Dean, School of Nursing and Health Sciences in Providence, Rhode Island at Providence College (RI)

Providence College (PC) seeks a strategic, innovative, and collaborative leader to serve as dean of its School of Nursing and Health Sciences (SNHS). The next dean will advance a bold vision for the school's future, elevating its academic standing, strengthening its impact, and guiding continued growth across its programs. The dean will play a critical leadership role in supporting the school's pursuit of excellence in teaching, scholarship, clinical education, and community engagement.

The SNHS consists of two academic departments: the Department of Nursing and the Department of Health Sciences. The school offers three bachelor of science degrees—health policy and management, health sciences, and nursing—and a minor in Spanish for the health professions. A dynamic and growing community, the SNHS enrolls nearly 800 undergraduate students across nursing and the health sciences.

The school is home to 35 full-time tenure-track and non-tenure-track faculty and continues to execute a hiring plan aligned with enrollment growth and strategic priorities. Dedicated staff support health professions advising, clinical and internship management, simulation lab technology, and school operations. Established in 2022, the baccalaureate nursing program is pursuing initial accreditation through the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, with a review scheduled for 2026.

PC is a community for those who seek truth, celebrate the relationship between faith and reason, and pursue both within a welcoming and inclusive environment. The college has grown in recent years to nearly 5,000 students taught by approximately 400 faculty members across four schools: Arts and Sciences; Business; Education and Social Work; and Nursing and Health Sciences.

Rooted in the Catholic and Dominican tradition, PC is committed to academic excellence anchored in the liberal arts. The college promotes interdisciplinary collaboration, engaged learning, undergraduate research, and the pursuit of truth through reasoned inquiry and the pedagogy of disputed questions. The college prepares students to lead meaningful personal and professional lives in an increasingly global society and strives to foster a community where all are welcomed, respected, and supported.

Reporting directly to the provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, the dean is the SNHS’ chief academic and administrative officer. In addition, as a senior academic leader at the college, the dean actively stewards the vibrant academic life of PC. The dean's responsibilities include the following:

• Academic leadership and innovation: Lead the planning, development, and oversight of academic programs and related services, maintaining the highest standards of excellence and alignment with strategic goals.
  
• Faculty affairs and development: Support faculty excellence and success. Recommend the allocation of new or replacement faculty positions. Negotiate faculty appointments and coordinate tenure and promotion reviews.
• Mission integration and support: Ensure the school’s programs and services support and advance PC’s Catholic, Dominican mission.
• Enrollment management: Support student recruitment strategies and the achievement of enrollment goals.
• Student engagement and success: Ensure a holistic array of advising, career, faculty-mentored research, and other services to enhance the student experience and support student success.
• Staff development: Oversee growth and development of programs to allow for the enrichment and professional development of faculty and staff.
• Fiscal stewardship: Manage a transparent and fiscally prudent budgeting process for the school, including the allocation of resources, in coordination with the provost and Office of Finance and Business.
• Accreditation, academic compliance, and institutional effectiveness: Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and achievement of the school’s goals and student learning objectives.
• Inclusive Excellence: Actively foster an environment where people of all backgrounds, cultures, identities, and perspectives can flourish.
• Advancement and alumni relations: Partner with the Office of Institutional Advancement, alumni, donors, and others to encourage engagement and philanthropic support for the SNHS and the college.
• Grow Faculty Research Opportunities: Support faculty research through effective fundraising and grant proposal development

Opportunities and Priorities

The next dean will have the opportunity to shape a young and rapidly growing school at a pivotal moment in its development. Key priorities include:

• Successfully securing initial nursing accreditation and establishing a culture of continuous assessment and improvement.
• Recruiting, supporting, and retaining outstanding faculty and academic leaders, including filling the vacant associate dean positions.
• Enhancing the school's reputation and visibility within nursing and health sciences education, including the development of graduate programs.
• Expanding strategic partnerships with healthcare systems, industry leaders, and community organizations.
• Advancing research, scholarship, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
• Realizing the school's vision for technology-enabled and human-centered healthcare education.
• Strengthening philanthropic support and external engagement to accelerate strategic priorities.
• Supporting enrollment growth while maintaining excellence in teaching, advising, and student outcomes.

A successful candidate is a strategic, ethical, and collaborative leader with the experience and interpersonal skills to engage effectively with faculty, staff, students, senior administrators, alumni, the Dominican community, healthcare partners, and other external stakeholders. The candidate will demonstrate a commitment to academic excellence, faculty development, student success, and innovation in nursing and health sciences education.

Required Characteristics

• Academic Credentials: Ph.D. or terminal degree in a related field, record of scholarship, and qualifications for tenure
• Personal Attributes: Collaborative, relationship builder, mission-driven, and innovative

Procedure for Candidacy

All applications, nominations, and inquiries are invited. Applications should include, as separate documents, a CV and letter of interest addressing the themes in the position profile.

Application materials should be submitted using Providence College’s online candidate portal and selecting the "Apply" green button located on the top-right hand corner of the job posting. Candidates will be considered until an appointment is made. For priority consideration, applicant materials should be submitted by October 9, 2026.

Nominations and inquiries can be directed to Thomas W. Smith, Provost at Provost@providence.edu.