"Dean of the Graduate School and Associate Provost for Research"

Job Details

Dean of the Graduate School and Associate Provost for Research

College of Charleston

Position Description

About the Position

The College of Charleston invites nominations and applications for the position of Dean of the Graduate School and Associate Provost for Research. The next Dean of the Graduate School and Associate Provost for Research will be a collaborative, visionary academic leader who embodies integrity, and collegiality, and demonstrates a strong commitment to graduate programs; research, scholarship, and creative activity; and student and faculty success.

Reporting to the Provost, the Dean of the Graduate School and Associate Provost for Research provides academic leadership and vision to advance graduate education and research. The Dean sets strategic, operational, and financial directions for the graduate programs, while fostering a collegial environment that supports excellence in teaching, research, and service. The Associate Provost role oversees research and grants administration processes, ensuring effective management of external funding, compliance, and support for faculty and student research activity.

Vision for the Role

The next Dean of the Graduate School and Associate Provost for Research will lead the advancement of graduate education and research by fostering innovative, interdisciplinary programs and expanding professional development to prepare students for success in academia, industry, and government. The dean will strengthen partnerships across campus and with external stakeholders, broaden funding opportunities, and modernize grants management to enhance efficiency, compliance, and competitiveness. The Dean and Associate Provost will position the College to elevate its national reputation in graduate education and research.

The undergraduate research program will remain a distinct entity; however, undergraduate students will benefit from increased opportunities to engage in research as the College develops a strategic plan in this area.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership: Collaborate with faculty, staff, and administration to develop and implement initiatives aligned with the College’s mission and values. Ensure the quality, growth, relevance, and effective delivery of graduate programs.
• Academic Excellence: Support innovative teaching, scholarship, and creative activity. Promote interdisciplinary collaboration, student research opportunities, and professional development for faculty, staff, and graduate students. Skilled in identifying unique developmental needs across student populations and partnering with graduate student organizations to create customized learning and mentoring opportunities.
• Grants and Research Administration: Provide leadership for the Office of Research and Grants Administration, ensuring efficient management of external funding, compliance, and reporting. Expand opportunities for faculty and students to secure competitive grants and effectively oversee research budgets. This position will also serve as the Institutional Official (IO) for our Institutional Animal Care and Use Program (this research compliance responsibility is part of research administration that is not necessarily tied to grant funding).
• Administration & Operations: Oversee staffing, budgeting, and academic policy. Collaborate with program directors to ensure systematic review and improvement of programs and courses. Provide centralized oversight of admissions, graduate assistantships, and student support services. Committed to advancing equity and transparency in graduate education by standardizing funding practices and establishing data systems that link financial support to institutional effectiveness.
• Financial Stewardship: Manage resources responsibly and seek new opportunities for financial sustainability through alumni, donors, and external partnerships.
• External Engagement: Build relationships with alumni, donors, advisory boards, and external partners to strengthen graduate education and research. Develop strategic partnerships with appropriate state and regional higher educational institutions (especially the Medical University of South Carolina, also located in Charleston) and engage with statewide networks, such as the South Carolina EPSCoR office, to expand research collaborations, funding opportunities, and innovation initiatives.
• Community & Culture: Actively participate in campus life, support student and faculty events, and cultivate a culture of teamwork and shared achievement.

Qualifications

The successful candidate must possess an earned doctorate in a relevant discipline and a distinguished record of teaching and scholarship, meriting appointment as a tenured associate or full professor. In addition, the successful candidate will also demonstrate the following preferred qualifications:

• Proven leadership in higher education, including staff supervision, program development, strategic planning, and budget management.
• Broad experience in securing external grants, overseeing grant administration, research protections and compliance, and managing research budgets effectively.
• Demonstrated success fostering collaboration, building consensus, and motivating faculty and staff.
• A broad understanding of higher education and the challenges facing public liberal arts and sciences institutions, with the vision to address them creatively.
• Leads with a forward-looking understanding of online education trends and champions innovative approaches to meet the unique needs of doctoral students in an undergraduate-focused institution.
• Experience engaging external stakeholders, including political leaders, alumni, and donors; proven success in fundraising and resource development.

In addition, the ideal candidate will possess the following preferred personal qualities:

• Unquestioned integrity, sound judgment, and commitment to transparency and fairness.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to listen, build trust, and engage diverse perspectives.
• Confidence in delegating authority and empowering colleagues, while fostering teamwork and accountability.
• Commitment to student success and active engagement in campus life.

The College of Charleston

Located in the heart of historic Charleston, South Carolina, the College is a nationally recognized public university. Founded in 1770, the College is the oldest educational institution south of Virginia and the 13th oldest in the U.S. The College of Charleston is among the nation's top universities for quality education, student life, and affordability. Its beautiful and historic campus, combined with contemporary facilities, cutting-edge programs, and accessible faculty, attracts students from across the U.S. and around the world.

Over 10,000 undergraduates and approximately 1,000 graduate students at the College enjoy a small campus feel blended with the advantages and diversity of a mid-sized, urban university. They work closely with a committed faculty that is made up of more than 500 distinguished teacher-scholars. And the city of Charleston – world-renowned for its history, architecture, culture, and coastal environment – serves as a living and learning laboratory for experiences in business, science, technology, teaching, the humanities, languages, and the arts.

The College of Charleston is unlike any other public university. It has built a culture that celebrates the power of diverse thought. Where different and unique perspectives unite to shape a brighter, better future.

The Graduate School

The College of Charleston is home to 3 doctoral programs and nearly 30 master’s degree and certificate programs. For additional information about the Graduate School, please visit the following link.

Doctoral Programs:

• Mathematics with Computation, Ph.D.
• Learning and Inquiry in Practice, Ed.D.
• Business Administration, D.B.A.

Master’s Programs:

• Accountancy, M.S.
• Business Administration, M.B.A.
• Child Life, M.S.
• Communication, M.A.
• Computer and Information Sciences, M.S.
• Creative Writing, M.F.A.
• Data Science and Analytics, M.S.
• Early Childhood Education, M.A.T.
• Elementary Education, M.A.T.
• Environmental and Sustainability Studies, M.S.
• Environmental and Sustainability Studies, M.S. and Public Administration, M.P.A. Concurrent Master’s Degree Program
• History, M.A.
• Languages, M.Ed.
• Marine Biology, M.S.
• Mathematical Sciences, M.S.
• Multilingual Learners, M.A.T.
• Performing Arts, M.A.T.
• Public Administration, M.P.A.
• Teaching, Learning, and Advocacy, M.Ed.

Graduate Certificates:

• Arts and Cultural Management
• Cybersecurity
• Geospatial
• Gifted and Talented Education
• Multilingual Learners
• Operations Research
• Software Engineering
• Special Education
• Statistics
• Urban and Regional Planning

Office of Research Grants and Administration

The Office of Research and Grants Administration (ORGA) promotes external funding for research, academic projects, and scholarly activities, and ensures compliance with applicable regulations and College policies and procedures relating to research activities.

ORGA is a central source of information on major government agencies, foundations, and corporations which impact research and scholarship. ORGA is responsible for managing the development and submission of all grant and contract proposals to external funding sources, as well as the acceptance and non-financial administration of grant and contract awards. For additional information on ORGA, please visit the following link.

Application Process

The Search Committee invites applications, inquiries, and nominations for the position of Dean of the Graduate School and Associate Provost for Research. Applications should be accompanied by a letter of interest, curriculum vitae, and the names and contact details of at least five professional references. Applications and nominations will be accepted until the position is filled and review of applications will begin immediately. For full consideration, interested candidates are encouraged to submit materials to Parker Executive Search prior to February 13, 2026.

Porsha Williams, Vice President
Jacob C. Anderson, Senior Principal
Scott Gaffney, Executive Recruiting Coordinator
Parker Executive Search
Five Concourse Parkway, Suite 2875 | Atlanta, GA 30328
(770) 804-1996 x 111
pwilliams@parkersearch.com || janderson@parkersearch.com || sgaffney@parkersearch.com

The College of Charleston is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any individual or group on the basis of sex, gender (including gender identity and/or expression), pregnancy, race, religion, color, national origin, age, disability, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, genetic information, and other classifications protected by applicable federal, state, and local laws. For more information, please visit eop.cofc.edu.