"Department Chair"

Position Overview

The Ohio State University seeks a chair who will provide ambitious and innovative leadership for its Department of French and Italian. Anticipated start date is July 1, 2026. The chair will serve as the administrative head of a thriving department, with oversight of faculty, staff, curriculum, facilities, budget, and strategic direction. In addition to their role as a departmental leader and administrator, the chair will also be a dedicated teacher and distinguished scholar, with a record of accomplishment to merit appointment in the department as an advanced Associate Professor or Professor.

The new chair is expected to foster an collegial and interdisciplinary culture among a community of faculty, staff, and students from varied areas of study. The chair will be an advocate for the department, its faculty, staff, and students, providing support and mentorship for scholarly activity and advancing the interests of the department. The chair should be poised to engage with students, faculty, staff, and alumni to build collaborations with arts and humanities departments and interdisciplinary initiatives across the College of Arts and Sciences and the broader university community, Ohio States five regional campuses, and community organizations in Ohio and beyond.

The successful candidate will be a dedicated educator and recognized scholar and/or practitioner with expertise in one or more areas of French, Italian, Francophone, or Italophone studies.

Performance Objectives

• To provide steady yet innovative leadership to the Department of French and Italian.
• To support fundraising efforts in partnership with OSU Advancement.
• To manage budgets, resources, and space for the department.
• To oversee excellence in student learning and curricular development.
• To help faculty and staff thrive in their roles through leadership, mentoring, and professional development.
• To advocate for the department to units around the university, community, and broader academic field.
• To lead engagement efforts with communities and organizations around Central Ohio.

Education and Experience Requirements

Required:

• PhD in French or Italian Studies or related field.
• Native or non-native fluency in French and/or Italian, e.g., in the area(s) in which you specialize.
• National/international record of scholarly achievement commensurate with the position of advanced Associate Professor or Professor at the Ohio State University, including a distinguished record of scholarly achievement, teaching excellence, and professional service; and evidence of continued excellence in creative and/or scholarly achievement.
• Demonstrated and effective leadership and administrative experience in academia.
• Demonstrated ability to cultivate positive work relationships with students, colleagues, and staff.

Desired:

• Experience in fundraising, budgeting, and management.
• Experience with interdisciplinary collaborations, for example those with other academic units, community partners, and professional academic/humanities organizations.

How to Apply

Apply to the Careers at Ohio State website. A competitive application consists of the following required elements: a cover letter, curriculum vitae, and separate research and teaching statements.

Application deadline closes on January 27, 2026. Inquiries may be directed to the Chair of the Search Committee, Professor Carmen Taleghani Nikazm (taleghani-nikazm.1@osu.edu).

You will be presented with the opportunity to attach up to FOUR documents in the Application Documents section. Please include the following:

• Attachment 1: Cover Letter: 1-2 page letter, which should include a summary of your leadership vision, teaching, and research and/or creative scholarship.
• Attachment 2: CV (Curriculum Vitae): Detailed overview of your scholarly experience, leadership experience, teaching and mentoring experience, service, funding, and publications.
• Attachment 3: Research Statement: Summary of your past research/creative accomplishments, current work, and proposal for your future research plan as a faculty member.
• Attachment 4: Teaching Statement: A statement of your approaches, experience and philosophy regarding your teaching, learning, and mentoring.

You may be asked for names and contact information for three reference letters at a later date.