About the Position:

The Executive Director provides leadership to the School of Integrative Studies to facilitate the achievement of college and university strategic objectives. The Executive Director will serve a four-year term beginning August 25, 2025. The position is potentially renewable. The standard duties of a department chair are outlined in the Faculty Handbook, section 2.12: https://provost.gmu.edu/administration/policy. They will guide the School’s strategic vision, fostering innovative academic programs, faculty development, and student success while advancing the College of Humanities and Social Sciences' mission. The Executive Director is responsible for overseeing all School of Integrative Studies operations and plays a key role in collaborating to promote integrative, interdisciplinary studies, which is core to the mission of the School of Integrative Studies and, particularly in promoting interdisciplinary and community-based research and teaching engagement at the university. The Chair reports to the Dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.

Responsibilities:

• Provide strategic leadership in enrollment management, budgeting, and academic planning, ensuring alignment with college and university priorities;
• Cultivate a dynamic and inclusive academic community by mentoring faculty, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, and supporting professional development;
• Teaches and champions innovative teaching practices that integrate theory and practice;
• Engages in research and scholarship;
• Strong liaison and advocate for SIS within the university and beyond;
• Promotes a culture of excellence and respect;
• Oversee faculty recruitment, tenure, and promotion processes, ensuring equity and excellence; and
• Actively support efforts to enhance student engagement, retention, and success in SIS programs.

Required Qualifications:

• Terminal degree in an interdisciplinary field or in a discipline with demonstrated interdisciplinary engagement that aligns with programmatic, pedagogic, or research priorities;
• Experience in leadership and academic administration;
• A strong record of scholarly achievement and teaching excellence;
• Demonstrated commitment to actively fostering a non-discriminatory, inclusive, collegial, welcoming academic community;
• Established record of balancing programmatic research and pedagogical priorities of an academic unit that centers interdisciplinarity, encourages community-based engagement, and champions student- faculty research opportunities; and
• Earned Tenure.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Demonstrated record of interdisciplinary and integrative program-building, with a commitment to fostering innovative national and international partnerships;
• Experience with interdisciplinary and integrative teaching approaches;
• Strategic vision for strengthening interdisciplinary and integrative pedagogical approaches within a complex academic environment; and
• Experience fostering interdisciplinary research, community-based and collaborative inquiry, and innovative teaching practices that meet the needs of an evolving and heterogeneous student population.

Instructions to Applicants: 

For full consideration, applicants must apply for Executive Director of the School of Integrative Studies at https://jobs.gmu.edu/. Complete and submit the online application to include a cover letter; curriculum vitae; and a leadership statement.  The leadership statement should describe your vision for the School of Integrative Studies, how you define and engage integrative studies and interdisciplinary approaches to pedagogical learning, research inquiry and programmatic development.  The leadership statement should detail your qualifications in relation to this job ad, leadership philosophy, style, and experiences, as well as how you integrate interdisciplinary approach in your own research (2-3 pages max); and a list of three professional references with contact information.

Posting Open Date: March 7, 2025

For Full Consideration, Apply by:  March 21, 2025

Open Until Filled:  Yes