"Dean of the School of Nursing"

Job Summary

The University of Wisconsin–Madison, established in 1848 and considered one of the world's outstanding public research universities, invites applications and nominations for the position of Dean of the School of Nursing. UW–Madison, the flagship campus of the Universities of Wisconsin, is a major land-grant university committed to excellence in teaching, research and public service with revenues of $4.9 billion, a student body of nearly 50,000, faculty/staff of approximately 27,000, and a campus environment that facilitates cross disciplinary collaborative research. The University has a long-standing commitment to shared governance. The University of Wisconsin–Madison is ranked among the top universities in the world and has the #6 national research ranking among U.S. universities.

The University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Nursing (SoN), established in 1924, has a mission to develop nurse leaders, innovators, and advocates for the profession and society through research, education, practice, policy, and outreach. The SoN is a leading nursing research institution in Wisconsin and the nation, with a history of impact on health through nursing science and education, including neonatal and pediatric nursing, aging research, patient-centered intervention research; and health systems innovation. The SoN faculty and staff comprises more than 86 clinical and tenure-track faculty members and 75 staff. The SoN has an enrollment of more than 1,200 pre-nursing and matriculated nursing students, offering the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), and Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (PhD) degrees, as well as five certificate programs and continuing education programs. Nationally, the SoN is ranked at #8 in a 3-way tie, and lands in the top one percent of all eligible prelicensure BSN programs in the country by U.S. News and World Report. Among public institutions the SoN is tied for a ranking of #5.

In 2014, the SoN relocated to a new, state-of-the-art $53 million facility, Signe Skott Cooper Hall (Cooper Hall). Cooper Hall is designed to advance nursing science and scholarship while supporting collaboration, mentorship, and best practices in innovative teaching and learning in nursing and interprofessional health education. Cooper Hall is also designed for quality and growth in faculty, research, programs, and enrollment. One of the highlights of Cooper Hall is the Center for Technology-Enhanced Nursing (CTEN). This innovative instructional and research unit includes five simulation environments, making it possible to simulate entire episodes of care utilizing clinic, hospital, home and e/health support environments. In addition, the SoN leads the development of team-based, problem-focused learning on campus in its 360-seat active learning classroom complex.

The SoN’s robust and strategic research and scholarship enterprise contributes to a vibrant campus environment for interdisciplinary research in health care, interprofessional practice, and education. The school is an integral academic partner in the health sciences sector of campus with the Schools of Medicine and Public Health, Veterinary Medicine, Pharmacy, and Education, the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics, the American Family Children’s Hospital, and the William S. Middleton Veteran’s Administration Hospital.

The Dean, who reports to the Chancellor through the Provost, serves as the chief academic and executive officer of the school. Responsibilities include overseeing faculty and staff development, managing personnel, budget planning and management, overseeing research, curriculum, and student academic affairs, and fundraising efforts.

Key Job Responsibilities

• Provides leadership in the recruitment, development, evaluation, and retention of faculty and staff, while fostering a culture of excellence, equity, wellness, and ongoing professional growth
• Leads the development of new educational programs and initiatives that respond to emerging healthcare needs, community priorities, workforce trends, and technological advances, while evaluating current programs and initiatives for relevancy
• Serves as the SoN’s Chief Academic Officer, responsible for maintaining academic integrity and compliance with accreditation and regulatory standards for all nursing programs
• Leads efforts to secure external funding from state and federal government agencies, foundations, corporations, alumni, and philanthropic partners to advance the school’s mission and impact
• Oversees the development and administration of complex, multi-unit budgets, ensuring responsible fiscal planning and resource allocation to support strategic priorities
• Leads the faculty, staff, and school community in articulating and implementing a forward-looking mission, vision, and strategic framework that aligns with UW-Madison’s institutional goals and the future of nursing education, research, and practice
• Collaborates effectively with other deans, campus leaders, and Universities of Wisconsin partners to support interdisciplinary initiatives, shared governance, and institutional strategic priorities
• Ensures that all academic programs and administrative units in the school are reviewed regularly in accordance with university policies, accreditation standards, and processes for continuous improvement
• Provides comprehensive oversight of the SoN’s academic, administrative, and operational functions, ensuring excellence, efficiency, and alignment with university policies and values, as well as community priorities
• Represents the School of Nursing in local, state, national, and international forums, including academic consortia, policy discussions, and professional organizations to elevate the school’s visibility and influence
• Partners with university and SoN faculty and staff to ensure robust data systems are in place to support continuous assessment, quality improvement, strategic planning, and evidence-informed decision making
• Advocates broadly for the role of nursing education and scholarship in meeting the demands of the nursing profession and meeting the complex needs of a broad range of populations

Department

School of Nursing

Compensation

Negotiable

Degree and area of specialization

Earned research doctorate (PhD or equivalent) in Nursing or related field. If earned research doctorate is not in nursing, candidates must hold a graduate degree in nursing. Additionally, candidates must have a demonstrated record of excellence in research, teaching, and service to ensure eligibility for tenure at UW-Madison. Eligibility for Registered Nurse licensure in Wisconsin is also required.

Desired Qualifications

• Demonstrated record of transformative leadership that fosters belonging in higher education with a commitment to advancing excellence in undergraduate, graduate, and professional nursing education across a broad range of learning environments
• Deep understanding of the evolving challenges facing nursing education, research, and practice, and a vision for responding to these complex state, national, and global challenges to advance the nursing profession
• Strong skills in strategic planning, financial stewardship, personnel management, and resource development, with a track record of leadership in aligning operations with mission-driven goals
• Demonstrated ability to cultivate and sustain strategic partnerships with internal and external stakeholders—including academic, clinical, community, and policy leaders—to advance health, health equity, and interprofessional collaboration
• Dedication to establishing a strategic vision for growth and expanded support for research and scholarship that drives knowledge creation, translation, dissemination, and policy impact, especially in the SoN’s signature research areas of aging and care for older adults; children, families, and reproductive health; health equity; health systems and public health; mental health and substance use; symptom science and palliative care; as well as areas of clinical scholarship: community outreach and engagement; health systems and health policy; professional practice and education; and teaching and learning
• Strong advocate for interprofessional education and practice, with experience fostering collaboration across disciplines to prepare future health professionals for team-based care
• Proven ability to recruit, develop, and lead high-performing teams that foster a culture of excellence, effectiveness, accountability, and support shared governance

Applications, Inquiries and Nominations

Applications, nominations, and inquiries are invited. Applications should include, as separate documents, a CV or resume and a letter of interest addressing the themes in this position description.

The WittKieffer search firm is assisting the University of Wisconsin-Madison in this search. To ensure consideration, candidate materials should be received by January 9, 2026. Applications, nominations, and questions about the search can be directed to UWMadisonDeanNursing@wittkieffer.com.

Important information regarding confidentiality: Unless confidentiality is requested in writing, UW-Madison is required by Wis. Stat. 19.36(7) to release the names of all applicants to anyone who requests that information. If you would like to request confidentiality, please indicate that in an email to UWMadisonDeanNursing@wittkieffer.com. Candidates who advance to the finalist round are announced publicly prior to their campus visits.

Please visit https://apps.diversity.wisc.edu/questionnaire.aspx to complete voluntary self-identification information. Use job requisition code: JR10005668