Academic Dean

Job Type


Full-time

Description

Pierce Mortuary Colleges offer comprehensive educational programs for individuals pursuing careers in funeral service, encompassing both theoretical instruction and hands-on practical training to prepare students for licensure examinations and subsequent apprenticeships or internships. Approved by the Board of Trustees, the college's mission is to advance education in funeral service, including the study, research, and teaching of embalming and the broader business and profession of funeral service.


POSITION TYPE: Full-time; Regular working hours.

Occasional evening and weekend work may be required for events and meetings.

WORK LOCATION: Onsite

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Academic Dean serves as the leader and public face of their respective college, acting as a liaison between students, faculty, staff, top-level leadership, and external stakeholders. The Dean is responsible for developing and nurturing the mission and vision of the department, overseeing academic, budgetary, and administrative functions, and ensuring alignment with the overall mission of the College. The Academic Dean plays a crucial role in maintaining the academic integrity and operational excellence of the College, ensuring that both faculty and students thrive in a supportive and compliant academic environment.


RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Leadership and Representation: Represent the department to the rest of the college and to external stakeholders, including alumni and professional organizations. Advocate for the college's resource requirements to senior leadership.
• Policy and Standards Development: Establish and enforce policies, procedures, and standards for faculty, staff, and students. Ensure compliance with college regulations and accreditation standards.
• Academic and Scholarly Activities: Lead the planning and development of curricula in collaboration with faculty members. Oversee the department's scholarly and educational activities. Conduct periodic program reviews and assessment to maintain and enhance academic quality. Administer instructional programs in compliance with state and accreditation regulations. Assist with the implementation and oversight of institutional policies and procedures. Work closely with the college registrar in establishing course schedules for students and faculty.
• Financial Leadership: Develop and manage the departmental budget, ensuring the appropriate allocation of financial resources. Provide competitive salaries and resources to attract and retain top faculty and staff.
• Faculty and Staff Management: Create and implement hiring plans and oversee the recruitment and hiring of new faculty members and staff. Foster a positive workplace culture that promotes professional development and collaboration. Ensure faculty files are created and maintained according to accreditation (institutional, state, and programmatic) and company policies/procedures. Assign faculty to courses and ensure all faculty follow prescribed curriculum including course objectives, content, timely grading, and hands-on experiences. Perform annual faculty evaluations.
• Student Success and Retention: Develop initiatives to enhance student diversity and support student success. Nurture a positive learning environment that meets the needs of a diverse student body. Achieve program goals in attendance, retention, placement, and national board exam pass rates by monitoring program execution and reviewing curricula against market requirements. Conduct student retention meetings to address academic struggles, attendance, and attitude/skills concerns. Participate in and coordinate New Student Orientation to ensure students receive necessary information. Ensure student Satisfactory Academic Progress is documented, maintained, and monitored.
• External Engagement: Engage with external stakeholders to enhance the department's professional image and build strategic partnerships. Liaise with counterparts at other institutions to share best practices and collaborate on initiatives.
• Programmatic Reporting and Accreditation Compliance :

Manage the day-to-day operations of the Funeral Service Education Program, including supervision of faculty, instructional

activities, program resources, laboratories, and equipment.


Ensure curriculum delivery meets institutional, accreditation (ABFSE), and licensing standards.


Oversee the preparation and submission of required program reports to the institution and ABFSE, ensuring documentation

is accurate, complete, and demonstrates compliance with accreditation standards.

Collaborate with faculty and staff to collect, analyze, and report program data to support student success, continuous

improvement, and accreditation efforts.


Monitor student achievement, retention, graduation, and licensure outcomes, implementing strategies for continuous

program improvement.


Develop and maintain community partnerships, clinical affiliations, and relationships with funeral service professionals.


SKILLS:

• Strong understanding of academic planning, budget management, and administrative processes.
• Exceptional leadership skills, with the ability to inspire and motivate faculty and staff.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Collaborative and efficient decision-making abilities.
• High emotional intelligence, adaptability, and professionalism.
• Open-mindedness and a willingness to consider new ideas.
• Financial competence and the ability to manage budgets effectively.
• Previous experience as a department chair or similar leadership role.
• Demonstrated success in developing and implementing academic and student affairs initiatives.
• Experience in engaging with external stakeholders and building professional networks.
• Strong understanding of the American Board of Funeral Service Education system and standards.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Regionally accredited Bachelor's degree required and currently enrolled in a regionally accredited Master's program (to be completed within 5 years of hire date).
• Graduate of an American Board of Funeral Service Education accredited program or institution.
• Extensive experience in academic administration, with a proven record of leadership in higher education.
• Must possess a combination funeral director and embalmer license with ability to become licensed in the college's state.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Regionally accredited Master's degree
• Familiarity with American Board of Funeral Service Education Standards.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

• Work is normally performed in a typical interior/office work environment.
• Light physical effort. Requires handling of average-weight objects up to 10 pounds or some standing or walking.
• Limited exposure to physical risk.

Pierce Mortuary Colleges (PMC) is committed to fostering diversity and inclusivity, adhering to Equal Opportunity Employment principles and prohibiting all forms of discrimination and harassment. Emphasizing merit, competence, and performance, PMC ensures fair employment practices at all levels, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, familial status, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. The organization recognizes the value of a diverse workforce in enhancing the quality of its services and endeavors to provide reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities to perform essential job duties effectively.

Salary Description


Starting salary: $85,000