"Dean, College of Health and Sciences"

Aurora University seeks a Dean, College of Health and Sciences

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Location: Aurora, Illinois

The Position:

This is a particularly exciting time to join Aurora University. With a clear strategic vision, strong leadership, and a deep commitment to inclusive excellence, the university is expanding its academic programs, investing in faculty and staff development, and strengthening its impact in the region and beyond. AU offers a collaborative and mission-driven environment where employees are valued, supported, and empowered to make a difference.

The Dean of the College of Health and Sciences provides visionary leadership to advance the College as a hub of innovation in emerging technology, health, and science. This role requires an agile, collaborative, forward-thinking leader who can align academic programs with workforce demands, integrate cutting-edge technologies including AI and emerging technologies into curriculum, and build strategic partnerships that position Aurora University as a leader in technology-enabled health and science education. The Dean will chart the College’s advancement of a hybrid campus model that responsibly embraces emerging technology and the AI era, meeting the needs of modern learners and future employers. The Dean will strategically manage the academic portfolio to meet market demands while supporting Aurora University's mission to empower students for lasting personal and professional success.

Core Competencies:

• Mission Alignment & Strategic Vision: Champions Aurora University's mission as an inclusive, teaching-centered institution dedicated to the transformative power of learning. Provides strategic direction that integrates liberal arts and professional credentials while embracing science, health, emerging technologies and the AI era. Charts advancement of hybrid campus initiatives that balance online, in-person, and hybrid modalities to serve diverse learners.
• Agility & Innovation: Demonstrates entrepreneurial thinking and calculated risk-taking to develop new revenue streams, innovative programs, and partnerships. Rapidly adapts to changing market demands and educational landscapes.
• Technology Leadership: Serves as a catalyst for integrating emerging technologies (AI, data science, virtual/augmented reality, computational biology) across health, sciences and technology programs, positioning the College at the forefront of technology-enabled education. Champions the hybrid campus model by designing flexible delivery modalities that optimize both physical and virtual learning environments.
• Collaborative Excellence: Works effectively across silos with faculty, staff, students, Admissions, Advancement, Alumni Affairs, and external partners. Represents Aurora University positively with diverse stakeholders including prospective students, employers, healthcare systems, research institutions, and community organizations.
• People and Culture: Lead with empathy, inclusion, and intellectual curiosity—fostering a culture that values collaboration, diversity of thought, and shared success. Mentor faculty and staff to integrate high-impact, student-centered teaching practices and data-informed decision-making. Promote belonging and inclusive excellence ensuring that all students can see themselves as innovators and leaders.
• Integrity & Confidentiality: Handles all information with discretion and maintains the highest ethical standards in every aspect of institutional practice and operation.

Essential Job Functions:

Student & Faculty Success:

• Lead with empathy, inclusion, and intellectual curiosity—fostering a culture that values collaboration, diversity of thought, and shared success.
• Mentor faculty and staff to integrate high-impact, student-centered teaching practices and data-informed decision-making across all learning modalities.
• Promote belonging and inclusive excellence in health, science and technology.
• Optimize the student experience across online, hybrid, and in-person modalities to attract and retain diverse student populations, improve career outcomes, and align learning competencies with community needs.

Strategic Leadership & Portfolio Management:

• Strategic Academic Portfolio Management and Planning: Proactively manages the College's academic portfolio and strategically plans its direction in collaboration with university administration and academic leaders. Develops and executes a data-informed 3-5 year strategic plan aligned with university goals, particularly the "Learn and Thrive" and "Strengthen and Expand" pillars. Leads assessment and restructuring of programs based on enrollment trends, completion rates, market analysis, and strategic fit. Creates stackable and alternative credentials that meet employer and societal needs while supporting the university's hybrid campus vision and financial strength. Maintains accountability through data-informed decision making.
• Hybrid Campus Development: Designs and implements a menu of online, in-person, and hybrid course options for undergraduate and graduate programs in the College that appeal to diverse learners while addressing capacity on the Aurora campus, meeting the learning and life needs of current students, and anticipating the needs of future students. Increases offerings of hybrid programs and courses to increase flexibility of curriculum and expand access to working professionals and non-traditional students.
• Technology Integration & Innovation: Responsibly integrates emerging technologies including artificial intelligence, data science, computational methods, and digital health tools into curricula across all health, sciences and technology programs. Incorporates emerging technology into the student experience and programs across the College in all learning modalities (online, hybrid, and in-person). Positions the College as a regional leader in technology-enabled health and science education as well as core technology.
• Pre-Health: Strengthens pre-health professions pathways (pre-medicine, pre-pharmacy, pre-physical therapy, pre-physician assistant, pre-veterinary, pre-dental) through enhanced advising, research opportunities, and partnerships with professional schools. Develops programs that prepare students for graduate study and careers in emerging fields.
• Strategic Planning & Vision: Strategically plans the direction of the College of Health and Sciences in collaboration with university administration and leaders of other academic units. Develops and executes a 3-5 year strategic plan aligned with university goals, particularly the "Learn and Thrive" and "Strengthen and Expand" pillars. Ensures the College's programs support the university's hybrid campus vision and contribute to Aurora University's growth and financial strength.
• Revenue Optimization & Entrepreneurial Development: Identifies and develops new revenue opportunities through innovative programs, stackable credentials, employer partnerships, grant funding, and alternative delivery modalities. Cultivates an entrepreneurial culture that empowers faculty and staff to be calculated risk-takers.

Operations & Resource Management:

• Supervision & Personnel Development: Supervises department chairs within the College of Health and Sciences. Develops, mentors, and evaluates personnel. Promotes teaching excellence and professional development. Creates professional development opportunities for faculty and staff to learn and use AI, augmented reality, and virtual reality technologies to innovate classroom pedagogies across all modalities.
• Budget & Resource Management: Manages overall operations including budgeting, resource allocation, strategic planning, scheduling, and program committee assignments. Deploys resources judiciously to ensure fiscal health while supporting strategic priorities.
• Enrollment & Revenue Goals: Works collaboratively with Admissions to develop and execute enrollment strategies that meet or exceed enrollment and net revenue goals for the College.
• Facilities & Infrastructure: Partners with campus planning to assess current infrastructure and recommend technology-enabled laboratory spaces, maker spaces, simulation facilities, and collaborative learning environments that support 21st-century science education.

Partnership Development & External Relations:

• Industry & Healthcare Partnerships: Cultivates partnerships with healthcare systems, biotechnology firms, data science companies, research institutions, and employers to create internship pipelines, research collaborations, advisory boards, and employer education programs.
• Grant Development & Fundraising: Collaborates with Advancement to develop resources through grants, fundraising activities, and donor cultivation.

Essential Job Requirements:

Required Education:

• PhD or EdD in a health sciences, STEM, or science-adjacent field that positions candidates well to lead an interdisciplinary College (Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Data Science, Health Sciences, Biomedical Sciences, Public Health, Exercise Science, or related field)

Required Experience:

• Minimum 5 years of progressively responsible academic leadership experience (e.g., department chair, program director, associate dean, dean, or leadership role in a professional organization)
• Demonstrated success in academic program development, assessment, and strategic planning
• Proven track record of integrating technology into curriculum and/or research programs
• Experience with online or hybrid program development and implementation
• Track record of building industry partnerships and employer relationships

Preferred Experience:

• Experience managing academic portfolio decisions
• Experience in an HSI, MSI, or diverse institutional setting
• Experience with pre-health professions advising or professional school partnerships
• Experience leading hybrid campus initiatives or multi-modal program delivery

Skills & Competencies:

Student-Centered Philosophy:

• Deep commitment to student success and teaching-centered education
• Understanding of challenges facing diverse student populations including working professionals, non-traditional students, and distance learners
• Customer-service focused with commitment to resolving student concerns equitably and efficiently
• Passion for mentoring students and helping them achieve career goals

Strategic Leadership:

• Visionary thinking with ability to anticipate future trends in health, sciences, technology, education, and workforce needs
• Tolerance for ambiguity in a rapidly changing environment
• Entrepreneurial mindset with demonstrated ability to identify and develop new revenue opportunities
• Agility and adaptability in responding to rapidly changing educational and technological landscapes
• Data-driven decision-making using enrollment analytics, market research, and outcomes assessment

Technology Integration:

• Demonstrated understanding of emerging technologies (AI, machine learning, data science, bioinformatics, health informatics, computational biology) and their applications in education and research
• Ability to lead faculty development in technology-enhanced pedagogy across online, hybrid, and in-person modalities
• Understanding of best practices in online and hybrid course design, particularly in laboratory and clinical sciences

Communication & Collaboration:

• Excellent interpersonal skills with ability to interact effectively with diverse faculty, staff, students, employers, and community partners
• Outstanding oral and written communication skills that reflect positively on the university
• Proven ability to foster cooperative, inclusive work environments in which faculty and staff feel valued
• Skilled in building consensus while making difficult decisions when necessary

Management & Operations:

• Budget preparation and fiscal management expertise
• Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities simultaneously in a fast-paced environment
• Skilled in supervising, mentoring, and developing personnel
• Experience with accreditation processes and regulatory compliance
• Ability to assess programs using completion data, enrollment trends, and market analysis

Partnership Development:

• Demonstrated success building relationships with healthcare systems, research institutions, or industry partners
• Ability to represent the university to external constituencies including employers, alumni, and community organizations
• Track record of cultivating advisory boards and maintaining employer engagement

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to move about campus and between locations (Aurora and Woodstock campuses)
• Ability to work flexible schedule including evenings, weekends, and occasional travel for conferences, partnership meetings, or recruitment events
• Ability to work in office, laboratory, and classroom environments

To Apply:

Confidential review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position has been filled. Please apply online by submitting a PDF version of your CV and a cover letter addressing your interest, approach to academic leadership, and alignment with experience, skills, and qualities required for the position. For full consideration, individuals are encouraged to apply by January 5, 2026.

To Apply Online: https://theapplicantmanager.com/jobs?pos=su486

Caitlin Hummel
Senior Consultant
Summit Search Solutions, Inc.
(585) 880-7550
chummel@summitsearchsolutions.com

The anticipated salary range is $170,000-$185,000. Ultimate compensation package will depend upon the successful candidate’s skills and experience.

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