Dean, School of Education

Dean, School of Education
College of Charleston
Position Description

Executive Summary

The College of Charleston invites nominations and applications for the position of Dean of the School of Education. Reporting directly to the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, the Dean serves as the chief academic and administrative officer of the School and a key member of the College’s academic leadership team.

The Dean will partner with faculty, staff, students, and external stakeholders to advance the School’s mission of preparing innovative, reflective, and highly effective educators. The next Dean will provide strategic leadership to strengthen academic programs, expand partnerships with local and regional school systems, and elevate the School’s visibility and impact across South Carolina and beyond.

The School of Education

The School of Education has been preparing educators since 1937 and is dedicated to developing highly skilled, reflective practitioners equipped to meet the evolving needs of today’s classrooms. Through a combination of rigorous coursework, extensive clinical experiences, and strong partnerships with local school districts, the School prepares students to become effective teachers, leaders, and advocates in education.

The School offers a range of undergraduate and graduate programs, including:

• Undergraduate majors in Early Childhood, Elementary, Middle Grades, Secondary, Foreign Language, and Special Education
• Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) programs across multiple disciplines
• Master of Education (M.Ed.)
• Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)
• Professional development and certification programs for current educators

The School is home to nationally accredited programs and emphasizes hands-on learning through field-based experiences and clinical internships that prepare graduates to lead in varied educational settings. With continued population growth across the Charleston region and increasing workforce needs in education, the School is well-positioned for continued innovation, collaboration, and strategic growth.

The Position

Reporting directly to the Provost, the Dean of the School of Education provides strategic, academic, operational, and financial leadership for the School. The Dean is responsible for advancing the School’s mission, enhancing program quality and relevance, and fostering a collaborative academic environment that supports excellence in teaching, scholarship, service, and community engagement.

The Dean will play a critical role in strengthening partnerships with PK–12 school systems, expanding educator preparation pathways, and addressing regional and national workforce needs in education. As the chief academic and administrative officer, the Dean provides oversight of academic programming, faculty and staff affairs, budgeting, accreditation, and external engagement. The ideal candidate will be a hands-on, strategic leader capable of balancing internal operational responsibilities with external engagement, partnership development, and advancement activities.

Key Responsibilities

The Dean of the School of Education will:

• Provide leadership for strategic planning, program development, and continuous improvement
• Develop and execute a long-term vision that supports program growth while maintaining academic quality and strong student outcomes
• Oversee academic units as appropriate, including responsibility for personnel processes, promotion and tenure activities, and resolution of student and academic matters.
• Strengthen and expand partnerships with local, regional, and state school districts to support clinical experiences and workforce pipelines, reinforcing the School of Education as a forward-facing, community-embedded unit engaged with PK–12 schools, teachers, and students across the state
• Support and enhance high-quality, innovative educator preparation programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels
• Expand graduate, doctoral, and professional development offerings aligned with workforce and community needs
• Ensure sufficient faculty capacity to support growing undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral enrollments
• Promote excellence in teaching, scholarship, and service among faculty
• Oversee accreditation processes and ensure compliance with professional standards
• Manage financial resources responsibly and align budgeting with strategic priorities
• Foster interdisciplinary collaboration across the College’s academic units
• Advance student success, including recruitment, retention, licensure outcomes, and career placement
• Lead faculty recruitment, development, evaluation, and retention efforts
• Cultivate relationships with alumni, donors, and community partners to support fundraising and program growth
• Represent the School within the College and to external stakeholders at the local, state, and national levels
• Promote a culture of collaboration, transparency, and shared governance
• Provide leadership and strategic direction for key centers and clinical units within the School of Education, including the N.E. Miles Early Childhood Development Center, to enhance community engagement and model innovative educational practice

Vision for the Role

The next Dean will have a unique opportunity to position the School of Education as a leader in innovative educator preparation and educational research.

Key opportunities include:

• Developing and advancing a bold 5–10 year strategic vision that aligns with institutional priorities and regional growth
• Expanding partnerships with school districts to address teacher shortages and workforce needs
• Enhancing clinical and experiential learning models in collaboration with PK–12 partners
• Growing graduate and doctoral programs to meet evolving professional demands
• Strengthening and scaling partnerships with local school districts, including Charleston County and surrounding high-growth areas
• Build on the School of Education’s nationally and internationally recognized faculty to further enhance its visibility, academic reputation, and research profile at the regional and national levels
• Increasing external funding through grants, contracts, and philanthropic engagement
• Strengthen the School of Education’s existing infrastructure and leadership capacity to support continued growth across undergraduate, graduate, and certificate programs

Qualifications

The successful candidate must possess an earned doctorate or terminal degree in a relevant discipline and a distinguished record of teaching and scholarship, meriting appointment as a tenured full professor. The successful candidate must also demonstrate progressive academic leadership experience, including service at the level of department chair, associate dean, or equivalent administrative leadership role. In addition, the successful candidate will demonstrate the following preferred qualifications:

• Demonstrated success in educator preparation
• Experience with accreditation and regulatory standards in education
• Proven ability to manage budgets, personnel, and complex academic operations
• Record of fostering collaboration, innovation, and interdisciplinary initiatives
• Experience navigating state and national policy environments impacting curriculum, licensure, educator preparation, and learning outcomes
• Demonstrated success in fundraising, grants, or resource development
• Deep understanding of the national landscape of schools of education, including trends in educator preparation, accreditation, and program innovation, along with knowledge of the South Carolina PK–12 and higher education landscape
• Experience building partnerships with PK-12 systems, community organizations, and external stakeholders
• Commitment to student success and faculty and staff development
• Professional experience in PK–12 public school settings, such as teaching, school leadership, district administration, or related educational roles

In addition, the ideal candidate will possess the following preferred personal qualities:

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Integrity, transparency, and sound judgment
• Ability to build consensus and lead through collaboration
• A forward-thinking, strategic mindset

The College of Charleston

Located in the heart of historic Charleston, South Carolina, the College is a nationally recognized public university. Founded in 1770, the College is the oldest educational institution south of Virginia and the 13th oldest in the U.S. The College of Charleston is among the nation's top universities for quality education, student life, and affordability. It’s beautiful and historic campus, combined with contemporary facilities, cutting-edge programs, and accessible faculty, attracts students from across the U.S. and around the world.

Over 10,000 undergraduates and approximately 1,000 graduate students at the College enjoy a small campus feel blended with the advantages of a mid-sized, urban university. They work closely with a committed faculty that is made up of more than 500 distinguished teacher-scholars. And the city of Charleston – world-renowned for its history, architecture, culture, and coastal environment – serves as a living and learning laboratory for experiences in business, science, technology, teaching, the humanities, languages, and the arts.

Application Process

The Search Committee invites letters of nomination and applications (letter of interest, full resume/CV, and contact information of at least five references) to be submitted to the search firm assisting the University. Review of materials will begin immediately and continue until the appointment is made. It is preferred, however, that all nominations and applications are submitted before Wednesday, August 26, 2026. Please submit electronic applications directly to Parker Executive Search. For additional information, please contact:

Porsha Williams, Vice President and Managing Director, Higher Education
Jacob Anderson, Senior Principal
Scott Gaffney, Associate
Parker Executive Search
Five Concourse Parkway, Suite 2875 | Atlanta, GA 30328
(770) 804-1996 x 111
pwilliams@parkersearch.com || janderson@parkersearch.com || sgaffney@parkersearch.com

The College of Charleston is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any individual or group on the basis of sex, gender (including gender identity and/or expression), pregnancy, race, religion, color, national origin, age, disability, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, genetic information, and other classifications protected by applicable federal, state, and local laws. For more information, please visit eop.cofc.edu.