Dean of Fine Arts

a collaborative, strategic, and student-centered leader to serve as Dean of the School of Fine Arts. This full-time administrative appointment provides academic, artistic, administrative, and external leadership for a vibrant regional center for the arts, including programs and opportunities in music, art, opera theatre, performance, art and music education, and community engagement. Qualifications: The successful candidate will possess a terminal degree in a fine arts discipline (art or music), education, educational leadership or school administration, or a closely related field; significant leadership experience in education, higher education, fine arts administration, music education, or professional performing arts operations; and demonstrated success leading people, programs, budgets, schedules, events, and complex priorities. The successful candidate will have strong public speaking, written communication, presentation, advocacy, and relationship-building skills, as well as experience working collaboratively with faculty, staff, students, administrators, governing boards, artists, musicians, educators, donors, and community stakeholders. The ideal candidate will be a proven and innovative leader who can bridge K-12 music education, higher education instruction, executive administration, and professional performing arts operations. The successful candidate will be committed to student-centered leadership, academic excellence, artistic growth, community engagement, and the value of the fine arts in public life. Preferred qualifications include:• Administrative leadership experience at the dean, director, chair, superintendent, or comparable executive level;• Experience with artistic operations, concert production, season planning, rehearsal and performance logistics, guest artists, venue coordination, or public arts programming; • Demonstrated success in fundraising, advancement, stewardship, donor cultivation, alumni engagement, and external relations. Responsibilities: The Dean will report to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs with the following responsibilities: Provide vision, leadership, and direction for the School of Fine Arts and its academic, artistic, performance-based, and community-centered programs. Support faculty and staff in advancing curriculum, student learning, creative activity, performance opportunities, accreditation-related goals, and overall program quality. Support faculty in their professional growth and development, including advancing exceptional teaching, across all faculty ranks. Advance fundraising and external relations through donor cultivation, alumni engagement, stewardship, arts advocacy, community networking, and mission-focused communication. Lead strategic planning, scheduling, resource allocation, personnel coordination, budget-conscious decision making, and operational follow-through for the School. Strengthen a collaborative culture focused on student success, faculty engagement, artistic excellence, accountability, innovation, and service to the University and region. Represent the School of Fine Arts to University leadership, the South Dakota Board of Regents system, alumni, donors, patrons, civic leaders, school partners, and regional arts organizations. Provide leadership for enrollment and program growth through recruitment, scholarships, retention, strategic partnerships, public performances, exhibitions, outreach events, and other opportunities to connect prospective students with the School of Fine Arts. Use enrollment, student success, program, financial, and other relevant data to identify opportunities, assess effectiveness, inform decisions, and guide the continued development of the School's academic programs. Develop and strengthen partnerships with K-12 schools, arts educators, alumni, foundations, donors, patrons, boards, civic organizations, and regional arts communities. Coordinate effectively across academic departments, production teams, guest artists, venues, musicians, educators, students, and community stakeholders. Support artistic operations and public-facing arts experiences, including performances, exhibitions, events, and other opportunities that enhance student learning and community engagement. Lead individuals and teams in responding to student, University, and community needs, fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, shared responsibility, and problem-solving across the University. Steward budgets and resources responsibly, advancing the needs and priorities of the School of Fine Arts within the context of Northern's broader priorities and the needs of students across the University. Serve as a collaborative member of the University's academic leadership team, working with fellow deans and the Provost to identify challenges, develop solutions, share resources and expertise, and provide thoughtful counsel to inform the Provost's decisions on behalf of Northern as a whole; take shared responsibility for implementing and communicating decisions once made. Advance policies, practices, partnerships, and initiatives that support Northern State University's mission and strategic direction while strengthening the contributions, visibility, and impact of the School of Fine Arts. Posting Date: 10/07/2026 Closing Date: Open Until Filled: Open Until Filled First Consideration Date: 10/23/2026 Advertised Salary: To apply, please visit: https://apptrkr.com/9885233 "">https://yourfuture.sdbor.edu/postings/50047 Equal Employment Opportunity Statement je-30d5104af6084ba2a60e797717866ce2