culture of continuous experimentation, measurement, and learning from data to rapidly improve the quality and delivery to students.
• Implements and/or reinforces changes based on policy decisions; interprets department policies to faculty, staff, students, and/or public.
• Informs the Academic Programs Director of decisions involving changes in the department and issues.
• Contributes to systematic program evaluation and maintenance of academic standards and policies of the School in conjunction with other department chairs and School-level leadership.
• Leads matrixed cross functional teams across multiple departments to achieve expected outcomes.
• Works with cross-functional teams to ensure program and course content is relevant to workforce needs, rigorous, responsive, and aligns to defined student competencies.
• Participates as an effective change leader within the various meetings and functions of the position.
• Performs tracking and analyzing of program data, specifically student performance and enrollment data.
• Integrates the curricula and operations of the department with those of the program.
• Keeps current on trends, issues, and initiatives in the School's related fields of education that affect teaching and learning within the departmental program
• Provides monthly, quarterly, and ad hoc reporting related to monthly program quality, continuous improvement process review, and program analysis.
• Initiates and assists the hiring manager/program director in recruiting and interviewing faculty including making part time hiring recommendations.
• Sets requirements for faculty quality and sufficiency.
• Assists with faculty orientation, initiates/participates in faculty observations, conducts evaluation of assigned program course instructors, and provides information to the program director to aid in the evaluation process.
• Identifies and enlists employers and industry representatives to serve on program advisory committees.
• Facilitates and encourages the development of faculty and staff by making professional development opportunities and resources available.
• Leads, manages and supports the success of the course faculty in the School.
• Ensures courses of study clearly outline student learning objectives, outcomes, and assessments.
• Monitors program descriptions to ensure clearly defined program expectations.
• Develops and refines a shared, comprehensive, instructional course delivery method to include defined and designed cohort sessions to provide consistent expert support for complex, challenging competencies.
• Provides evaluation and ongoing feedback regarding course faculty and/or staff performance.
• Participates in calibration meetings to review and discuss performance ratings of department members with School leadership. Solicits faculty perspective and insights through regular meetings, as well as provide updates to faculty on program, department, and School concerns.
• Provides subject matter expertise in support of new and revised curriculum proposals, participates in ongoing curriculum assessment plan for the department, and continuously monitors program success and executive level reporting.
• Coordinates outreach and research on the development of additional degree programs and certificates
• Represents WGU at the program level, helping to cultivate positive public perception while maintaining working relationships with colleagues at area transfer institutions to identify and communicate opportunities for expanding articulation opportunities and potential gaps.
• Reviews and monitors student and course feedback to ensure the student voice is represented and provides recommendations for content improvement.
• Communicates with stakeholders across multiple teams and departments, providing a bridging function across all program management and support teams.
• Coordinates and participates program accreditation, program reviews, certifications, and licensure procedures as appropriate.
• Takes leadership roles in special projects involving the program such as pursuing grants, working with potential donors, etc.
• Teaches courses as needed during hiring gaps/freezes or as requested.
• Manages program budget, allocations, and assumes fiscal responsibility for program level P&L including monitoring revenue, expenses, and influencing program resource allocations.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.Knowledge, Skill and Abilities: In-depth knowledge of program area
  • Working knowledge of accreditation and regulatory standards
  • Working knowledge of program performance metrics
  • Collaboration and ability to work across teams toward a unified goal
  • Philosophical understanding of master curriculum
  • Knowledge in ability in budget ownership and management
  • Ability in faculty development and leadership
  • Leadership and supervisory experience in a post-secondary institution.
  • Experience in curriculum design, implementation, and oversight.
  • Experience in program or product management.
  • Knowledge and experience of NP programmatic accreditation requirements.
  • Experience with managing NP clinical placements and preceptors.
  • Strong organizational and demonstrated communication and research skills.
  • Skill performing data collection, analysis, and presentation.
  • Advanced skill set in development and facilitation of online education.
  • Understanding and experience in supporting clinical placements.
  • Knowledge and skill in working with at-risk or underserved student populations.Job Qualifications:Minimum Qualifications:
    • Doctoral degree required in a related field or actively pursuing this degree or a Master's degree in a related field with 5 plus year experience in a prelicensure program may be accepted when combined with significant industry and/or professional experience. Master's degree equivalent or commensurate determined by hiring manager.
    • Three (3) years of demonstrated teaching at the post-secondary level in prelicensure classroom or clinical setting
    • Three (3) years of administrative leadership and supervisory experience with 2 years at the post-secondary level
    • 2+ years of experience in curriculum design, implementation, and oversight.
    • 2+ years of experience supporting post-secondary program accreditation standards.
    • Proven track record of successful faculty development and program leadership.
    • Actively involved in professional organization(s) at the national level.Preferred Qualifications:
      • Actively involved in professional organization(s) at the national level.
      • Industry recognized certification or credentials.Physical Requirements:
        • Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
        • Primarily remote work, but ability to travel to the office and other events is required.#LI-TT1The salary range for this position takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets; experience and training; licensure and certifications; and other business and organizational needs.At WGU, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their position, and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current range is: Pay Range: $91,800.00 - $151,400.00How to apply: apply onlineFull-time Regular Positions(FT classification, standard working hours = 40)This is a full-time, regular position that is eligible for bonuses; medical, dental, vision, telehealth and mental healthcare; health savings account and flexible spending account; basic and voluntary life insurance; disability coverage; accident, critical illness and hospital indemnity supplemental coverages; legal and identity theft coverage; retirement savings plan; wellbeing program; discounted WGU tuition; and flexible paid time off for rest and relaxation with no need for accrual, flexible paid sick time with no need for accrual, 11 paid holidays, and other paid leaves, including up to 12 weeks of parental leave.The University is an equal opportunity employer.All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.

Keywords: Western Governors University, Salt Lake City , Department Chair, Academic Schools - Prelicensure Nursing, Healthcare , Salt Lake City, Utah