"Assistant/Associate Professor and Chair of the Sacramento Leadership and Innovation Programs"

Job Description

University of the Pacific's Benerd College is seeking a leader with an innovative spirit to serve a vital role as we fulfill our vision to be a center of innovation, learning, and creativity in Sacramento. The Chair will oversee three graduate degrees and their associated concentrations and faculty - the Master's in Leadership with a concentration in Organizational Innovation and Change and a concentration in Leading for Social Justice, an Masters in Education in Learning, Innovation, and Design, and the Doctor of Education with a concentration in Leading Innovation and a concentration in Transformative Action in Education. Our programs are designed to develop innovators and systems thinkers for learning, leadership, and change. We are searching for a colleague with a deep commitment to social justice and the ability to engage students in real-world practice through teaching that challenges dominant norms. We are focused on action-oriented, project-based models, teaching students to use various innovation tools and critical frameworks as methods for inquiry. The nature of our programs demands continual innovation and the pushing of traditional boundaries, which results in a very collaborative teaching culture.

This Sacramento-based faculty member plays an important role in building our presence and enhancing our reputation in the broader Sacramento area. As such the incoming candidate will oversee our community engagement efforts. They will also demonstrate evidence of dynamic teaching, innovative research, collaborative leadership, and dedicated service. The position will be based at the Sacramento Campus.

This is a tenure-eligible position with a eleven-month appointment. Faculty rank and title are contingent upon the successful candidate's experience and qualifications. The teaching workload is two courses each semester including summer for a 2-2-2 load. The position will teach in both Sacramento programs, as well as potentially teach in other graduate programs. The role includes serving as doctoral dissertation chair/co-chair and master's capstones. Chairing the programs also includes a significant role in assisting with student recruitment, faculty support, community engagement, curriculum development, internal service, and scholarship.

In collaboration with the Dean and Associate Dean, this position will play a key role in working to build and sustain Benerd Sacramento programs by:

• Providing overall vision and direction for the programs
• Leading the iteration and assessment of the programs' purpose, scope, and outcomes
• Recruiting and partnership building
• Building community and regional relationships to advance the programs
• Enhancing and executing our marketing plan for the programs
• Serving as the primary faculty contact for prospective students
• Presenting and engaging with prospective students at various recruitment events, both in person and online
• Developing faculty and providing opportunities for professional development/collaboration to transform the teaching/learning experience

University of the Pacific recognizes that diversity, equity, and inclusion is foundational to the success of our valued students and employees. We prioritize policy and decision-making that demonstrates awareness of, and responsiveness to, the ways socio-cultural forces related to race, gender, ability, sexuality, socio-economic status, etc. impede or propel students, faculty, and staff.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Doctoral degree in a field related to learning, leadership, and/or change.
• Demonstrated success leading and growing program(s) for adult learners
• Demonstrated successful hybrid or online higher education teaching experience
• Demonstrated commitment to fostering a caring and rigorous educational environment.
• Demonstrated excellence in applied scholarly research or evidence-based practice.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Demonstrated success (minimum 5-8 years) as a senior practitioner, particularly in leading transformation of an organization, school, college, university or district
• Demonstrated skill and expertise in innovative change methods (e.g., design thinking, lean startup, participatory engagement, appreciative inquiry) and facilitating growth/change through these methods
• Demonstrated success developing leadership capacity for innovative change
• Evidence of successful development and nurturing of partnerships with community groups, businesses, government agencies, and other organizations
• Demonstrated skill and expertise in action-oriented research and critical research methods.
• Demonstrated experience supporting students with dissertation development, including serving as dissertation chair.
• Skills to teach research courses.
• Experience and sensitivity in working with people of diverse backgrounds and cultures.
• Demonstrated experience in advancing social justice, equity, and inclusion in a university setting.
• Ability to engage and integrate culturally responsive practices and knowledge in their work.

Physical Requirements:

The physical demands described here are representative but not definitive of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Requires extended periods of sitting and repetitive hand/wrist motion while using a computer keyboard and phone. Occasional standing, walking, climbing stairs, bending, stooping, and reaching. Occasional lifting up to 25 pounds.

Work is performed during standard hours; Additional hours may be required to meet business needs or deadlines.

Special Instructions:

Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. This position would begin in Spring 2026.

Please upload the following:

• A letter of interest explaining:
  • How minimum qualifications are met
  • Relevant experiences that have prepared you to lead this type of program
• Curriculum Vitae
• List of Professional References

To apply, visit https://pacific.peopleadmin.com/postings/30839

University of the Pacific is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer dedicated to workforce diversity. In compliance with applicable law and its own policy, Pacific is committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse faculty and staff and does not discriminate in its hiring of faculty and staff, or in the provision of its employment benefits to its faculty and staff on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, genetic information, sex/gender, marital status, military and veteran status, sexual orientation, medical condition, pregnancy, gender identity, gender expression, or mental or physical disability.