Asst/Assoc Professor, Department Chair & Unit Lead / Dept of Teacher Education

UNIVERSITY OF NORTHWESTERN - SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA

Address of Job Location: 3003 Snelling Avenue N, St. Paul, MN 55113

Website page of the Job Posting

Job Summary:

Responsible for providing excellence in administration and teaching through the fulfillment of the mission and strategic goals of the Department of Teacher Education. Alongside academic leadership, the position will establish philosophy and direction for the Department of Teacher Education, provide unit leadership for the department and external licensing agencies and teach eight (8) credits per year according to a 24-credit faculty contract.

Job Responsibilities:

Every faculty member at University of Northwestern – St. Paul has four governing job responsibilities: teaching with effective pedagogy, serving the university through committee work and community involvement, engaging in scholarship that demonstrates discipline-specific contributions beyond UNW, and integrating faith in the classroom. These responsibilities provide the framework for the following key responsibilities.

• Leadership: Provide strategic and academic leadership for the Department of Teacher Education, aligning its philosophy, vision, programs, and outcomes with institutional priorities; represent the department across Academic Affairs; and oversee policy compliance and clear, effective communication.
• Programming & Assessment: Partner with academic leadership on strategic program planning; lead cyclical program review and assessment; coordinate academic scheduling with appropriate areas; oversee planned course offerings and related program documentation.
• Academic Oversight: Provide oversight of curriculum quality and coherence; guide curricular and program development processes; and collaborate with campus partners to ensure appropriate academic resources.
• Faculty & Staff Management: Oversee staff supervision and faculty lifecycle processes; collaborate with senior leadership on recruitment, evaluation, and development; and promote a positive, collaborative departmental culture while addressing personnel matters as needed.
• Student Success: Provide leadership in student recruitment, academic advising within teacher education, faculty student issue resolution, and oversight of field-based learning.
• Collaboration: Lead collaborative internal and external partnerships, including with the Classical Christian Honors College, to expand student experiences and employment pathways while contributing to cross campus collaboration, university service, and recruitment and retention initiatives.
• Operations: Oversee departmental operations, including information management, communications, events, resource allocation, and facilities needs while guiding budget planning and stewardship in alignment with university standards.
• Teaching: Teach undergraduate courses with strong engagement in effective assessment and learning management system integration; pursue continuous professional development.
• Perform other duties as outlined in the Addendum: Teacher Licensure Officer and External Agency Responsibilities including the Department of Education Teacher Education Unit Lead Position.
• Perform other duties as requested or assigned.

Because our community is a significant part of our mission and the development of our students, all employees act as ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ by actively partnering with the University to disciple students in growing intellectually and spiritually, and with Northwestern Media to lead people to Christ and nurture believers to mature in their faith.

Job Requirements:
• Ph.D. or Ed.D. in an education-related field
• Knowledge of P-12 and post-secondary education trends for public, private, and Christian education
• Three (3) or more years’ experience in E-12 teaching
• Three (3) or more years’ experience in teacher licensure program development and assessment
• Maintain a growing, personal relationship with Jesus Christ, reflect His character in all interactions, and faithfully uphold and embrace Northwestern’s mission, Doctrinal Statement and Declaration of Christian Community 

Nice to Have:
• Experience with state and/or national accreditation and program review processes
• Familiarity with assessment and data/reporting platforms such as CPAST, EPPAS, or similar
• Three (3) or more years’ experience in the administration of academic programs in a college or university
• Three (3) or more years’ experience leading a team in administrative roles with progressively increased responsibility

Expiration Date of Job Posting: April 24, 2026