Dean of the School of Education

Position Summary

The Dean of the School of Education (SOE) provides academic and strategic leadership fostering an inclusive and forward-thinking vision for educator preparation and development. The Dean promotes an environment where faculty design and deliver innovative evidence-based curricula that prepare educators to meet the evolving needs of diverse learners across the P-20 (pre-school through age 20) spectrum.

The Dean ensures high academic and professional standards supports theSchoolsgrowth and engages in strategic planning aligned with MSU Denvers mission and values. This role includes oversight of academic programs licensure and accreditation processes budget and personnel management and collaboration with internal and external stakeholders.To grow the School of Education the Dean actively engages in fundraising activities to support the mission of the College.

The Dean champions student success through a commitment to recruiting diverse faculty and staff supporting inclusive curricula and fostering an environment of belonging. The successful candidate must work collaboratively with other senior leaders to achieve the Universitys strategic goals. The successful candidate will prioritize strategies and resource allocation that enhance student retention degree completion licensure outcomes and career readiness.

The DeanrepresentstheSchoolto a wide range of constituents including university leadership school districts accrediting bodies community organizations and policymakers. Through bold outreach strategic partnerships persuasive advocacy and impactful fundraising the Dean elevates theSchoolsvisibility and secures the resources needed to drive innovation and expand programs and centers.

Responsibilities

Academic Leadership and Student Success

• Provide visionary leadership for the SOE by managing strategic planning and aligning theSchoolsgoals with institutional prioritiesanticipatingfuture trends in educator preparation and advancing student success.

• Ensure educator preparation programs are innovative evidence-based and aligned with state and national standards reflecting current research policy developments and the evolving needs of P20 education systems to support student achievement.

• Promote interdisciplinary collaboration across the University and with external partners by engaging colleges departments and community stakeholders to enhance program relevance impact and opportunities for student success.

• Maintain compliance with accreditation and licensure requirements includingColoradoDepartment of Education standards ensuring all programs meet or exceed expectations for quality rigor accountability and positive student outcomes.

Administrative Management

• Oversee the Schools departments centers and programs including personnel budget and resource allocation to ensure efficient operations andequitablesupport strategic goals.

• Collaborate with the Provost and senior leadership to align theSchoolsgoals with institutional priorities contribute to university-wide initiatives and lead efforts to recruit andretaina diverse high-quality faculty and staff through inclusive hiring and professional development.

Community and External Engagement

• Represent the School to local state and national education organizations and policy bodies enhancing visibility through outreach partnerships and community engagement including participation in public forums advisory boards and collaborative initiatives.

• Engage in advocacy and policy work that advances the mission of the School and University bymonitoringlegislative developments andadvisingsenior leadership on strategic responses.

Diversity Equity and Inclusion

• Lead efforts to create a welcoming and supportive culture by promoting access diversity equity and inclusion for students faculty staff and the community.

• Demonstrate a commitment to serving historically underserved and linguistically diverse populations by supporting culturally responsive pedagogy and inclusive curriculum development.

Professional Developmentof Department Chairs Faculty and Staff

• Encourage and support the professional development and mentorship of faculty and staff as well as provide support for faculty in teaching scholarlyactivity and service.

• Promote a culture of learning and academic excellence by fostering collaboration collegiality career advancement continuous improvement innovation and shared governance.

Fundraising and Development

• Collaborate with University Advancement to cultivate donor relationships and secure external funding byidentifyingpriorities and effectively communicating theSchoolsimpacttopotential supporters.

• Pursue grants and philanthropic support to strengthen programs scholarships and research initiatives working with faculty and staff to develop competitive proposals and steward donor relationships.

Strategic Planning and Governance

• Collaborative forward-thinking leadership in campus-wide strategic planning and governance to shape MSU Denvers future with innovative solutions-oriented approaches and a commitment to constructive progress.

• Support MSU Denvers designation as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and Minority Serving Institution (MSI) collaboratively to ensure that theSchoolspractices align with these designations and support student success.

Required Qualifications

• Earned terminal degree (Ph.D. or equivalent) from an accredited institution in a field that would qualify the candidate to be tenured within one of the colleges three departments

• Previousexperience in a leadership position at a higher education institution. Roles may include but are not limited to Dean Associate Dean Department Chair or similar administrator positions

• Experience in P-20 educational settings

• At least three years of experience managing budgets and personnel

• Experience in educator preparation licensure and accreditation processes

• Strong communicationskills and a record of service to the field of education

Preferred Qualifications

• Previousexperience in work that promotes diversity equity inclusion and participation within the academic community

• Demonstrated success in fundraising grant writing or donor cultivation

• Experience in developing and implementing strategic plans aligned with institutional goals

• Knowledge of current education policy and best practices in P-20 education

• Commitment to inclusive pedagogy active learning and community-engaged scholarship

Salary for Announcement

Under Colorado law MSU Denver is required to provide a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role and should not offer a salary outside of the range posted in this job announcement. This range takes into account a variety of factors including but not limited to experience skills knowledge abilities education licensure and certifications analysis of internal equity and other business and organizational needs. Salary offers are determined based on final candidate qualifications and experience.

The salary range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position is $200000 - $230000.

MSU Denver offers a generous and comprehensive benefits package.

Application Process

Candidates must complete an application online through MSU Denvers career site should include the following three documents:

• Current curriculum vitae

• A detailed cover letter describing your relevant experience and interest in the position. The cover letter should include clearly labeled sections for the required qualifications and preferred qualifications addressing how you meet each qualification (if applicable) outlined.

• A list of five professional references including names titles organizations phone numbers and email addresses noting your relationship with each reference.

References will not be contacted until later in the search process and only with the candidates permission.

Deadline

Priority will be given to applications received through Wednesday January 21 2026; applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

Nominations

Although nominations are not required to be considered for this position leaders who know of outstanding candidates are welcome to submit confidential nominations by sending an email to Dr. Catherine Kleier Associate Vice President for Faculty Affairs. Nominations should use the subject line Dean of SOE Nominations and include the nominees full name position institution/organization and contact information. Dr. Kleier will notify individuals of their nomination provide details about the position and encourage them to apply.