Associate Dean Strategic Excellence - Associate or Full Professor in Social Work

Position: Associate Dean for Strategic Excellence - Associate or Full Professor in Social Work
Department:
Graduate College of Social Work Salary:
Commensurate with Experience

Description:

The Graduate College of Social Work (GCSW) at the University of Houston, a Carnegie Designated Tier One Research University, invites applications and nominations for the Associate Dean for Strategic Excellence (ADSE) at the tenured Associate Professor/Professor rank with an appointment beginning September 1, 2026.

Reporting directly to the Dean, the Associate Dean for Strategic Excellence will provide visionary leadership to strengthen and expand the College's culture of excellence in faculty, staff, and student development. This position plays a pivotal role in advancing the GCSW's commitment to academic innovation, inclusive excellence, student success, and national prominence.

We are interested in a leader who will bring fresh ideas, a commitment to advancing social work education, and an interdisciplinary mindset that embraces collaboration. This is a transformative leadership role designed to elevate the entire ecosystem of the College-faculty, staff, and students-through development, mentoring, recognition, and innovative practices that align with the GCSW's bold vision for national prominence.

The selected candidate will teach graduate level social work courses in the MSW and Ph.D. program while participating in meaningful service at the College, University, and professional settings.

Successful candidates are expected to develop and maintain a dynamic, externally funded research program and strong record of high-impact scholarship (e.g., publications, presentations, etc.).

We are especially interested in applicants whose teaching, research and scholarship align with the following areas:

* Health equity/social determinants of health, Aging/Gerontological Social Work, Behavioral Health, Substance Use and Addiction Services,

* Intersections of artificial intelligence (AI), human-centered design, and the future of social work-driving transformative approaches to ethical use, practice, education, and impactful research.

* Macro practice/Workforce expansion, social policy/advocacy, Community Innovation and Global Efforts, and leadership development

In addition to the primary responsibility of being a full time faculty member, the Associate Dean for Strategic Excellence responsibilities include but are not limited to:

* Faculty & Staff Development

o Design, curate, and oversee faculty and staff development programs that promote growth, innovation, and career advancement.

o Lead initiatives in mentoring, leadership training, and succession planning that strengthen organizational culture.

o Support promotion and tenure processes with workshops, mentoring, and resources.

o Establish structured faculty mentoring programs for tenure-track, clinical, and adjunct faculty.

o Develop leadership training initiatives to prepare faculty for administrative and academic leadership roles.

o Support cross-rank and cross-disciplinary collaborations to strengthen scholarship and teaching.

* Strategic Planning & Institutional Alignment

o Partner with the Dean and other Associate Deans to align faculty and staff development with the College's strategic priorities regarding bold, and values driven leadership.

o Lead initiatives that enhance faculty contributions to the College's research, teaching, and service missions.

o Monitor and assess faculty development outcomes to ensure continuous improvement.

* Student Mentoring & Leadership Development

o Develop and coordinate structured mentoring programs for MSW and PhD students to support academic success, professional growth, and leadership pathways.

o Foster a culture of inclusive excellence through programming that enhances student engagement, retention, and achievement.

* Awards & Recognition

o Champion initiatives that elevate the visibility of GCSW's contributions locally, nationally, and globally.

o Plans and leads the implementation of various lecture series including the Maconda Brown O'Connor Lecture Series, among others

o Administer College-level awards and recognition programs for faculty, staff, students, and community partners.

* Professional Development & Strategic Growth

o Identify and implement innovative professional development opportunities aligned with emerging trends in social work education, research, and practice.

o Collaborate with College leadership to strengthen organizational effectiveness and advance the GCSW's strategic priorities.

We are seeking bold, forward-thinking applicants who will help advance our growing programs while envisioning new and innovative pathways to expand and transform the social work workforce. We are interested in candidates with a background in rigorous research methods that can support the College's mission.

We seek a visionary colleague to join a dynamic faculty united in advancing excellence, innovation, and student success. The successful candidate will help shape the future of our programs through engaged service, program leadership, lecture series' and…