Human and Organizational Performance Effectiveness - Director

Position Overview

The University of Kansas, Edwards Campus, School of Professional Studies, Human and Organizational Performance Effectiveness program (HOPE) seeks a non-tenure track twelve-month administrative and faculty member at the Director/Professor of the Practice level (rank open).

KU Edwards Campus (KUEC) is in Overland Park, Kansas, in the Kansas City Metropolitan area. The campus offers more than 80 undergraduate and graduate programs with classes geared toward working professionals, available in the evening, online, and in-person. The School of Professional Studies (SPS) was created in 2019 to transform students’ lives and communities through innovative, student-focused programs that lead to rewarding careers across diverse fields that serve the workforce needs of Kansas and beyond. The HOPE program prepares leaders to align individual performance with organizational goals and creates career advancement pathways for professionals in corporate, government, education, and nonprofit organizations.

Our campus and School emphasize innovative teaching and support for non-traditional students, with a hybrid work environment that supports work-life balance.

Position Description

The Director will provide strategic direction for the HOPE program, including leadership and management of the Master of Science degree, graduate certificates, and professional development offerings. The Director will collaborate with SPS and KU Edwards Campus leadership to create a stimulating and innovative environment. The role includes managing master’s and certificate programs in online and competency-based formats, leading student recruitment and admission processes, ensuring student retention and success, recruiting and supervising faculty, developing and monitoring program budgets, ensuring program quality through assessment, and outreach to professional communities to ensure workforce relevance. The Director will participate in online and competency-based instruction in HOPE program areas related to leadership, organizational systems, and organizational change. Special consideration will be given to applicants who can contribute to the University’s innovative, collaborative, and multidisciplinary initiatives.

This position reports to the Associate Dean of the School of Professional Studies. It is not covered by any union agreement nor represented by United Academics of KU, AAUP, or AFT. The appointment is a fiscal year (12-month July–June) appointment with an initial term of 3 years, with possible renewal contingent on satisfactory performance and Dean approval. This position serves the educational needs of a Johnson County Education Research Triangle (JCERT) program. Specific percentages of effort for JCERT are determined each year. The KU Edwards Campus is in Overland Park, Kansas.

KU benefits include a range of health, life, retirement, and other benefits. Details are available here: Benefits | Human Resource Management (ku.edu). The University values a diverse and inclusive environment where people are respected, heard, and valued. The successful candidate must be eligible to work in the U.S. by the effective date of the appointment.

Responsibilities

• Faculty Development: Supervises HOPE program faculty, including recruitment, appointments, performance reviews, and professional development. Provides mentoring and leadership for faculty, especially those seeking promotion.
• Instructional Staffing: Plans staffing for asynchronous and synchronous online courses, competency-based instruction and assessment, and ensures scheduling meets student needs. Collaborates with other programs and unit leaders to ensure access to courses and competencies promoting timely completion.
• Program Budgets: Develops and manages budgets for the HOPE program in coordination with administration.
• Program Coordination: Establishes mechanisms to receive ongoing feedback from students, faculty, and staff on program direction and policies; ensures responsiveness within School and University policies.
• Program Records and Reports: Oversees management and maintenance of program records and prepares reports per policy.
• Student Career Development: Provides career advice and mentoring, including career development, job search support, and professional networking.

• Curriculum: Ensures curriculum is research-based, workplace-relevant, and refreshed through feedback mechanisms.
• Learning Outcomes: Develops and updates program learning outcomes and assessment mechanisms meeting School, University, and accreditation standards.
• Learning Protocols: Maintains learning protocols that blend theory, research, and practical exposure.
• Student Retention: Evaluates retention strategies and collaborates with academic and student services partners to implement improvements.

• Recruitment: Maintains robust recruitment plans with target audiences and messages; collaborates with School and University partners; tracks data and analyzes effectiveness.
• Outreach: Develops a community engagement strategy; partners with campus business development and local leaders to raise program awareness through professional associations, chambers of commerce, and related organizations.

The Director will teach relevant content areas, master’s classes, and competency-based offerings related to leadership, organizational systems, and organizational change. The typical load is five courses per year (roughly 2 per Fall/Spring and 1 in Summer). Teaching responsibilities include curriculum development and instructional design, delivery of instruction with assessment and feedback, and adherence to policies.

• Participates on the School of Professional Studies program leadership team and School committees.
• Engages in University service and contributes to professional communities/associations related to HOPE.

Required Qualifications

1. Doctorate Degree in Business Administration, Communication Studies, Education, Human Resources, Instructional Design, Leadership Studies, Organizational Development, Public Administration, or a related field from a regionally accredited institution.

1. Professional experience required for each rank of the professor of the practice:
   • Assistant Professor of the Practice: 3-5 years
   • Associate Professor of the Practice: 6-15 years
   • Professor of the Practice: 16+ years

Relevant professional experience could include, but is not limited to, communication studies, human organization performance, leadership development, instructional design, or organizational development.

1. Experience teaching in higher education credit programs in HOPE areas.
2. Excellence in written communication skills as demonstrated in application materials.
3. Minimum three (3) years of leadership experience for academic programs in higher education as evidenced in application materials.
4. A record of professional accomplishment (e.g., leadership role in profession, professional association, consultancy, etc.).

This position requires a formal degree in the cited discipline area(s) to ensure foundational knowledge and skill; the level of degree aligns with accreditation requirements and institutional standards.

Additional Candidate Instructions

In addition to the online application, the following documents are required to be considered for this position:

1. A cover letter addressing specifically how required criteria are met.
2. Resume or curriculum vitae.
3. An example of curriculum developed (include audience details, an instructional outline, presentation notes, and instructional exercises).
4. Contact information for three professional references, at least one of whom has supervised you.

Application review begins June 1, 2025 and will continue until a qualified pool of applicants is identified. Anticipated start date is August 1, 2026.

Contact Information to Applicants

Marilu Goodyear, Interim Program Director
Human Organization Performance Effectiveness, School of Professional Studies, University of Kansas
View email address on click.appcast.io

Advertised Salary Range

Commensurate with experience and qualifications.

Application Review Begins

Monday June 1, 2026

Anticipated Start Date

Saturday August 1, 2026