Director of the Playwright's Lab

(posted 1/31/25)

Hollins University in Roanoke, Virginia invites applications for the position of Director of the Playwright’s Lab. This is a full-time, 12-month, non-tenure-track faculty position beginning May 1, 2025. Please visit this web page (https://www.hollins.edu/about-hollins/jobs/) to learn more about Hollins; its commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice; the university’s students; and the Roanoke Valley.

About the Role

The next director takes on the leadership of the Playwright’s Lab during a time of significant change as Hollins University works to reimagine its graduate programs to meet the needs of today’s students. The director must bring leadership; vision; a broad openness to innovation, adaptability, and responsiveness to adult learners; and eagerness to work collaboratively with the Provost, Associate Provost for Graduate Programs and Continuing Studies, and faculty in crafting the next act for the Playwright’s Lab.

In addition to teaching both graduate and undergraduate courses, the director manages the delivery of the MFA in Playwriting and the MA in Theatre and New Play Development. This includes recruiting and mentoring both students and faculty, managing the university’s relationships with external partners, and, in concert with Mill Mountain Theatre, producing Overnight Sensations on campus in the university’s 500-seat theatre and the summer festival in Mill Mountain’s downtown Roanoke facility.

The successful applicant will be able to:

• Manage the program budget, ensuring the efficient and effective operations of the program.
• Ensure the program remains sustainable through sound fiscal management that keeps the annual costs well below the net revenue generated.
• Mentor and advise graduate and undergraduate students to ensure student success, including post-graduation employment opportunities.
• Mentor and guide graduate program faculty to ensure high-quality teaching and student engagement.
• Lead and collaborate on curriculum development, scheduling, and staffing for playwrighting graduate programs.
• Actively serve the needs of the undergraduate program during the regular academic year.
• Recruit faculty, students, and guest speakers.
• Review applicants and manage the distribution of scholarships.
• Manage the social media presence and provide direction for marketing campaigns.
• Manage outreach to alumnae/i.
• Foster collaborative relationships with Mill Mountain Theatre and other theatres and organizations to enhance the experience and opportunities for Hollins students.
• Teach one or more graduate courses per year.
• Teach two undergraduate courses each year (one per semester) at the direction of the chair.
• Remain active in research, creative endeavors, and professional development.
• Advise students and supervise theses.
• Demonstrate a commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility and model and establish a culture of mutual respect, transparency, and empowerment.

Position Qualifications

Required qualifications include:

• An M.F.A. or Ph.D. in theatre or a related field.
• Teaching experience at the undergraduate and/or graduate level.

Preferred qualifications include:

• Experience in graduate program administration and curriculum development.
• Experience in a theatre management and production environment.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and leadership skills.
• Demonstrated ability to manage budgets and work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders.
• Experience with website and social media management.

Application Process

Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. Priority will be given to applications received by March 1, 2025.

To apply, please submit in a single PDF:

• A cover letter which addresses the responsibilities and qualifications outlined above and includes a discussion of your teaching philosophy, inclusive teaching practices, and how teaching and curricula contribute to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• A curriculum vitae.
• A representative sample of no more than 20 pages of your creative or scholarly work.

Candidates advanced to the second stage of review will be invited to submit the following materials:

• Contact information for three references.
• Unofficial copies of graduate school transcripts.

Applicants should submit materials to TheatreSearch@hollins.edu. The selected candidate will be asked to submit official transcripts to the Office of the Provost, and once they accept a contingent employment offer, a criminal history background check will be conducted. For questions about the position, please contact James Gerald, Associate Provost for Graduate Programs and Continuing Studies, at geraldja@hollins.edu.

About Hollins

Hollins University is dedicated to academic excellence, creativity, belonging, and preparing students for lives of purpose. Hollins provides an outstanding and academically rigorous undergraduate liberal arts education for women and entrepreneurial and innovative graduate programs for all in a gender-inclusive environment. The university promotes opportunities for research, study abroad, and leadership training, and offers real-world experience through global internships supported by an extensive alumnae/i network.

An equal opportunity employer, Hollins fosters diversity and inclusiveness at every level of the university. Persons of all genders, gender identity/expression, and sexual orientation; persons with disabilities; persons of all racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds; and first-generation college graduates are encouraged to apply.

Visit www.hollins.edu for more information.