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Academic Program Director - Occupational Therapy

In collaboration with the Associate Dean and faculty, the Program Director ensures delivery of the local campus curriculum in a manner that aligns with program goals, learning outcomes, consistency, and institutional expectations.
The Program Director leads local programmatic accreditation efforts to ensure compliance with all standards and timely submission of required reports.
This role works closely with the Dean, other Program Directors, and faculty on policies, admissions, academic progress, and graduation competencies. The Director is accountable for strategic initiatives, integration with other departments, resolving student and faculty issues, and promoting educational effectiveness.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Strategic Planning

• Provides leadership, vision, and organizational strategy for the program while aligning with the institution's strategic and quality improvement plans.
• Monitors program metrics such as faculty workload, scholarly productivity, student satisfaction, graduation rates, and enrollment trends to ensure program goals are achieved.

Program Operations

• Oversees development and maintenance of efficient department operations, ensuring workflow, student learning outcomes, and curriculum quality.
• Collaborates across departments to coordinate activities, implement improvements, and foster innovation.
• Promotes a campus culture focused on academic achievement, personal development, and institutional core values.
• Communicates effectively with students, faculty, and staff while supporting problem-solving and complaint resolution.
• Partners with the Clinical Education department to ensure quality clinical experiences.
• Conducts student information and recruiting sessions.
• Ensures faculty support institutional and departmental goals tied to educational effectiveness.

Faculty Leadership and Development

• Hires, develops, and evaluates core and adjunct faculty while supporting effective staffing patterns and scheduling.
• Mentors faculty to enhance individual performance, build leadership capabilities, and strengthen alignment with institutional goals.

Scholarly and Professional Development

• Stays current on best practices, policy changes, and emerging trends through ongoing engagement with professional organizations, conferences, and seminars.
• Meets scholarly and professional development goals identified in annual performance evaluations.
• Integrates research and practice into student learning and faculty development initiatives.

Management Responsibilities

• Develops and executes the program's strategic plan and identifies opportunities for innovation and growth.
• Manages budgets, approves expenditures, and oversees departmental financial planning.
• Ensures full compliance with accreditation standards, institutional policies, and federal/state regulations.
• Participates in institutional committees, councils, and student-facing meetings as needed.
• Maintains a reduced teaching load (no more than 0.5 FTE or 148 hours per term).
• Reviews and approves prerequisite course substitutions and transfer credits.

Other Duties and Travel Requirements

• May perform additional responsibilities as assigned by leadership.
• Occasional travel may be required for professional development, recruitment, or multi-campus meetings.
• A valid driver's license and minimum state-required liability insurance are required.

Supervisory Responsibilities
Directly supervises core faculty, contributing faculty, and academic support staff. May oversee an assistant director or site coordinator as applicable.
Required Skills and Qualifications

• Demonstrated effectiveness in teaching, scholarship, and academic leadership within higher education.
• Strong knowledge of programmatic accreditation processes.
• Proven leadership, communication, and team-building skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively across departments and with external partners.
• Experience in fiscal management, strategic planning, and operational oversight.

Education and Experience

• Doctoral degree from an institution accredited by a recognized accrediting agency.
• Minimum 8 years of documented experience in occupational therapy, including:
  • Clinical practice as an occupational therapist
  • Administrative experience
  • Scholarship and research contributions
  • Understanding of the occupational therapy assistant role
  • At least 4 years of postsecondary-level teaching experience

Licensure and Certification

• Must be an initially certified occupational therapist, licensed or otherwise regulated per applicable state or jurisdictional requirements.

Key Competencies

• Mission-Driven Leadership: Demonstrates passion for student success and institutional values.
• Educational Expertise: Designs effective learning experiences and leverages pedagogical best practices.
• Collaboration & Influence: Works effectively across teams and partnerships to achieve shared goals.
• Communication Excellence: Adapts communication style to audience and context while fostering strong relationships.
• Student Engagement: Creates an inclusive, supportive, and challenging learning environment.
• Talent Development: Identifies, mentors, and develops faculty talent to build a high-performing team.

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