32620BR
School of Professional Studies
Position OverviewProgram
Overview:The University of Kansas, Edwards Campus, School of Professional Studies, Human and Organizational Performance
Effectiveness program (HOPE) seeks an outstanding individual for a non-tenure track twelve-month administrative and faculty position as a
Director/Professor of the Practice (rank open).
The KU Edwards Campus (KUEC) is in Overland Park, Kansas, in the Kansas City
Metropolitan area. KUEC has been a KU presence in Kansas City for 30 years, playing a crucial role in the Greater Kansas City professional
community. The campus now offers more than 80 undergraduate and graduate programs with classes geared toward working professionals,
available in the evening, online, and in-person.
The KU School of Professional Studies (SPS) was created in 2019 with a vision to
transform students' lives and improve communities through innovative, student-focused, and exemplary academic programs that lead to
rewarding careers in an array of fields that serve the workforce needs of Kansas and beyond. The school offers a variety of disciplines,
course formats, class schedules, student services, aid, and more to meet the needs of diverse students who may work full-time, have
considerable commitments outside of the classroom, have prior college-level education, or otherwise need a different approach to earning
academic credentials. The School continues to launch new degree programs aimed at supporting the needs of future students and is poised for
significant growth over the next five years.
The Human and Organization Performance Effectiveness (HOPE) program is designed to
prepare leaders to work across departments, functions, and roles to align individual performance with organizational goals.
Organizational success is driven by a positive work culture, excellent employee performance, and organizational structures, systems, and
processes all working together to achieve goals. The HOPE program provides students with foundational tools that can be implemented
across the organization to achieve such success. The program seeks to create career advancement pathways for professionals in corporate,
government, education and nonprofit organizations. Learn more about the program at
Human
and Organization Performance Effectiveness (HOPE) | School of Professional Studies.
Our campus and School have a reputation for
employing innovative teaching techniques and serving the unique needs of non-traditional students. KUEC and SPS faculty enjoy an
interdisciplinary and collaborative atmosphere focused on faculty support in building rewarding careers, while improving the success of
students in our classrooms. Employees typically enjoy a hybrid work environment, providing sufficient flexibility for a healthy work-life
balance.
Job DescriptionPosition Overview:The Director will provide
strategic direction for the HOPE program including leadership and management of the Master of Science degree, graduate certificates, and
professional development offerings. Collaboration with the leadership of the School of Professional Studies and the other programs at
KU's Edwards Campus will provide a stimulating and innovative environment.
The successful candidate will manage master's and
certificate programs in online and competency-based formats, lead student recruitment and admission processes, ensure student retention and
success, recruit and supervise faculty, develop and monitor program budgets, ensure program quality through assessment activities, and
outreach to professional communities to ensure the relevance of the program in meeting workforce needs. The Director will
participate in online and competency-based instruction in HOPE program areas relating to leadership, organizational systems, and
organizational change. Special consideration will be given to applicants committed to excellence who can contribute to the University's
innovative, collaborative, and multidisciplinary initiatives to educate leaders, build healthy communities, and make discoveries that will
change the world.
This position reports to the Associate Dean of the School of Professional Studies. Please note that this
position is not covered by any union agreement nor represented by United Academics of KU, AAUP, or AFT.
The appointment is a
fiscal year (12-month-July to June) appointment with an initial term of 3 years. Subsequent appointments may be offered, contingent upon a
satisfactory comprehensive performance evaluation during the final year of this appointment and approval of the Dean of the School of
Professional Studies.
This position serves the educational needs of a Johnson County Education Research Triangle (JCERT) program.
Specific percentages of effort for JCERT are determined each year. The KU Edwards Campus is in Overland Park, Kansas.
KU Benefits: KU
offers an array of benefits to assist employees with their health, life, retirement, and other needs. Details regarding benefits offered to
employees can be found here:
Benefits | Human Resource Management (ku.edu)KU's excellence is a result of the rich tapestry
of experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds of our faculty, staff, students, and colleagues from across our nation and the globe. At
KU, we invest in continuous learning and growth by creating a climate where people engage in respectful dialogue and debate and support each
other's success. We foster a culture of care where each person is seen, heard and valued. When people feel a true sense of
belonging, we believe they are better able to reach their full potential and achieve remarkable things. The successful candidate must
be eligible to work in the U.S. by the effective date of the appointment.
Position
Description:Program Leadership - 50%Program Administration:- Faculty
Development: Supervises faculty members of the program including recruitment, appointments, performance reviews, and professional
development. Provides mentoring and leadership for faculty, particularly those seeking promotion.
- Instructional Staffing: Develops
plans for staffing asynchronous and synchronous online courses, competency-based instruction and assessment for the HOPE program.
Ensures that courses and competencies are scheduled to meet student needs. Collaborates with other programs and unit leaders to ensure
students access to courses and competencies promoting timely completion of program work.
- Program Budgets: Works with the
administration to develop and manage budgets for the HOPE program.
- Program Coordination: Develop mechanisms to receive constant
feedback from students, faculty and staff on program direction and policies. The Director has the responsibility for program
responsiveness, taking appropriate actions as required and in accordance with the policies and rules of the School and
University.
- Program Records and Reports: In conjunction with administration, program leaders are responsible for the management and
maintenance of all program records and will prepare reports in accordance with School and University policy and procedures.
- Student
Career Development: Provides career advice and mentoring mechanisms for students including career development, job search functions, and
professional networking.
Curriculum Development and Instructional Oversight:- Curriculum: Ensure curriculum
is research-based and relevant to the workplace through a variety of feedback mechanisms. Continuously monitors curriculum to ensure
content remains relevant and refreshed.
- Learning Outcomes: Ensure development and updating of program learning outcomes and
create assessment mechanisms that meet School, University, and accreditation standards
- Learning Protocols: Ensures that learning
protocols provide students with theory, research, and practical exposure to organizational effectiveness and professional
networks.
- Student Retention: Consistently evaluates student retention strategies and designs solutions with academic and student
services partners.
Recruitment and Outreach:- Recruitment: Maintains robust recruitment plans, including
target audiences, key messages, and strategies. Implements recruitment strategies in collaboration with School and University
partners. Develops enrollment targets, tracks data, and analyzes the effectiveness of strategies.
- Outreach: Develops and
implements a community engagement strategy. Partner with the campus business development team and local community leaders to build program
awareness in the community through engagement with local professional associations, chambers of commerce, and specific business, government,
and non-profit organizations related to the HOPE program.
Teaching - 40%The Director position will teach
relevant content areas, master's classes, and competency-based educational offerings in areas relating to leadership, organizational
systems, and organizational change. The typical load will be equivalent to five courses per year (typically 2 each in the Fall and
Spring semesters and one course in summer).
Teaching responsibilities include the following:
- Curriculum development and
instructional design for content in a variety of formats, ensuring relevance to the workplace and consistent with the most recent
research.
- Delivery of instruction, including classroom management, assessment feedback, and grading in a timely
manner.
- Adhering to program, School, and University policies.
Service - 10%The program
leader will participate in professional service, including the following.
- Serves as a member of the program leadership
team of the School of Professional Studies.
- Service on School committees and task forces.
- Service to the
University
- Serves professional communities/associations in areas related to the HOPE curriculum.
Required
Qualifications- Doctorate Degree in Business Administration, Communication Studies, Education, Human Resources, Instructional
Design, Leadership Studies, Organizational Development, or Public Administration, or a similar discipline from a regionally accredited
institution.
- Professional experience required for each rank of the professor of the practice are:
- Assistant
Professor of the Practice: 3-5 years
- Associate Professor of the Practice: 6-15 years
- Professor of the Practice: 16+
years
Relevant professional experience could include, but are not limited to, communication studies, human organization
performance, leadership development, instructional design, or organizational development.
- Experience teaching in
higher education credit programs in areas covered by the HOPE program.
- Excellence in written communication skills as demonstrated in
application materials.
- Minimum three (3) years of leadership experience for academic programs in higher education as evidenced in
application materials.
- A record of professional accomplishment (e.g., leadership role in profession, professional association,
consultancy, etc.).
This position requires a formal degree in the cited discipline area(s) to ensure that candidates have the
foundational knowledge and skill set required to perform the duties of the position. The level of degree is based on accreditation
requirements, institutional standards of academic and professional excellence, alignment with peer institution benchmarks, and contributes
to the credibility and effectiveness of the role within the university community. Contact Information to
ApplicantsMarilu Goodyear, Interim Program Director
Human Organization Performance Effectiveness, School of Professional
Studies, University of Kansas
goodyear@ku.edu
Additional Candidate InstructionIn addition to
the online application, the following documents are required to be considered for this
position:
- A cover letter addressing
specifically how required are met.
- Resume or curriculum vitae.
- An example of curriculum developed (please include audience
details, an instructional outline, presentation notes, and instructional exercises)
- Contact information for three professional
references, at least one of whom has been a supervisor.
Application review begins June 1, 2025 and will continue until a qualified
pool of applicants is identified. Anticipated start date is August 1, 2026.
#LI-HR1
Application Review
Begins: 01-Jun-2026
Anticipated Start Date: 01-Aug-2026
Position Number:
00209390
Primary CampusUniv of Kansas Edwards Campus
FTE: 1.0
Reg/Temp: Regular
Advertised Salary Range: Commensurate with experience and
qualifications.
Employee Class: F-Faculty
DisclaimerThe University of Kansas
prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, national origin, age, ancestry, disability, status as a
veteran, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, gender identity, gender expression, and genetic information in the
university's programs and activities. Retaliation is also prohibited by university policy. The following person has been designated to
handle inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policies and is the Title IX coordinator for all KU and KUMC campuses: Associate Vice
Chancellor for Civil Rights and Title IX, civilrights@ku.edu, Room 1082, Dole Human Development Center, 1000 Sunnyside Avenue, Lawrence, KS
66045, 785-864-6414, 711 TTY.