POSITION SUMMARY:

The University of Providence seeks an accomplished faculty member to serve as the Director of the Vander Werff traditional BSN program in the School of Health Professions (SHP). Reporting directly to the BSN programs chair and indirectly to the dean, the Director will be a key member of the school’s senior leadership team. In line with the University's mission and values, this role assumes administrative responsibility for the Vander Werff BSN program, encompassing accreditation, curriculum development, enrollment and retention, and policies and procedures.

The Director will ensure the quality of the traditional BSN program, guiding it to meet its objectives and maintain national accreditation and state regulatory requirements. This full-time on-campus position is eligible for tenure and a University of Providence faculty appointment at a rank commensurate with experience.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Program Leadership:

• Program Development and Improvement: Leads the development, review, and revision of the Vander Werff traditional BSN program, incorporating best practices, research, performance needs assessment, and training assessments into the design and delivery of programs to maintain contemporary and relevant nursing education.
• Operational Oversight: Provides direct oversight of day-to-day operations of the traditional BSN program.
• Program Evaluation: Oversees systematic program evaluation and assessment activities to ensure continuous quality improvement and compliance with accreditation standards (CCNE).
• Data Management and Reporting: Collects and archives program data to document and report program outcomes and effectiveness to the Dean, Provost, other executive leaders, and any regulatory or accrediting agencies per assigned program requirements.
• Academic Delivery:
• Academic Delivery: Develops and maintains a smooth and efficient infrastructure for academic delivery, including collaborating with all academic support services.
• Faculty Role: Fulfills academic faculty obligations of teaching, service, and scholarship in area of expertise, with a minimum teaching workload of 50% or as negotiated with the Dean.

Collaboration and Coordination:

• Interdepartmental Collaboration: Collaborates with other departments and stakeholders to foster interprofessional education and practice opportunities.
• Clinical Coordination: Assesses and coordinates clinical facility placement needs and evaluates the quality of clinical facilities following state and national regulatory requirements to ensure that clinical learning experiences satisfy the course and program learning outcomes.
• Representation and Advocacy: Effectively and ethically represents the traditional BSN program’s goals, strategies, and interests.

Positive Work Environment:

• Inclusive Work Environment: Fosters a positive work environment, interpersonal relationships, communication, collaboration, and consensus building.
• Shared Governance: Liaises with applicable school and university shared governance committees on academic, curricular, student, and faculty affairs matters.
• Team Collaboration: Performs all duties in a manner that promotes effective team collaboration and reflects the University and Providence’s mission and philosophy.

Faculty Management:

• Recruitment and Mentorship: Recruits, hires, orients, and mentors qualified faculty for the Vander Werff BSN program.
• Performance Evaluation: Participates in faculty performance evaluations and promotes professional development opportunities.

Student Experience:

• Student Support: Ensures a positive and quality experience from recruitment and admissions through graduation.
• Recruitment and Retention: Develops and implements strategies to enhance student recruitment, retention, and success.
• Advising and Support Services: Oversees student advising and support services.
• Student Concerns: Addresses student concerns and grievances in a timely and effective manner.
• Policy, Accreditation, Compliance, and Quality Assurance:
• Policy Adherence: Oversees the adherence to applicable academic policies (at the school, university, state, and national level).
• Accreditation Compliance: Ensures ongoing compliance with regulatory state Board of Nursing and CCNE accreditation standards.
• Report Preparation: Leads the preparation of internal and external administrative reports related to the Vander Werff traditional BSN program, including self-study and site visit preparations for accreditation.
• Industry Trends: Stays abreast of current trends and best practices in nursing education.

Community Engagement:

• Partnerships: Establishes and maintains partnerships with healthcare organizations to provide quality clinical experiences for students.
• Representation: Represents the BSN programs at professional conferences and community events.

Professional Development:

• Knowledge Maintenance: Maintains current knowledge of higher education, health professions, and nursing by attending state and national conferences and participating in other professional development activities, ensuring the university’s programs remain robust, current, and relevant.

EDUCATION:

• A Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) is required; a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) or PhD in Nursing is preferred.
• Preferred eligibility for associate professor or professor rank.

EXPERIENCE:

• Minimum of five years of experience in nursing education
• Progressive leadership experiences in higher education or healthcare.
• Experience with academic program evaluation and programmatic accreditation.
• Experience in academic networking and committed to integrating best practices into academic systems and processes.
• Track record of scholarly activities.
• Licensure: If eligible for professional licensure, current, unencumbered professional license, and Montana licensure eligibility.