"Nurse Practitioner Program Director / Tenure Track"

General Statement of Duties / Position Overview

The inaugural Program Director is a key academic leader responsible for the overall administration and quality of the Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Program. This includes:

• Ensuring compliance with CCNE and NONPF accreditation standards
• Overseeing curriculum development, delivery, and evaluation
• Managing budgetary and operational planning
• Leading faculty and staff supervision and performance evaluation
• Supporting student advisement and remediation
• Maintaining clinical site relationships and preceptor recruitment
• Providing direct instruction within the PMHNP curriculum, consistent with MSCA workload requirements

Duties and Responsibilities:

Administrative Leadership

• Direct all daily operations of the PMHNP Program
• Manage program budgets, data systems, and strategic planning
• Convene and lead regular faculty and staff meetings
• Monitor student advising and academic support systems

Curriculum & Instruction

• Develop and maintain curriculum aligned with CCNE and NONPF standards
• Evaluate course effectiveness and student learning outcomes
• Provide classroom and/or clinical instruction in PMHNP core and specialty courses
• Support students in remediation and academic advising

Faculty & Staff Oversight

• Assign teaching and administrative duties in coordination with the Department Chair
• Supervise and evaluate full- and part-time faculty and staff
• Lead hiring and onboarding of new program personnel
• Encourage faculty involvement in scholarship, research, and service

Accreditation & Compliance

• Lead and manage all aspects of CCNE accreditation and NONPF alignment, ensuring full and ongoing compliance
• Serve as the primary liaison with CCNE and coordinate all communication and reporting
• Oversee the program's self-study and continuous quality improvement efforts, including curriculum, assessment, admissions, clinical education, and student outcomes
• Submit required accreditation documentation, including annual reports, interim updates, and notices of programmatic changes
• Lead preparation for CCNE site visits, including narrative writing, evidence collection, and team coordination
• Maintain awareness of current and evolving CCNE and NONPF standards and integrate them into program practice and policy

Clinical & External Relations

• Provide oversight on the development and maintenance of clinical rotation sites
• Recruit and retain clinical preceptors and affiliated partners
• Ensure students meet clinical performance benchmarks and graduation requirements

Service & Scholarship

• Represent the PMHNP Program in university, local, and national forums
• Participate in leadership activities that advance PMHNP education and professional development
• Serve on university committees and engage in institutional initiatives
• Attend relevant professional conferences and events
• Perform additional duties as assigned by the Dean

Job Requirements:

Required Qualifications:

• Graduate of an accredited Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Program
• Doctoral degree in nursing (DNP, PhD, or equivalent) or matriculated in a doctoral program
• Current national board PMHNP certification
• Current unencumbered licensure, or eligible for licensure, as an RN and APRN in Massachusetts
• Minimum of 2 years of academic experience and 3 years of clinical practice in psychiatric mental health
• Excellent leadership, interpersonal, and organizational skills
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and data management systems
• Strong written and oral communication skills
• Understanding of Westfield State University's mission and public service values

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated knowledge of CCNE and NONPF standards and the self-study process
• Three (3) years of full-time experience in higher education
• Experience with competency-based and online education