Academic Career & Executive Search is pleased to assist Dominican University in its search for Executive Director of Nursing. 

For full consideration, please apply by March 21st  

This is an exceptional opportunity to join Dominican University, a Catholic and Dominican Hispanic Serving Institution, as the Executive Director of Nursing to lead and shape the next generation of compassionate and skilled health care professionals. Reporting to the Dean of the Borra College of Health Sciences, the Executive Director of Nursing (ED) will be responsible for providing academic leadership by setting the standards of intellectual engagement and accomplishment for the Elizabeth T. MacNeil School of Nursing, including leading and inspiring a team of dedicated faculty in achieving excellence.

The Borra College of Health Sciences strives to be a national leader in advancing health care education through interprofessional collaborations and civic engagement and takes a relationship-centered approach to nursing education. With small class sizes, students work collaboratively and build close partnerships with faculty and colleagues. In keeping with Dominican’s mission, the nursing program provides a foundation for professional practice that respects the dignity of each and every person, pursuit of the common good, and concern for those most vulnerable. The University's curricula, research and campus life demonstrate a commitment to ethics, community service, social justice and global citizenship. The next ED will support this strategic mission to prepare DU students in health care professions through nationally recognized programs that are rigorous, relevant, and empowered by Carias et Veritas (Love and Truth). 

The School of Nursing is CCNE accredited (2021) and offers BSN and RN-BSN programs. The School offers two state-of-the-art high-tech simulation labs and over 30 secured clinical affiliation agreements. 

Dominican has been recognized as a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) by the Department of Education since 2011, and since receiving the Midwest’s only Title V grant in 2017. Dominican has secured over $15 million in funding from various Title V, Title III-STEM, NSF and HRSA grant competitions. 

This position reports to the Dean of the Borra College of Health Sciences and leads the Elizabeth T. MacNeil School of Nursing. 


DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 

Leadership:

1. Develops and implements an annual unit-operating plan that is consistent with the strategic plan of the university as a whole. Prepares and disseminates an annual report documenting operating plan. 
2. Convenes regular meetings as needed. 
3. Encourages faculty and staff engagement in the life of the university community. 
4. Ensures achievement of enrollment, advancement and budget targets. 

Resources:

1. Works with the Dean to develop and manage the unit's annual operating budget for the School of Nursing. Expend restricted resources allocated to the School of Nursing in a fair and appropriate manner. 
2. Assumes responsibility for supervision of facilities, equipment and supplies for the school, program or function. 
3. Collaborates with Admissions to recruit students to the nursing programs. 

Curriculum:

1. Collaborates with colleagues and the Dean of the Borra College of Health Sciences to develop and maintain a high-quality curriculum at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. 
2. Ensures that catalog and web copy are accurate and engaging. 
3. Collaborates with the Dean of the Borra College of Health Sciences and the chairs/directors of the programs to ensure proper academic support services and advising are provided to students. 
4. Collaborates with colleagues in the registrar office, bookstore, and library to ensure that all responsibilities and deadlines are satisfied appropriately. 
5. Collects and reviews course syllabi to ensure they are complete, consistent and compliant with University policies and guidelines, AACN Essentials, and CCNE requirements. 
6. Oversees all aspects of practicum experiences within the School of Nursing. 
7. Oversees program reviews and assessment activities. 

Faculty:

1. Responsible for scholarship and teaching as a member of the faculty. The Executive Director is expected to have six teaching load credits per year. 
2. Collaborates with the Dean of the Borra College of Health Sciences to recruit qualified faculty to serve in the nursing program. 
3. Collaborates with colleagues and supervisor to orient and mentor faculty/staff who demonstrate the potential necessary to succeed in all aspects of their work at Dominican University. 
4. Manages faculty teaching loads and service responsibilities to ensure equitable and efficient operation of the unit. 
5. Performs effectively all duties detailed in the annual performance evaluation processes for faculty and staff. 
6. Recruits, hires, develops and evaluates faculty.
7. Participates actively in faculty development program/activities. 
8. In collaboration with the dean, assigns faculty workload.
9. Completes the annual performance review process with faculty. 

Students:

1. Fosters an equitable teaching and learning environment for students 
2. Coordinates all aspects of the School of Nursing's learning outcomes assessment program. 
3. Ensures that students engaged in the School of Nursing have multiple opportunities to learn about internship, scholarship, graduate/professional schools, career opportunities in their selected areas of interest. 
4. Oversees the collaboration of outside offices to support student success, including Mission and Ministry, Student Success and Engagement, etc. 
5. Advocates for members of various constituency groups and mediates conflicts as appropriate. 
6. Works collaboratively with colleagues across the university to address student concerns and behaviors. 
7. Monitors and supports students' academic progress.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• An earned master's degree in nursing, and a doctoral degree (PhD or DNP) in nursing or related field. 
• Must have licensure or be eligible for licensure as a registered nurse in the state of Illinois.
• Significant experience in nursing education and practice.
• Minimum of five years of full-time faculty experience and three years of full-time experience in a nursing program with teaching responsibilities.
• Previous experience with the CCNE accreditation process for nursing programs.
• Excellent administrative and interpersonal skills.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS 

• Previous experience in education leadership such as Program Director, Associate Program Director, Academic Director, Clinical Director or another director-level role. 
• Demonstrated leadership in the nursing field.
• Record of excellence in teaching, scholarship, service and fostering empirical research. 
• Have a vision and interpersonal skills to build partnerships within and outside the nursing program with state and regional partners and stakeholders. 

About the Institution

The University was founded in 1901 and reflects commitments to truth, justice, compassion, partnership and community. Dominican’s Catholic identity has been informed and shaped through the work, influence, accomplishments, and spiritualty of the Sinsinawa Sisters. 
In 2017, the University completed a comprehensive realignment of its academic units resulting in its four college structure: the Rosary College of Arts and Sciences, the Brennan School of Business, the Borra College of Health Sciences, and the College of Applied Social Sciences.
Dominican offers more than 60 undergraduate majors, 20 master’s programs and one doctoral degree. Undergraduate students also have the option to pursue accelerated bachelor’s-to-master’s programs allowing them to earn an advanced degree with one additional year of study. 

Dominican is repeatedly named among the top master’s-level universities in the Midwest by U.S. News & World Report in its “Best Colleges” rankings. Dominican is currently ranked #10 out of nearly 160 regional universities in the Midwest. Dominican is the #1 Best Value School in the Chicago area and is especially proud to be the #1 school in Illinois for social mobility in recognition of its success in moving young people up the economic ladder. Dominican is also #6 in the Midwest in the Best Undergraduate Teaching category.

Borra College of Health Sciences

Established in 2016, the Borra College of Health Sciences works to address the academic and professional needs of students in health-related fields by expanding educational and professional opportunities for a new generation of students. It builds on Dominican’s established strengths in the social and natural sciences with outstanding programs in Health and Wellness, Nursing, Nutrition and Dietetics, Physician Assistant Studies, and Medical Science. It supports new and emerging styles of learning and pedagogy and provides for an increased emphasis on student-faculty collaborative research. Most significantly, it looks outward to the community it serves, enabling the university to do its part to address critical shortages of health care and wellness professionals in the state and around the nation. The Borra College of Health Sciences reflects the commitment to the University’s mission of preparing students to pursue truth and to give compassionate service. 

ELIZABETH T. MACNEIL SCHOOL OF NURSING 
 
Dominican University students practice their nursing skills in high-tech simulation labs, collaborate with experienced faculty and prepare to serve as an agent of change in one of the world’s most rewarding professions. The baccalaureate degree program in nursing at Dominican University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. The nursing programs were re-accredited through CCNE in 2021.  

Purpose 

The purpose of the BSN and RN-BSN programs is to prepare the nurse generalist to practice in a variety of settings, sensitive to culturally diverse understandings of illness, health, and wellness. 

The graduate of the BSN programs will be a liberally educated individual who is committed to using her or his talents to make a positive contribution to the world and has acquired the knowledge and skills to provide humanistic nursing practice in multiple settings as well as a foundation for advanced study in nursing. 

The RN-BSN program at Dominican University is designed for working RNs and is fully online with optional campus visit opportunities if one-on-one instruction is desired. Students can attend full time or part time and earn a bachelor’s degree in as little as 12 months.  

The Dominican Difference 

Dominican takes a relationship-centered approach to nursing education. Students work collaboratively and build close partnerships with faculty and colleagues. In keeping with Dominican’s mission, the nursing program provides a foundation for professional practice that respects the dignity of each and every person, pursuit of the common good, and concern for those most vulnerable. 

Living in the Area

Located on a 37-acre wooded campus in suburban River Forest, Illinois, and just 10 miles west of downtown Chicago, Dominican University provides students, faculty, and staff an accessible and welcoming location and superb access to a wealth of career, intellectual and cultural opportunities. 
The village of River Forest is closely tied to the larger neighboring community of Oak Park. The Oak Park- River Forest community boasts a strong and diverse population of 60,000 with top-notch schools, a robust housing market and a vibrant local economy. 
The significant architectural designs located in River Forest include the Winslow House by Frank Lloyd Wright. Nationally renowned for its architecture since construction began in the early 1900s, the Dominican campus was designed by famed architect Ralph Adams Cram, who also drew the plans for Princeton University, West Point Military Academy and Chicago’s landmark Rockefeller Chapel. The University has maintained its signature Gothic look through expansion over the past century. 
Dominican University has strong historical ties within the Chicago area, connecting both students and faculty with abundant opportunities within the city. Dominican maintains relationships and formal partnerships with the metro area’s top corporations, medical centers, nonprofits, and cultural institutions. Dominican is 20 minutes from downtown Chicago on the Green Line and is a 20-minute drive from O’Hare International Airport, one of the world’s busiest air travel hubs. 


To Apply 

For full consideration, please apply by March 21st  

Please apply through the application link and do not email applications. 

Applications will be reviewed as they are received and should include a cover letter and curriculum vita. Ideally cover letters should not exceed two pages. All applications are treated confidentially.

Inquiries, referrals, and nominations are also treated confidentially.

Candidates advanced in the process will need to provide a statement sharing how Dominican’s mission of social justice, its status as a Hispanic-Serving Institution, and its commitments to social mobility, justice, equity, and inclusion will inform your work in student success/affairs.

Inquiries and questions: Please send to DOMExecutiveDirector@acesrch.com 
Nominations and referrals: Please send the nominee’s name, title, and contact information if available to nominations@acesrch.com. 

Institution’s EEO Statement
Dominican University is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and is dedicated to the goal of building an equity-centered faculty and staff committed to teaching, working, and learning in a multicultural environment. Dominican University believes that justice, equity, and inclusion are critical to our growth and development and seek to recruit, develop, and retain from a diverse pool of applicants who bring varied experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds. If you need accommodations due to a disability, please contact us at hr@dom.edu for assistance.