Dean of School of Nursing and Health Services

care needs of the region.

The Dean is responsible for advancing the quality, vitality, and future direction of the School, with particular emphasis on student success, academic excellence, faculty development, continuous improvement, accreditation, and strong clinical and workforce partnerships. The Dean also provides the leadership necessary to ensure that the College’s nursing education program meets all applicable requirements of the Michigan Board of Nursing.

This is an opportunity for an accomplished nursing educator and leader to shape one of the College’s most important academic areas. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to strengthen established programs, support an outstanding faculty, deepen partnerships with health care providers, develop new educational pathways, and help prepare the next generation of nurses and health care professionals for meaningful careers and service to their communities.

Required Qualifications:

• Master’s degree with a major in Nursing from an accredited institution.
• Five (5) years of experience in professional nursing practice or educational preparation/academic teaching in nursing, or an equivalent combination of both. Must possess current knowledge of registered professional nursing practice.
• Current unrestricted license to practice as a registered professional nurse in Michigan, or eligibility and ability to obtain an unrestricted Michigan RN license before assuming the position.
• Demonstrated leadership experience in nursing education, health care, or a related setting, including responsibility for people, programs, or significant initiatives.
• Demonstrated ability to lead collaboratively, build effective relationships, communicate clearly, and support the success and professional growth of faculty and staff.
• Ability to manage complex academic operations, including budgets, personnel, scheduling, regulatory requirements, and competing priorities.
• Demonstrated commitment to academic quality, continuous improvement, student success, and the mission of community colleges.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Doctorate in nursing, nursing education, education, higher education leadership, health sciences, or a closely related field.
• Academic administrative or program leadership experience in nursing or health sciences.
• Experience in a community college or other institution with a strong access and student-success mission.
• Experience with specialized nursing accreditation, particularly ACEN, including self-study, reporting, site visits, or continuous improvement.
• Experience providing leadership across multiple nursing, allied health, or health services programs.
• Experience developing and sustaining clinical, employer, and community partnerships.
• Experience securing or administering grants or other external resources supporting health sciences education.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide strategic leadership for the School of Nursing and Health Services, establishing priorities that advance academic excellence, student success, workforce responsiveness, and the long-term vitality of the School’s programs.
• Provide leadership for the College’s nursing education program in accordance with Michigan Board of Nursing requirements and ensure compliance with applicable state regulations, specialized accreditation standards, professional expectations, and College policies.
• Lead a continuous cycle of curriculum review, program evaluation, assessment, and improvement. Work with faculty and other College partners to evaluate program outcomes and recommend programs, pathways, courses, and curricular changes in response to student needs, professional standards, accreditation expectations, workforce demand, and changes in health care practice.
• Recruit, develop, support, supervise, and evaluate faculty and staff. Cultivate an environment characterized by high expectations, professional growth, collaboration, shared responsibility, and a strong commitment to teaching and student learning.
• Provide leadership and oversight for the academic and clinical operations of the School, including course and clinical scheduling, faculty staffing, clinical placements, laboratories and simulation resources, and other instructional needs.
• Develop and manage School and program budgets, establish resource priorities, and advocate for the personnel, equipment, facilities, technology, and other resources necessary to sustain high-quality nursing and health services education.
• Develop and sustain strong relationships with hospitals, health care providers, employers, educational partners, community organizations, and other external stakeholders. Ensure appropriate clinical affiliation agreements are maintained and represent the College in partnerships that support clinical education, workforce development, and pathways into high-demand health careers.
• Represent the College with the Michigan Workforce Training and Education Collaborative (MWTEC) and other regional or statewide initiatives that advance employer-responsive health care education and workforce development.
• Support faculty and program leaders in maintaining effective advisory committees and other mechanisms for engaging employers, practitioners, alumni, and community partners in the ongoing development and evaluation of programs.
• Work collaboratively with Admissions, Advising, Student Services, Marketing, and other College areas to support student recruitment, appropriate program admission and progression practices, retention, completion, licensure success, and successful transition into employment or further education.
• Identify opportunities for program growth and innovation, including new programs, certificates, partnerships, clinical experiences, educational pathways, and other approaches that respond to student and regional health care needs.
• Identify and pursue grants, partnerships, and other external resources that support instructional quality, program innovation, workforce development, faculty development, equipment, facilities, and student success.
• Maintain appropriate systems of accountability for accreditation, regulatory compliance, academic records, program outcomes, and required reporting, ensuring that College leadership has timely and reliable information regarding the performance and needs of the School.
• Serve as a collaborative member of the College’s academic leadership team, working with the Chief Academic & Assurance Officer, fellow deans, faculty leaders, and other colleagues to advance institutional priorities, develop policy, solve problems, and strengthen the overall academic experience of students.
• Represent the School and College in professional, community, and health care settings and serve on College committees and external groups where the Dean’s leadership and expertise can advance the mission of the institution.
• The duties listed in this job description are not all-inclusive, but a list of the major responsibilities. Additional duties not noted in the job description may be assigned by a supervisor.