| Job Description: |
The University of Florida College of Nursing is seeking applicants with a PhD, DNP, or EdD and extensive experience in nursing education for Dean-appointed leadership roles. These full-time, twelve-month (1.0 FTE) positions carry a faculty appointment at the rank of Assistant, Associate, or Full Professor. Depending on the candidate’s background and qualifications, the position may be aligned with either the tenure track or the non-tenure track.
The Dean-appointed leadership roles will serve as key members of the College of Nursing’s leadership team. Individuals in these positions will provide visionary leadership, strategic direction, and operational oversight across assigned academic areas, which may include undergraduate programs, graduate programs, or academic operations initiatives.
Depending on the specific portfolio, appointees may be responsible for guiding program development and evaluation, supporting faculty excellence, and ensuring high-quality academic and student outcomes. Responsibilities may include oversight of curriculum planning and management, accreditation and compliance processes, instructional innovation, and strategic enrollment initiatives.
These leadership roles may also oversee functions such as the Office of Student Services, advising and academic support, clinical placement operations, or instructional design, ensuring cohesive and student-centered services across all academic levels. Appointees will collaborate closely with faculty, staff, and College leadership to advance academic excellence, foster innovation, and ensure alignment with the College’s mission, vision, and strategic priorities.
Key Responsibilities:
1. Associate Dean of Academic Affairs- Undergraduate Education
2. Associate Dean of Academic Affairs- Graduate Clinical Education
3. Director of Academic Support
1. Associate Dean of Academic Affairs- Undergraduate Education:
The Associate Dean of Academic Affairs- Undergraduate Education at the UF College of Nursing provides strategic leadership and oversight for all undergraduate nursing programs (Traditional BSN, Accelerated BSN, and RN-BSN). . This role ensures the delivery of high-quality education, curriculum development, program evaluation, and student success initiatives. The Associate Dean collaborates with faculty, staff, and external stakeholders to enhance program effectiveness, accreditation compliance, and student engagement while fostering a culture of academic excellence and innovation.
Core Responsibilities
- Provide strategic leadership for all undergraduate nursing programs, ensuring alignment with the College’s mission and priorities.
- Oversee curriculum development and continuous improvement, ensuring academic rigor, relevance, and accreditation compliance.
- Lead program evaluation efforts, including assessment of student learning outcomes and program quality indicators.
- Support faculty excellence, collaborating on instructional quality, mentoring, and innovative teaching practices.
- Partner with Student Services to promote student recruitment, retention, progression, and overall success.
- Engage internal and external stakeholders to strengthen program outcomes, enhance student experiences, and promote academic excellence and innovation.
Minimum Requirements:
- Doctoral degree in nursing (PhD, DNP, or EdD) from an accredited institution
- Unencumbered RN license, eligible for Florida licensure.
- Eligible for appointment as Associate Professor or Professor rank
- Record of academic achievement appropriate for senior academic leadership, including undergraduate-level teaching and scholarly contributions.
Preferred Qualifications:
- At least 5 years of progressive leadership in nursing education (e.g., program director, chair, curriculum lead).
- Undergraduate curriculum development and evaluation experience.
- Direct involvement with CCNE or ACEN accreditation processes.
- Demonstrated faculty supervision or mentoring experience.
- Ability to lead multiple undergraduate programs and align them with college priorities.
- Expertise in program assessment and student learning outcomes.
- Experience supporting student recruitment, retention, and progression.
- Strong collaboration skills with faculty, student services, and external partners.
2. Associate Dean of Academic Affairs- Graduate Clinical Education:
The Associate Dean of Academic Affairs- Graduate Clinical Education at the UF College of Nursing provides strategic leadership and oversight for graduate nursing programs (DNP) on the Gainesville campus. This role is responsible for ensuring the delivery of high-quality graduate education through effective curriculum development, program evaluation, and student success initiatives.
The Associate Dean collaborates closely with faculty, staff, and external partners to strengthen program effectiveness, maintain accreditation and regulatory compliance, and enhance graduate student engagement. This position plays a critical role in fostering a culture of academic excellence, scholarly advancement, and innovation across all graduate-level programs.
Core Responsibilities
- Guide the strategic direction and advancement of graduate clinical nursing programs, specifically the DNP program and planned master’s degree programs, DNP, ensuring they reflect emerging trends in advanced practice, research, and nursing education.
- Lead the design, enhancement, and oversight of graduate curricula, promoting integration of evidence-based practice, scholarly inquiry, and innovative instructional methods while upholding accreditation and regulatory requirements.
- Oversee systematic evaluation of program outcomes, using data‑driven approaches to strengthen academic quality, support continuous improvement efforts, and ensure strong graduate competencies.
- Cultivate an environment that supports faculty scholarship and teaching excellence, partnering with faculty on mentoring, research engagement, program coordination, and high‑quality delivery of graduate-level courses.
- Promote graduate student success, partnering with Student Services and program coordinators on recruitment, advising, progression, retention, and engagement.
- Strengthen internal and external partnerships, collaborating with clinical, research, and academic stakeholders to enhance program effectiveness, experiential learning opportunities, and student outcomes.
- Eligible for appointment as Associate Professor or Professor rank
Minimum Qualifications
- Doctoral degree in nursing (DNP, PhD, or EdD) from an accredited institution, with a clinical specialty at the DNP or master’s degree level required. Advanced practice certification (APRN) strongly preferred.
- Unencumbered RN license, eligible for Florida licensure.
- Eligible for appointment as Associate Professor or Professor rank
- Record of academic achievement appropriate for senior academic leadership, including graduate-level teaching and scholarly contributions.
Preferred Qualifications
- At least five years of progressive leadership experience in graduate nursing education (e.g., DNP program director, specialty coordinator, department chair).
- Experience teaching in graduate clinical programs, particularly DNP or advanced practice tracks.
- Demonstrated experience in curriculum development, evaluation, and integration of evidence‑based practice.
- Direct involvement with accreditation and regulatory compliance for graduate nursing programs (e.g., CCNE, state board requirements).
- Experience mentoring faculty and supporting scholarly development.
- Experience collaborating with clinical partners and overseeing clinical education components.
3. Director of Academic Support
The Director of Academic Support is a nurse leader who ensures academic excellence and smooth academic operations across the College of Nursing. The role centers on coordinating key academic functions and maintaining high standards in academic processes and compliance.
The Director of Academic Support provides leadership and operational oversight for academic operations within the College of Nursing. This includes direct responsibility for the Office of Student Services’ academic functions, clinical placement operations, health compliance processes, and faculty affairs support. The role ensures that academic systems, policies, and workflows are efficient, consistent, and aligned with the College’s mission and accreditation expectations.
Core Responsibilities
- Oversee academic operations within the Office of Student Services, ensuring accurate, timely, and student‑centered academic processes.
- Lead the clinical placement and health compliance teams, maintaining strong partnerships with clinical sites and ensuring regulatory and institutional compliance.
- Support faculty affairs functions, such as onboarding.
- Maintain and improve academic policies, procedures, and workflows that promote operational excellence across programs.
- Collaborate with program leadership to support curriculum implementation, assessment processes, and academic quality initiatives.
- Supervise academic support staff and foster a culture of professionalism, service, and continuous improvement.
Minimum requirements
- PhD in Nursing, DNP, or EdD from an accredited institution
- Eligible for Florida nursing licensure
- A sustained program of research/ scholarship commensurate with rank
- Experience in nursing education, academic administration, or operational leadership.
- Strong understanding of academic processes, clinical education operations, and faculty support needs.
University of Florida
The University of Florida maintains a strong ranking among the nation’s top 10 public universities, currently ranked 7th in the 2025 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges list. UF remains the most highly ranked school in Florida and the only university in the state in the top 10. The university’s research awards have also reached new heights. Major research resources at UF include six major health-related research centers and institutes (Clinical and Translational Science Institute, Institute on Aging, UF Health Cancer Center, Emerging Pathogens Institute, McKnight Brain Institute, and Genetics Institute) designed to create synergistic and collaborative research opportunities. UF has launched a comprehensive AI initiative, integrating AI into education and research across all disciplines. UF is home to HiPerGator, the fastest supercomputer in higher education, supporting extensive AI research. Research activities reflect a depth of purpose by focusing on the translational nature of biomedical research following the continuum from fundamental research to clinical research to patient care. UF is a fully accredited member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), comprised of the top 62 public and private institutions in North America. With approximately 50,000 students, UF is one of Florida’s oldest, largest, and most comprehensive universities. UF offers more degree programs on a single campus than all but two other US institutions, with 21 colleges and schools offering more than 100 majors and 52 undergraduate degree programs, including an institute of agricultural sciences and an academic health science center.
University of Florida, College of Nursing
The UF College of Nursing, under the leadership of Dean Shakira Henderson, has launched a bold new strategic plan, Elevate 2029. https://nursing.ufl.edu/elevate-2029/ The strategic plan exemplifies our motto to Care, Lead, and Inspire Boldly.
The UF College of Nursing is dedicated to high-quality programs of education, research, patient care, and public service. As part of the flagship university in Florida, the College of Nursing joins the university in its commitment to being a preeminent university that serves its students and citizens across the globe. The College of Nursing has innovative education programs including a nationally accredited baccalaureate (traditional and accelerated) program, an RN to BSN program, a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program, as well as the state’s oldest PhD in Nursing Science. The College of Nursing's BSN program is ranked first in the state of Florida and 19th nationally in the 2025 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings.
As part of UF Health, the University of Florida academic health center, the College of Nursing leads research with colleagues from five other health-related colleges and many other colleges across campus. Outstanding clinical partners include the UF Health family of hospitals, the North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System, and partners across the state. Archer Family Health Care is the college’s comprehensive nurse-led healthcare center. Faculty members provide primary care and psychiatric/mental health services to underserved adults, children, and families in Alachua County and surrounding areas. The College’s active faculty practice also offers opportunities for interdisciplinary practice in specialty areas, across sites at UF Health. The College currently has campuses in Gainesville and Jacksonville, FL.
The University of Florida’s main campus is located in north central Florida, a region known for its abundant natural beauty. Gainesville is within a two-hour drive of Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Gulf of Mexico. The university and greater Gainesville communities enjoy a variety of cultural events, sports, restaurants, year-round outdoor recreational activities, and social opportunities.
Come join our team of faculty members who set a standard for excellence in innovative education, dynamic research and quality patient care.
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