Chair, Department of Leadership, Counseling, and Human
Development
Florida Gulf Coast University
Job Summary
The College of Education at Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU)
seeks to hire a collaborative, innovative, service-oriented person
to lead the Department of Leadership, Counseling, and Human
Development. Reporting to the Dean of the College, the Department
Chair will lead a faculty engaged in multi-faceted and varying
instructional programs at the undergraduate, master's, and doctoral
levels in educational leadership, school counseling, and child and
youth studies.
FGCU is a comprehensive university dedicated to quality education,
research, and service. All faculty are expected to be excellent
teachers; responsive to changing professional needs; be committed
to innovative delivery of instruction resulting in improved student
learning; be committed to effective use of technology including
distance learning; produce peer reviewed scholarship; and provide
service to the college, university, and community. Teaching
assignments may be on the main campus or at off-campus sites within
our region.
FGCU is building a culture of curiosity, commitment and
collaboration. We value employees who successfully work with others
and drive positive change through critical thinking and decisive
action. If you thrive in an environment of innovation,
accountability and mutual respect, you will find a good home
here.
Job Description
Typical duties may include but are not limited to:
- Providing vision, leadership, motivation, and supervision to
the department and its programs
Serving on the College Leadership Team to lead the College
collectively and collaboratively.
Conducting personnel needs assessments and work with faculty to
identify staffing needs, specialties, and expertise to ensure
relevant and excellent curricula and instruction.
Ensuring accreditation compliance with all state and federal
agencies relevant to each program area within the department.
Fostering a culture of research and scholarship, encouraging
faculty to engage in creative, scholarly, and research
activities.
Leading faculty and staff recruitment efforts, conducting
searches, and ensuring compliance in the hiring process.
Evaluating and mentoring faculty in areas of teaching,
research, and service, providing guidance for professional growth,
and following processes and procedures established by the CBA and
University policies.
Resolving student and faculty disputes according to established
University policies and procedures.
Works collaboratively with departmental faculty to ensure
curriculum outcomes and accreditation standards are met.
Building and maintaining external partnerships with local
school districts, professional organizations, and community
stakeholders to support program goals and student success.
Encouraging professional development by supporting
opportunities for faculty to attend conferences, workshops, and
training programs.
Overseeing student recruitment and retention initiatives, by
collaborating with faculty to design programs that support student
academic success.
Preparing and submitting required internal and external
reports, including accreditation documentation, faculty performance
evaluations, and departmental reviews.
Representing the department at college and university-wide
committees and contributing to the development of university
policies, and initiatives.
Teaching assigned courses and adequately perform other
duties/responsibilities as articulated on the annual
assignment.
Adopting the university learning management system and other
campus-wide technology platforms as appropriate to other specified
job duties.
Completing mandatory/required training in a timely manner.
Becoming knowledgeable about and abiding by University policies
and regulations and college guidelines.
Communicating with students, colleagues, staff, and
administrators in a timely and professional manner.
Engaging in essential duties with the highest standards of
integrity, responsibility, excellence, and within the accepted
practices and norms of your respective field/profession.
Additional Job Description
Required Qualifications
- Earned Doctoral Degree in Educational Leadership, School
Counseling, Research, Human Development, or closely related field
from an accredited institution.
- Current rank of Associate Professor or Professor, or a record
of academic and professional achievement that meets the
qualifications for appointment at the rank of an Associate
Professor or Professor.
- A record of teaching, scholarship, and service that is
reflective of their rank in an appropriate academic discipline
within the college.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience as a program coordinator or department chair.
- Documented work as a collaborative leader.
- Experience with curriculum development, accreditation, and
program evaluation.
- Demonstrated ability to manage budgets and allocate resources
effectively.
Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities:
- Skills in working in a rapidly developing regional
comprehensive university with a focus on creating a
student-learning environment among various academic
disciplines.
- Ability to successfully develop relationships and interact with
external university constituents in construction, business, and
technology and to establish relationships internally.
- Ability to teach undergraduate and graduate courses, mentor and
coach faculty and students, and participate in regional/national
seminars, workshops and committees.
- Ability to lead continuing education programs.
- Ability to deal effectively with a various range of learners
and to use information technology as a pedagogical and professional
tool.
- Ability to collaborate both within and outside of the
university in the development and delivery of instruction.
- Ability to collaborate with other faculty to develop a shared
vision of the future.
- Proven ability to think strategically and approach challenges
with creativity.
- Demonstrated track record of reliability, meeting goals, and
holding oneself accountable.
- Strong interpersonal skills and experience working effectively
across teams.
Institutional Values & Behavioral Expectations:
In this role, the successful candidate will be expected to:
- Seek out new approaches to improve outcomes; remain open to
feedback and new ideas.
- Lead with integrity; consistently produce high-quality work;
persevere to overcome obstacles to meet deadlines and achieve
deliverables.
- Share information and insights thoughtfully; build partnerships
across departments; communicate respectfully; support colleagues to
achieve common goals.
Special Instructions to Applicants
Appointment will be made at an out-of-unit faculty rank
commensurate with the candidate's experience on a 12-month
out-of-unit multi-year appointment basis with an anticipated start
date of July 2027.
Because applications and materials are subject to public review and
retention under Florida's Public Records Law, please DO NOT send
examples of your project/scholarship unless requested to do so.
Therefore, all submitted materials including articles, disks,
slides, books, etc., become the property of FGCU and CANNOT BE
RETURNED. As applicable, finalists will be notified of the need to
submit specific additional materials. Such materials will become
the property of FGCU. Under Florida's Public Records law,
applications will be available for public review upon
request.
Required Application Materials
- Unofficial transcripts
- Statement of Teaching Philosophy
- Research Statement
- Curriculum vitae
- Cover letter
- Five (5) Professional References
The position is listed as "open until filled", however
applications received by October 30, 2026 will receive priority
consideration.
FGCU is a State University System of Florida member and an Equal
Opportunity and Equal Access employer. All qualified applicants
will receive consideration for employment without regard to race,
color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, or
protected veteran status.
To apply, please visit: https://jobs.fgcu.edu/jobs/chair-department-of-leadership-counseling-and-human-development-fort-myers-florida-united-states-66ddd9b4-e3aa-4e75-8629-76fa2d2401ec
je-bcfb1e67822744d8a0bbe2eab24362dd
