Dean, College of Fashion & Textiles

Job Details

Thomas Jefferson University (TJU) seeks an innovative collaborative and visionary leader to serve as Dean of the College of Fashion and Textiles. The Dean will provide strategic and academic leadership for one of the nations most respected institutions in fashion textiles and related disciplines. This individual will advance the Colleges mission of excellence in education research industry engagement and creative innovation while fostering collaboration across the University.

The College of Fashion and Textiles (JCFT) at Thomas Jefferson University is a recognized leader in fashion and textile education combining design excellence scientific innovation and industry relevance. With programs ranging from fashion design and merchandising to textile engineering and materials science the College prepares graduates to lead and transform the global fashion and textile industries.

Founded in 1824 TJU is a nationally ranked research doctoral university celebrating two centuries of excellence in higher education healthcare and commitment to our community. Nationally recognized for its transdisciplinary collaboration and interprofessional approach to educating its 8300 students the University is comprised of 10 colleges and 3 schools. As a professions-focused university TJU prepares students with a forward-thinking and experiential approach to education that blends collaborative real-world learning industry engagement and innovation.

Reporting to the Provost and Chief Academic Officer for the University the next Dean of the College of Fashion & Textiles will foster community continuous learning and a growth mindset for a diverse faculty. The Dean will be an advocate for professional education and research and will enhance the visibility of the College both internally and externally. The Dean will pursue partnerships with industry and forge alliances with other external partners to further complement and enrich the student experience expand postgraduate opportunities and create new career pathways.

Job Description

The Dean is the chief academic and administrative officer of the Jefferson College of Fashion & Textiles and reports directly to the Provost & Chief Academic Officer of Thomas Jefferson University. The Dean provides strategic academic leadership and operational oversight for the College and is responsible for its academic quality financial sustainability research enterprise faculty success student outcomes fundraising alumni engagement and external partnerships.

The Dean plays a critical role in advancing the Universitys mission and strategic plan by fostering innovation interdisciplinary collaboration inclusive excellence and strong connections to industry and community partners.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

Academic Leadership & College Governance

• Provide strategic direction and oversight for all academic programs within the College ensuring excellence in teaching research accreditation compliance and student outcomes.
• Lead and model the following endeavors outlined in the Colleges InclusivityPlan:
  • Education and Awareness: Ensure faculty students and staff have the knowledge skills and abilities to model culturally competent behavior. Ensure faculty deliver an academic experience grounded in inclusive excellence and that students graduate prepared to interpret respect and value local global and conceptual diversity.
  • People: Ensure inclusive practices are implemented to recruit retain and advance a highly skilled and diverse faculty staff and student population reflective of the communities Jefferson serves.
  • Community Engagement: Engage faculty staff and students to expand Jeffersons presence and impact within local regional and global communities.
• Maintain an engaged connected and supportive academic environment. Communicate direction clearly generate support during times of change and provide regular feedback to faculty and staff including recognition coaching and counseling. Promote faculty wellness initiatives in collaboration with TJUs Office of Faculty Affairs.
• Foster a cohesive and collaborative leadership culture. Conduct annual performance reviews establish and communicate expectations and goals and nurture leadership development aligned with a formal succession plan to prepare the next generation of academic leaders.

Faculty Recruitment Development & Scholarship

• Recruit mentor and support a diverse accomplished and forward-thinking faculty engaged in teaching excellence scholarship creative practice and industry engagement.
• In consultation with Department Chairs facilitate faculty mentorship and development programs that support academic achievement career advancement promotion and tenure recognizing excellence in teaching research scholarship and service.
• Serve as the primary point of contact with TJUs Office of Faculty Affairs regarding faculty appointments and promotions in consultation with the Committee on Faculty Affairs.
• Champion faculty research scholarship and creative activity including interdisciplinary and applied research initiatives that position the College as a leader in fashion textiles sustainability and materials innovation. Promote visibility of research outcomes publications presentations and external funding success.

Academic Programs Student Success & Innovation

• Promote a student-centered inclusive and dynamic learning environment that supports student engagement creativity professional preparation and lifelong learning.
• Work alongside program directors to ensure academic programs are innovative competitive and responsive to evolving industry trends workforce needs and emerging markets. Lead continuous evaluation of program effectiveness accreditation requirements and student learning outcomes in collaboration with the Committee on Academic Outcomes and Assessment.
• Champion innovative curriculum design and delivery including experiential learning industry partnerships applied research and technology-enhanced education that prepares students for the future of fashion and textiles.
• Ensure enrollment management strategies align with the Colleges mission and student success goals supporting recruitment retention persistence and timely degree completion.

Research Innovation & Interdisciplinary Collaboration

• Advance a culture of interdisciplinary and applied research fostering collaboration across departments colleges and research centers within Thomas Jefferson University.
• Partner with other colleges and academic units to develop interdisciplinary programs shared research initiatives and collaborative educational experiences that advance institutional priorities and strengthen the Universitys academic profile.
• Support innovation in research materials science sustainability and industry-aligned scholarship that enhances the Colleges regional national and global reputation.

Operational Management & Integrated Planning

• Identify the Colleges strategic and operational imperatives in consultation with the Provost and SVP for Finance and lead the development implementation and assessment of a comprehensive strategic and operational plan.
• Oversee budgets accreditation assessment and resource allocation ensuring responsible financial stewardship and alignment with TJUs mission-based budgeting framework.
• Lead the annual budget process assess financial performance of academic programs and ensure allowable expenditures are appropriately allocated. Maintain strong management discipline and accountability for performance including enrollment efficiency retention application pipelines and financial sustainability.
• Ensure the College remains financially self-supported through responsible oversight of revenue-generating programs and initiatives.

Fundraising Alumni & External Relations

• Lead fundraising and external relations efforts to enhance academic programs facilities research and student opportunities.
• Collaborate with TJUs Office of Institutional Advancement to develop and execute a comprehensive fundraising and development strategy. Cultivate and steward relationships with alumni donors corporate partners foundations and industry leaders.
• Develop and direct alumni engagement initiatives that strengthen lifelong connections to the College and support philanthropy mentorship and career pathways for students.
• Serve as an advocate and thought leader for professional and academic education at the local state and national levels. Represent the College with professional associations policymakers legislators and the public.

University Leadership & Service

• As the Colleges academic officer carry out administrative policies and procedures in accordance with the Bylaws of Thomas Jefferson University.
• Represent the College on the Provosts Council of Deans Shared Governance Committee and other University-level committees as requested by the Provost President or Board of Trustees.
• Contribute actively to University-wide strategic initiatives institutional collaboration and mission advancement.

Qualifications

The successful candidate will be a collaborative visionary academic leader with a distinguished record of accomplishment in higher education strong operational and financial acumen and the ability to advance academic excellence innovation and external engagement in a complex university environment.

Education

• Masters degree required; terminal degree strongly preferred.

Experience:

• Proven record of senior leadership in higher education preferably in fashion textiles design business or related fields with an outstanding record of academic accomplishment in teaching scholarship creative practice or professional engagement.
• Extensive executive and operational experience within complex academic organizations including financial and budget management strategic and operational planning resource allocation personnel management and faculty recruitment. Experience in a senior academic leadership role such as Dean Associate Dean Department Chair or Center Director is strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated success in leading transformational organizational change operationalizing strategic plans and achieving academic business and financial objectives including building effective and responsive leadership and operational teams.
• Demonstrated success in teaching research and fundraising with experience or demonstrated potential in philanthropic cultivation alumni engagement and stewardship and developing partnerships with industry corporate and external stakeholders.
• Industry experience strongly preferred with a deep understanding of current and emerging trends in the fashion and textile sectors including sustainability materials innovation and evolving professional practice.
• Experience fostering interdisciplinary collaboration interprofessional education and practice and cross-college partnerships that advance institutional priorities and student success.
• A successful track record of leadership in complex collaborative environments with the ability to build and sustain high-impact partnerships with faculty students alumni industry leaders donors and external organizations.

Skills and Attributes:

• Strategic and visionary thinker with the ability to lead through influence inspiration and consensus-building.
• Strong interpersonal communication and relationship-building skills with the ability to engage diverse stakeholders and represent the College effectively to internal and external audiences.
• Deep commitment to student-centered professional and graduate education inclusive excellence sustainability and academic environments that welcome individuals of diverse backgrounds and perspectives while promoting their full development.

Work Shift

Workday Day (United States of America)

Worker Sub Type

Regular

Employee Entity

Philadelphia University

Primary Location Address

3243 School House Lane Philadelphia Pennsylvania United States of America

Nationally ranked Jefferson which is principally located in the greater Philadelphia region Lehigh Valley and Northeastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey is reimagining health care and higher education to create unparalleled value. Jefferson is more than 65000 people strong dedicated to providing the highest-quality compassionate clinical care for patients; making our communities healthier and stronger; preparing tomorrows professional leaders for 21st-century careers; and creating new knowledge through basic/programmatic clinical and applied research. Thomas Jefferson University home of Sidney Kimmel Medical College Jefferson College of Nursing and the Kanbar College of Design Engineering and Commerce dates back to 1824 and today comprises 10 colleges and three schools offering 200 undergraduate and graduate programs to more than 8300 students. Jefferson Health nationally ranked as one of the top 15 not-for-profit health care systems in the country and the largest provider in the Philadelphia and Lehigh Valley areas serves patients through millions of encounters each year at 32 hospitals campuses and more than 700 outpatient and urgent care locations throughout the region. Jefferson Health Plans is a not-for-profit managed health care organization providing a broad range of health coverage options in Pennsylvania and New Jersey for more than 35 years.

Jefferson is committed to providing equal educational and employment opportunities for all persons without regard to age race color religion creed sexual orientation gender gender identity marital status pregnancy national origin ancestry citizenship military status veteran status handicap or disability or any other protected group or status.

Benefits

Jefferson offers a comprehensive package of benefits for full-time and part-time colleagues including medical (including prescription) supplemental insurance dental vision life and AD&D insurance short- and long-term disability flexible spending accounts retirement plans tuition assistance as well as voluntary benefits which provide colleagues with access to group rates on insurance and discounts. Colleagues have access to tuition discounts at Thomas Jefferson University after one year of full time service or two years of part time service. All colleagues including those who work less than part-time(including per diemcolleagues adjunct faculty and Jeff Temps) have access to medical (including prescription) insurance.

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