Director​/Professor of Human Ecology

Tennessee Tech University invites applications for the position of Director in the School of Human Ecology at the rank of Associate Professor or Full Professor. This is a full-time, twelve-month, tenured leadership position.

The Director serves as the chief academic and administrative officer of the School, providing visionary, strategic, and entrepreneurial leadership to advance its mission in alignment with the University’s commitment to student success, academic excellence, innovation, and community engagement. This is an opportunity to lead a multidisciplinary School at a pivotal moment of growth and to elevate its impact across the state, region, and nation.

The School of Human Ecology offers two undergraduate majors and four programs of study, including Human Ecology (Human Development and Family Science; Nutrition and Dietetics), Design Studies (Architecture and Interior Design; Fashion Merchandising and Design), and graduate programs in Child Life and Community Health and Nutrition. These programs are uniquely positioned to address critical societal challenges related to health, well-being, families, and the built environment.

The successful candidate will articulate and implement a bold strategic vision that enhances program quality, expands enrollment, strengthens external partnerships, and elevates the School’s visibility and reputation. The Director will work collaboratively with university leadership, faculty, and external stakeholders to position the School as a regional and national leader in human ecology education and applied scholarship.

Tennessee Tech is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer.

• An earned doctoral degree from an accredited institution in family and consumer sciences, human ecology, nutrition and dietetics, human development and family science, or a closely related field is required, with at least one degree in family and consumer sciences or human ecology. The successful candidate must meet the requirements for tenure and appointment at the rank of Associate Professor or higher in the School of Human Ecology.
  
  A minimum of six years of full-time teaching experience in an accredited program in human ecology or family and consumer sciences is required, along with demonstrated experience in student success, curriculum development, academic program administration, accreditation processes, and program assessment. The candidate must also have a strong record of effective teaching, scholarship, and service, with evidence of excellent interpersonal and communication skills, professional integrity, and the ability to lead and collaborate effectively within an academic environment.
  
  Prior administrative leadership experience is required, including demonstrated success in strategic planning, budgeting, faculty and staff evaluation, and program development.

• The candidate should have a record of effectively building external partnerships, securing funding, and advancing academic initiatives at scale.
• Evidence of leadership within professional organizations and the ability to enhance the visibility, reputation, and impact of an academic unit are highly desirable.
• In addition, experience with innovative and technology-enhanced instruction, including the development and delivery of online and hybrid academic programs, is preferred.

Tennessee Tech produces practical, ready-to-work graduates from a broad range of academic disciplines prepared to compete in a technologically driven world. Here, students have the freedom to discover and pursue their passions, knowing there is a supportive community behind them. Developing their passions into hundreds of student clubs and organizations, Tech students make an impact on campus, in the community and around the world.

Transformative experiences are a tradition  students cultivate a lifelong desire to learn about their favorite subjects, or pursue entirely new interests under the guidance of knowledgeable and supportive faculty. A genuine community of faculty, staff and alumni committed to challenging all to bring out their best and to supporting each other in academic, personal and professional development exists se pursuits result in honest, lifelong connections that carry far beyond the classroom.

With an enrollment of around 10,000 students, Tech offers degrees from eight academic schools and colleges:
Agriculture and Human Ecology, Arts and Sciences, Business, Education and Human Sciences,…