Professor and Director, School of Public Administration

The Opportunity

The School of Public Administration (SPA) in the College of Community Innovation and Education (CCIE) at the University of Central Florida (UCF) seeks a dynamic and innovative leader to serve as professor and school director, a full-time 12-month, tenured professor position, anticipated to begin Summer 2025. 

The School of Public Administration is committed to excellence and innovation on a large scale that leads to positive impacts. With the commitment to positive impact in mind, we are looking for an experienced academic and administrative leader (i.e., management of human resources, budget, strategic planning, academic programming, external funding for interdisciplinary innovative research, and fundraising) who is poised to facilitate programs of individual and collaborative research, support faculty in necessary steps to secure external funding, work with the chairs and directors of other departments/schools within the college to promote the college mission, and promote a collegial and collaborative environment.

The selected candidate will report to the dean of CCIE and serve on the college’s executive and academic councils. Specific duties include the following:

• Provide academic leadership in developing and defining the school's strategic plan. Lead the faculty, staff, and students in fulfilling the goals of the school.

• Create an environment within the school that encourages quality scholarship and research to inform the discipline.

• Promote community-based partnerships that positively influence students, faculty, and the community.

• Collaborate with other administrators within CCIE to support CCIE and UCF goals and initiatives.

• Advocate for SPA priorities among CCIE and university administrators.

• Support faculty and students as they contribute to local, regional, national, and international conversations regarding the public administration and policy.

• Lead and manage the development of school’s mission in teaching, research, and service.

• Build and maintain an inclusive, collegial, and collaborative organizational culture within the school.

• Coordinate the execution of the school’s educational programs with faculty through equitable assignments of duties to teaching, research, and service.

• Lead faculty in addressing key issues within the unit, including future direction of the school, acquiring resources (e.g., efforts to generate auxiliary funds, strategic enrollment plans, etc.), strengthening promotion and tenure standards, and aligning with CCIE and UCF initiatives.

• Lead all faculty and staff recruitment activities, supporting the best interests of SPA.

• Coordinate budget allocation and planning with the CCIE offices.

• Conduct annual evaluations of faculty and staff, as appropriate.

The School of Public Administration at UCF prepares undergraduate and graduate students who will serve and lead in careers in nonprofit management, urban and regional planning, research administration, emergency management, public administration, and public policy. Located at UCF Downtown, students are within walking distance of countless government offices, nonprofits, and private organizations. Graduates join a dynamic alumni network of over 5,000 individuals who are leading the charge for change in local, national, and international communities.

Whether fully online or in-person, students in the School of Public Administration are immersed in an innovative educational experience that (a) encourages collaboration, (b) provides real-world experiences, and (c) enhances leadership skills. In addition, the School of Public Administration has an interdisciplinary doctoral program in public affairs. The Ph.D. in Public Affairs program prepares students for academic appointments in colleges and universities as well as research and leadership positions in public, nonprofit and private agencies. The dynamic mix of an interdisciplinary faculty with students from varied backgrounds creates a stimulating environment to examine many of the contemporary social ills communities are currently facing. For more information about the school, please visit the homepage at:  https://ccie.ucf.edu/public-administration/

UCF College of Community Innovation and Education is a one-of-a-kind academic unit with distinct, interdisciplinary expertise and potential for partnership with community stakeholders, conceived to address societal challenges and work alongside the community. Established in 2018, the college offers undergraduate and graduate programs on the main campus and UCF Downtown. At the heart of the college's mission is the institutional commitment to transform lives and strengthen society by developing a unified vision and innovative solutions to complex social issues. CCIE promotes innovation through state-of-the-art interdisciplinary research with social impact; contemporary inclusive teaching and learning practices; and preeminent service for the disciplines, the institution, and the community. For more information about the school, please visit the homepage at: https://ccie.ucf.edu/

Located in Orlando, Florida, UCF is classified as a Very High Research Activity (R1) university by the Carnegie Foundation. With a diverse student body of more than 70,000 students, UCF is one of the largest universities in the country. The university offers more than 220-degree programs. UCF is committed to diversity and was designated a Hispanic Serving Institution in 2019.  For more information, visit https://www.ucf.edu.

We seek candidates who will enhance our representational diversity and whose research, teaching, and community engagement efforts contribute to diverse, equitable, and inclusive learning and working environments for our students, staff, and faculty. We hope to identify individuals who will assist in our mission to ensure that underrepresented groups have the opportunity to succeed at UCF.

Minimum Qualifications:

• A Ph.D. from an accredited institution in public administration, public policy, political science, or a related discipline, and have previously achieved the rank of at least a tenured associate professor in his or her academic career.

• Prior experience serving in an administrative capacity within higher education, such as serving in role(s) as program coordinator, center director, department chair, associate dean, or other appropriate leadership level experience within the university setting.

• Eligible for appointment at the academic rank of professor with tenure. To be eligible for appointment as a professor with tenure upon hire, the selected candidate must have a strong record of research and scholarship, teaching, and service at a comparable or peer institution commensurate with a tenured faculty appointment at the rank of professor in a school related to public administration and as well as at UCF.

• Demonstrated record of supporting faculty and students from diverse backgrounds.

• Demonstrated skill related to organization, planning, budgeting, and administration.

• Be collegial and have demonstrated experience in working in interdisciplinary activities.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Held rank of professor at a research doctoral granting university (very high research activity or high research activity).

• A distinguished record of research and scholarship, academic, and programmatic leadership.

• Experience with administration of undergraduate and graduate programs.

• Demonstrated experience with community-based interdisciplinary research.

• Ability to develop and maintain productive collaborative relationships with university administrators, faculty, staff, students, professional societies/organizations, and alumni.

• Have a vision and the skill set needed for engagement with community stakeholders and with individuals affiliated with state and federal agencies, foundations, and other nongovernmental organizations through community partnerships.

• Experience with local, regional, state, national, and international public policy representatives, officials, and office holders.

• Experience in fundraising to secure external funding to support academic program performance and growth.

Additional Application Materials Required:

UCF requires all applications and supporting documents be submitted electronically through the Human Resources employment opportunities website, https://www.ucf.edu/jobs. In addition to the online application, interested candidates should upload a cover letter, a curriculum vitae, and a list with contact information for three (3) professional references.

NOTE: Please have all documents ready when applying so they can be attached at that time. Once the online submission process is finalized, the system does not allow applicants to submit additional documents later.

The selected candidate will be required to submit official transcripts (and, as applicable, U.S. degree equivalency evaluations) documenting the conferral of their qualifying academic credentials. 

Questions regarding this search may be directed to Dr. Kendall Cortelyou, Search Committee Chair at: Kendall.Cortelyou@ucf.edu

Special Instructions to the Applicants:

N/A

Job Close Date:

Open Until Filled

Are you ready to unleash YOUR potential?

As a next-generation public research university and Forbes-ranked top employer in Florida, we are a community of thinkers, doers, creators, innovators, healers, and leaders striving to create broader prosperity and help shape a better future. No matter what your role is, when you join Knight Nation, you’ll play an integral role at one of the most impactful universities in the country. You’ll be met with opportunities to connect and collaborate with talented faculty, staff, and students across 13 colleges and multiple campuses, engaging in impactful work that makes a positive difference. Your time at UCF will provide you with many meaningful opportunities to grow, you’ll work alongside talented colleagues on complex projects that will challenge you and help you gain new skills and you’ll have countless rewarding experiences that go well beyond a paycheck.

Working at UCF has its perks! UCF offers:

• Benefit packages, including Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Flexible Spending, and Employee Assistance Program. 
• Paid time off, including annual (12-month faculty) and sick time off and paid holidays.
• Retirement savings options. 
• Employee discounts, including tickets to many Orlando attractions. 
• Education assistance.
• Flexible work environment. 
• And more…For more benefits information, view the UCF Employee Benefits Guide click here.

Unless explicitly stated on the job posting, it is UCF’s expectation that an employee of UCF will reside in Florida as of the date the employment begins.

Additional Requirements related to Research Positions:

Pursuant to Florida State Statute 1010.35, prior to offering employment to certain individuals in research-related positions, UCF is required to conduct additional screening. Applicants subject to additional screening include any citizen of a foreign country who is not a permanent resident of the U.S., or who is a citizen or permanent resident but is affiliated with or has had at least 1 year of education, employment, or training in China, Cuba, Iran, Russia, North Korea, Syria, or Venezuela.

The additional screening requirements only apply to research-related positions, including, but not limited to faculty, graduate positions, individuals compensated by research grants or contract funds, post-doctoral positions, undergraduate positions, visiting assistant professors, and visiting research associates.

Department

Work Schedule

Type of Appointment

Expected Salary

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:

The University of Central Florida is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer including Disabled/Vets.  Click on UCF's Equal Opportunity Statement to view the President’s Statement.

The UCF affirmative action plans for qualified individuals with disabilities and protected Veterans are available for inspection in the Office of Institutional Equity, Monday through Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., upon request.

As a Florida public university, UCF makes all application materials and selection procedures available to the public upon request. 

The University of Central Florida is proud to be a smoke-free campus and an E-Verify employer.