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7 Butler University Associate Dean Jobs Hiring Near You

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What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an Associate Dean, and why are they important?

To thrive as an Associate Dean, you need advanced academic credentials (often a doctorate), leadership experience in higher education, and a deep understanding of academic policy and program development. Familiarity with learning management systems, institutional reporting tools, and accreditation standards is typically required. Exceptional communication, problem-solving, and team-building skills help foster collaboration and drive institutional goals. These qualifications ensure effective academic leadership, program innovation, and alignment with organizational objectives.

What are some common challenges faced by an Associate Dean, and how are they typically addressed?

Associate Deans often juggle multiple responsibilities, such as overseeing academic programs, managing faculty concerns, and supporting student success initiatives. A frequent challenge is balancing administrative duties with the need to foster collaboration among diverse departments. To address these challenges, Associate Deans prioritize effective communication, delegate tasks appropriately, and stay proactive in conflict resolution. Building strong relationships with faculty, staff, and students also helps them create an inclusive and productive academic environment.

What are Associate Deans?

Associate Deans are senior academic administrators in colleges or universities who support the Dean in managing academic affairs, programs, and faculty within a specific division or department. Their responsibilities often include curriculum development, faculty recruitment, student affairs, and policy implementation. Associate Deans may also represent the Dean at meetings, oversee budgets, and help resolve academic issues. They play a key role in maintaining academic standards and supporting the institution's mission. The exact duties can vary depending on the institution and the academic area they oversee.

What is the difference between Associate Dean vs Department Chair?

AspectAssociate DeanDepartment Chair
CredentialsTypically requires advanced degrees (e.g., Master's or Doctorate) and experience in academia or administrationUsually holds a faculty position with a terminal degree in their field, often with administrative experience
Work EnvironmentWorks across multiple departments or schools within an institution, focusing on strategic planning and policyManages a specific academic department, overseeing faculty, curriculum, and departmental operations
Employer & Industry UsageCommonly found in universities and colleges, especially in administrative or leadership rolesFound in higher education institutions, primarily in academic departments

While both roles are leadership positions within educational institutions, the Associate Dean oversees broader administrative functions across multiple departments or schools, whereas the Department Chair focuses on managing a specific academic department. The Associate Dean often handles strategic planning and institutional policies, while the Department Chair concentrates on faculty management and curriculum within their department.

Infographic showing various Associate Dean job openings at Butler University in the United States as of May 2026, with employment types broken down into 83% Full Time, and 17% Part Time. Highlights an 100% Physical job distribution.
Head of Collection Services and Strategies, Butler Libraries

Head of Collection Services and Strategies, Butler Libraries

Butler University

Indianapolis, IN โ€ข On-site

Full-time

Posted 12 days ago


Butler University rating

6.8

Company rating: 6.8 out of 10

Based on 8 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

400th of 528 rated colleges and universities


Job description

Job Description
Position Overview
Butler University Libraries invites applications for the position of Head of Collection Services & Strategies. This position sits on the Library Leadership team and provides leadership and vision for a six-person department responsible for library acquisitions, resource sharing, management of electronic and print collections, and scholarly communication. As a member of the library faculty, the position also includes liaison responsibilities such as instruction, collection development, and research support for designated academic programs. Butler Libraries encourages the exploration of innovative approaches to this work and seeks candidates who can thoughtfully advance emerging models of creating, accessing, and disseminating information. The ideal candidate is a communicative, collaborative leader, who values expertise, genuinely listens, and builds strong relationships within the department, library, and campus community. This is a 12-month, continuing (non-tenured) faculty appointment reporting to the Dean of Libraries.
Responsibilities
  • Lead and mentor a team of librarians and staff, fostering a culture of excellent service, professional growth, and workplace equity.
  • Set priorities and coordinate the department's responsibilities:
    • Oversee physical and electronic collections,
    • Manage license and resource-sharing agreements,
    • Guide the improvement and future development of library systems that support user-centered discovery and access, and
    • Interpret data relating to operating budget and scholarly publishing to inform strategic goals and decision-making.
  • Represent the library in a leadership capacity at the University level:
    • Communicate the library's strategic priorities,
    • Collaborate on university-wide committees and initiatives to support and further the university's strategic vision, and
    • Build connections across campus to inform collection development priorities.
  • Serve as liaison librarian to assigned departments/programs:
    • Deliver course integrated instruction,
    • Support collection development, and
    • Provide reference/research services to students, faculty, and staff.
  • Engage and collaborate within the Private Academic Library Network of Indiana (PALNI) consortium, which provides the Libraries' core systems, by contributing to consortium initiatives and providing expertise to other PALNI libraries.

Required Qualifications
  • Master's of Library/Information Science from an ALA-accredited institution.
  • Minimum of 5 years of library experience with two or more years of experience in an academic setting.
  • Personnel supervision or management experience that focuses on collaborative and communicative environments (may include the supervision of student workers).
  • Experience in one or more of the following areas: acquisitions, e-resources, resource sharing, scholarly communication or systems management, with knowledge of or interest about the others.
  • Evidence of scholarly activities such as presentations, publications, and/or grants.

Preferred Qualifications
We recognize that strong candidates may not meet every qualification. We encourage you to apply and highlight how your experiences align with Butler Libraries' needs.
  • Five or more years of post-MLIS professional academic library experience with increasing levels of responsibility, in two or more of the following areas: acquisitions, e-resources, resource sharing, scholarly communication, systems management.
  • Awareness of responsible and ethical use of emerging technologies.
  • Knowledge of repositories, open access initiatives, copyright, and intellectual property.
  • Experience managing a professional budget.
  • Experience with Koha ILS or EBSCO Discovery Service.
  • Experience delivering information literacy instruction.
  • Reading knowledge of another language besides English.
  • Previous academic promotion to rank of Associate Professor or has the professional and scholarly portfolio to merit an Associate Rank.

Applicants for the position should submit:
  • A letter of interest
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • The names and contact information for three professional references
  • A reflection on how you would approach information literacy instruction (one page or less)

Inclusive and evidence-based pedagogy is expected at Butler University. Please indicate your previous experience with or commitment to these practices in your information literacy instruction reflection.
Review of applications will continue until the position is filled.
For questions about the position, please contact Liz Lang at llang@butler.edu. All applications must be submitted through Butler University's hiring portal to be considered.
About Us
Butler University is a private, nationally recognized comprehensive university encompassing seven colleges: Arts, Business, Communication, Education, Liberal Arts & Sciences, Pharmacy & Health Sciences and Founder's College. Approximately 4,500 undergraduate and 1,000 graduate and doctoral students are enrolled at Butler, representing 46 states and 24 countries.
Join us at the crossroads of tradition & transformation. A career at Butler University offers more than just a job-it's an opportunity to join a dedicated, innovative, and supportive community grounded in equity, academic excellence, and meaningful impact. Aligned with Boldly Butler, our strategic plan, faculty and staff play a vital role in delivering transformational learning experiences, enriching our campus and community, and ensuring a thriving Butler for generations to come.
Butler University is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome applications from all individuals, regardless of age, sex, race, religion, color, disability, protected veteran status, national origin, or any other legally protected category.