Chair and Executive Director - Associate or Professor in Social Work

Chair and Executive Director - Associate or Professor in Social Work

Posting Quick Link: https://ukjobs.uky.edu/postings/642656

Position Summary
THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY, COLLEGE OF SOCIAL WORK (CoSW) is a renowned leader in higher education. Our mission is clear: Through rigorous research, excellence in instruction, and steadfast service, the CoSW works to improve the human condition. Always, in all ways.

As the state’s flagship university, CoSW is committed to actualizing our mission through innovative, accessible academic programming. CoSW is home to several undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs, including: Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice (traditional and online), Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice (traditional and online), Bachelor of Arts in Social Work (traditional and online), Master of Science in Criminal Justice (online), Master of Social Work (hybrid and online), Doctorate of Social Work (online), Ph.D. in Social Work (traditional), and multiple certificate programs. In addition to Lexington’s main campus, we have a satellite campus at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas.

The Chair and Executive Director of Social Work Programs serves as the chief academic and administrative leader for the College’s social work educational enterprise. The Chair provides visionary leadership and strategic oversight for all aspects of the College’s social work programs, including the Bachelor of Arts in Social Work, Master of Social Work, Doctorate of Social Work, Doctor of Philosophy in Social Work, and related certificate programs.

Reporting directly to the Dean and serving as a member of the College leadership team, the Chair and Executive Director advances the College’s strategic vision through academic leadership, faculty development, student success, community engagement, operational excellence, and organizational growth.

Primary responsibilities of this position include but are not limited to:

Leads Strategic Growth and Innovation

• Develops and implements the strategic vision for the College’s social work programs.
• Guides academic innovation and program growth across modalities.
• Uses workforce, enrollment, and market data to inform planning.
• Identifies opportunities for new educational initiatives.

Advances Faculty Success

• Recruits, mentors, supervises, and evaluates faculty and instructional personnel.
• Supports promotion, tenure, annual review, and workload planning.
• Supports faculty leadership development.
• Cultivates a collaborative faculty culture.

Promotes Academic Excellence

• Oversees BASW, MSW, DSW, PhD, and certificate programs.
• Supports curriculum innovation.
• Ensures compliance with CSWE and SACSCOC.
• Promotes instructional quality across all modalities.

Supports Student Success

• Partners with admissions, advising, practicum, recruitment, and student success.
• Advances recruitment, retention, persistence, and graduation initiatives.

Strengthens Community Impact

• Develops relationships with agencies, alumni, professional organizations, and community partners.
• Supports fundraising and workforce partnerships.
• Expands community-engaged scholarship and education.

Manages Resources for Organizational Success

• Oversees personnel, budgeting, operational planning, and resource allocation.
• Collaborates with College leadership to advance strategic priorities.

The University’s mission involves three primary functions across our faculty cohort: instruction, research, and service. Each year, various ranking faculty work with the Office of the Dean to delineate their distribution of effort (DOE). This DOE outlines how faculty will spend their time. In general, DOE for faculty members in the Regular Title Series typically includes allocations in the areas of instruction, research, and service. The DOE for the Chair and Executive Director is subject to negotiation, but we anticipate roughly 70% Administration, 25% research and 5% service.

Of course, the DOE can fluctuate depending on an array of factors (e.g., grant funding, new course development, service to the college, etc.). It is expected that work in this faculty appointment, including but not limited to course instruction, office hours, administrative meetings, and attending college-wide events such as faculty meetings, will occur on-site.

Employment at UK is subject to fund availability and comes with many rewards, focusing on your total well-being and career development, with leadership striving to provide a strong work-life integration. The university generously contributes to employees’ retirement plans, medical coverage, and life insurance. In addition, UK offers optional benefits such as dental and vision insurance, additional retirement plans and much more. To learn more about these benefits, please visit: https://hr.uky.edu/employment/our-benefits.

Applicants should submit:

• Curriculum Vitae (upload as resume)

• Letter of Interest describing qualifications, leadership philosophy, and alignment with the position (upload as cover letter)

• Contact information for at least three professional references (upload as Special Request #1)

• Statement addressing administrative leadership, program development, and commitment to excellence and collaboration (upload as Special Request #2)

We anticipate this search will run from October 2026 through April 2027. Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until positions are filled.

Inquiries about the position can be emailed to [email protected].