"Dean, School of Business"

Job Details

Posting Number:0603030

Recruitment Type:Open to All Applicants

Position Title:Dean, School of Business

Position Type:Administrator

Benefits Status:Benefits Eligible

FLSA:Exempt

Hiring Range:$175,000 - $220,000 per year, with excellent benefits.

Location:Tacoma, WA 98447

Department:Business, School of

Posting Date:12/19/2025

Closing Date:Review of application materials will begin February 6, 2026, and continue until the position is filled.

Work Schedule:
Full-time; 12-month position. Generally Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm. Some evenings and weekends may be required.

General Description:

Pacific Lutheran University (PLU) seeks a visionary, compassionate, creative, and collaborative leader to serve as its next Dean of the School of Business. The Dean of the School of Business will join an exceptional community of faculty who bring to the classroom industry experience, expertise in current practices, dedication to teaching, active scholarship, and service to the University and the community. The PLU School of Business offers a transformative educational experience that prepares students for professional careers and equips them for continued professional development. Faculty and staff seek to advance the University’s vision of academic distinction through a global focus, student-faculty collaboration in research and service projects, and by helping students find their own paths to meaningful as well as successful lives. The School’s mission is to produce graduates with both the character and competence to be leaders in the enterprises they serve as well as in the greater community. The School of Business is a community of engaged faculty, staff, and administrators who provide an excellent business education in a student-centered learning environment grounded in the liberal arts that inspires students to: LEARN for Life, LIVE Purposefully, LEAD Responsibly, & CARE for Others.

PLU’s School of Business is fully accredited by AACSB International – the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. The School offers an academically rigorous business curriculum, both at the undergraduate and graduate levels, within the context of a strong liberal arts environment. Student organizations include: Beta Gamma Sigma, the national business honor society affiliated with AACSB; Accounting Society; PLU Finance Club; DECA; School of Business Ambassadors; and Regent’s Investment Fund. The School is also a member of PRME – Principles for Responsible Management Education – a consortium of over 250 business schools worldwide dedicated to developing a new generation of business leaders capable of managing the complex challenges faced by business and society in the 21st century. The School of Business is housed within the College of Professional Studies, along with the School of Education; School of Music, Theatre & Dance; Department of Communication, Media & Design Arts; and Innovation Studies program.

School Deans report to their respective College Deans. Per the Faculty Handbook, deans hold the status of administrative faculty. Terms of service will be negotiated with the College Dean and Provost as part of the appointment process.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

Core Leadership and Strategic Oversight

The Dean of the School of Business provides strategic leadership and supervision of the school, encompassing academic programs, faculty, and staff. The dean must exhibit an inclusive, self-aware leadership style and the ability to lead through times of change.

The Dean reports to the Dean of the College of Professional Studies and is responsible for:

1. Vision and Planning: Creating a vision and plan for the school’s continued growth across undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education opportunities, and being accountable to outcomes of annual program assessment and regular academic program review.
2. Strategic Alignment: Contributing to the ongoing vitality of the College of Professional Studies and the university by advocating for the school, ensuring decisions support university priorities and commitments, and guaranteeing consistency across business programs and alignment in administrative systems and processes.
3. Collaboration and Collegiality: Working collegially and collaboratively with faculty, staff, senior leaders, alumni, and external partners to achieve goals aligned with PLU’s academic mission. This includes being an integral part of the College of Professional Studies leadership team and working cooperatively with College leadership and unit leaders across the university to foster the liberal arts and their integration with major and professional degree curricula.
4. External Partnerships: Building and enhancing partnerships with industry and community organizations, alumni, and professionals in the South Sound region to strengthen the School of Business’ position as a premier business school. This involves cultivating relationships with external partners for undergraduate and graduate internship and employment opportunities, and representing the school at local, state, regional, and national levels.

Financial and Resource Management

The Dean ensures the financial health and future of the School of Business by effectively stewarding and cultivating resources and contributing to the financial health of the university.

1. Fundraising: Actively participating in fundraising and development activities, which includes cultivating donor and alumni engagement and major gift solicitations. This also involves working closely with University Relations to enhance PLU’s development and alumni-engagement efforts, securing external funding and sponsorship for various initiatives.
2. Budget Administration: Collaborating with faculty and staff to develop and administer the school’s budget, and collaborating with College leadership when resources across campus need to be prioritized.

Academic Programs and Operations

The Dean oversees the day-to-day management of the school, facilitating the completion of all reports essential for effective administration of the school and its academic programs.

1. Curriculum and Programs: Providing leadership for and supervising, supporting, reviewing, and developing sustainable, diverse, and relevant curricula and undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education programs. The Dean will ensure consistent standards for curriculum management and facilitate the development and maintenance of student-centered scheduling practices.
2. Program Revision and Interdisciplinary Focus: Identifying opportunities for revising undergraduate and graduate programs to meet the needs of current and future students, and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration across other units on campus.
3. Accreditation and Governance: Ensuring continued AACSB accreditation and accountability to the expectations of university and program-specific accreditation requirements. The Dean will also convene on a regular basis with academic leaders within the college, as well as with the school on a schedule determined with school-wide faculty governance.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

4. Student Support: Partnering with the Office of Admission and Enrollment Management (Registrar, Student Financial Services, and Center for Student Success) in mutual efforts to recruit, retain, and advise students. The Dean will also make recommendations for student awards.
5. Business Partnerships: Cultivate and maintain strategic business partnerships with regional organizations to enhance student learning and career readiness through collaborative initiatives such as experiential projects, company site tours, mentorship programs, mock interviews, and other professional development opportunities.
6. External Board Management: Working collaboratively with the School of Business Executive Advisory Board (EAB) in their efforts to guide program direction, strategic growth, and community connections; provide financial support; participate in networking activities; and support the school’s mission.

Personnel and Faculty Leadership

The Dean sustains the PLU community of care, focusing on wellness and faculty development, and fosters a climate of positive and dynamic collaboration, participation, and engagement within the school, College, and University.

1. Faculty and Staff Development: Avidly supporting faculty achievement, development, and excellence, including encouraging and facilitating professional growth, teaching excellence, and building relationships with business leaders. This includes sustaining the vitality, growth, and rigor of both established and emerging faculty research and scholarly activities, and actively supporting the professional development and competency of the School of Business staff.
2. Personnel Management: Collaborating with and supporting the Associate Dean in the day-to-day operations and the equitable stewarding of personnel. The Dean implements and administers comprehensive recruitment and retention plans for faculty (tenure-track, visiting, and contingent) and staff.
3. Evaluation and Advancement: Facilitating the completion of timely and comprehensive faculty and staff evaluations, and making recommendations for faculty appointments, promotions, salaries, sabbatical, and special leaves. The Dean facilitates the appointments of School of Business faculty to university service/leadership positions and makes recommendations for faculty and staff awards. The Dean also provides direction to current and future initiatives in teaching and learning as faculty develop their teaching, scholarship, and service, as they work towards advancement at the university.

Inclusive Leadership

The Dean will demonstrate PLU’s shared commitment to being an inclusive, rigorous, and innovative university, reflecting the core elements of Lutheran Higher Education.

1. Inclusive Implementation: Embedding inclusive and reflective practices into all decision-making processes and providing leadership and oversight in meeting the university’s initiative to achieve its goals for diversity, belonging, and inclusion in all aspects of the school.
2. Active Promotion: Actively leading and serving in ways that support PLU’s progress to promote institutional equity and anti-racism.
3. Self-Reflection: Engaging in continuous and concerted professional development and self-reflection around issues of identity, difference, power, and leadership.

Required Qualifications:

The Dean will present the following qualifications, experiences, and skills, demonstrating alignment with the university’s commitment to diversity, inclusion, and equity and the mission, vision, and philosophy of Lutheran higher education.

Academic and Professional Experience:

• An earned doctorate in a business or business-related field from an accredited institution.
• Distinguished credentials in teaching, scholarly research, and service.
• Proven strategic leadership and management experience in a university setting.
• Experience with AACSB accreditation.
• Demonstrated success and experience with building teams, strategic planning, and achieving goals through outcomes assessment.
• Comprehensive understanding of national and state trends specific to current issues in business education.
• Knowledge of and experience with technological innovations in business and business education.

Skills and Commitments:

• Demonstrated fiscal responsibility and budget management.
• Demonstrated success with fund raising.
• Demonstrated success with business community interactions and partnerships.
• Strong interpersonal skills, including active listening skills, effective communication, and the ability to manage conflict.
• A collaborative spirit and ability to work effectively and genuinely with peers from across all units in the university and community.
• Cultivated awareness, knowledge, and skills requisite for effectively engaging with a diverse, multicultural community of faculty, staff, and students.
• A passion for students and teaching.
• Commitment to shared governance.
• Demonstrated success in fostering interdisciplinary collaborations in research and teaching.

Special Instructions to Applicants:

Applicants should submit:

• Letter of application that specifically addresses your interest in, and qualifications for the position details as listed above.
• Curriculum Vitae.
• Full contact information for five references.

For questions or additional information, please contact Dr. Cameron Bennett (cbennett@plu.edu), Dean, College of Professional Studies, and Co-Chair of the Search Committee.