"Academic Unit Head - Department of English"

Academic Unit Head - Department of English

Working Title: Academic Unit Head - Department of English

State Role Title: N/A

Position Type: Instructional / Teaching Faculty

Position Status: Full-Time

FLSA Status: Exempt: Not Eligible for Overtime

College/Division: College of Arts and Letters

Department: 100020 - English Department

Pay Rate: Commensurate with Experience

Beginning Review Date: 10/27/2025

The Department of English at James Madison University invites applications for the position of Academic Unit Head to begin July 1, 2026. Candidates should hold an appropriate terminal degree and have attained the rank of Full Professor or advanced Associate Professor. The AUH is a 12-month tenured appointment with a 1-1 teaching load.

The Department of English, which has approximately 40 full- and part-time faculty, offers a B.A. and M.A. and serves students in the university's general education program. It houses the University's thriving creative writing minor, and faculty teach and work with interdisciplinary minors and centers, including: African, African American and Diaspora Studies; American Studies; Book Arts; Digital Studies; Disability Studies; Environmental Humanities; Film Studies; Latin American, Latinx, and Caribbean Studies; Linguistics; Medieval and Renaissance Studies; Queer Studies; Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies; World Literature; and the Furious Flower Poetry Center.

English is part of JMU's College of Arts and Letters, which enrolls more than 3,100 undergraduate majors and about 150 graduate students across ten academic units. Home to several interdisciplinary centers and institutes, the college embraces the teacher-scholar model and encourage excellent applicants within our particular disciplines, as well as scholars and teachers eager to work across them.

Duties and Responsibilities:

The successful candidate should be able to demonstrate a collaborative leadership style that involves working with colleagues both within and beyond the academic unit; articulate an ambitious, future-oriented vision for the department that includes attracting new faculty and students to the program; help the faculty identify and achieve emerging program priorities; manage enrollment; support faculty teaching, research, and creative scholarship in a variety of subfields; and effectively advocate for the department in the ever-changing and challenging landscape of higher education.

Qualifications:

Candidates should hold an appropriate terminal degree and have attained the rank of Full Professor or advanced Associate Professor.

Additional Posting Information:

Applicants will submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae, and a list of three references.

The cover letter should be approximately three pages and answer the following questions:
What motivates you to apply for this position?
What are some of your ideas about how English can thrive in the coming years?
What are the most important challenges you see facing English departments at public universities and how would you address them?
How do you describe your leadership style?

Conditions of Employment:

Employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a criminal background check.

E-Verify Notice: After accepting employment, new hires are required to complete an I-9 form and present documentation of their identity and eligibility to work in the United States. James Madison University uses the E-Verify system to confirm identity and work authorization.

To apply, please visit