Inaugural Program Director/Asst. or Assoc. Professor, Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (2024)

About McDaniel College:

McDaniel College, recognized nationally among "Colleges that Change Lives" and U.S. News and World Report top-tier liberal arts colleges, is a four-year private college of the liberal arts and sciences offering more than 70 undergraduateprograms of study, including dual and student-designed majors, plus 20 highly regardedgraduate programs. At McDaniel College we value our employees by offering our full-time employees tuition remission, 403B retirement accounts, paid time off, medical insurance, flexible spending accounts, life insurance, and paid maternity and parental leave. For more information about the college's benefits, please click here to review the 2024 benefitsguidebook.

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Job Description:

McDaniel College seeks an innovative inaugural Program Director to lead the development of a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy program. This is an opportunity to join McDaniel College and to become part of a leadership team that will carry out a critical goal of the college's new Strategic plan to expand health science graduate and professional programs. This position is a full-time, tenure track position.McDaniel has secured a date from ACOTE to admit the first cohort of students in summer 2026.

The Occupational Therapy Program Director is charged with the oversight and planning related to development and accreditation of a new Master of Science in Occupational Therapy program. The role includes the combined responsibilities of leading a master's-level clinical graduate program with teaching, scholarship, and service expectations of a faculty member. The Program Director will teach one course each semester consistent with expertise and background and will have the primary responsibility for strategic planning, curriculum development and assessment activities, program operations, faculty development and supervision, and attaining and maintaining accreditation.

Under the supervision/direction of the Dean of Graduate and Professional Studies, the Program Director is central to leading a team of faculty and staff to successful attainment and maintenance of accreditation. Other duties of the position include faculty and student recruitment, retention and professional development, program operations and budget management, staffing, class schedules, evaluation of faculty, curriculum development and the oversight of the assessment of student learning.

Reporting Relationships

The Master of Science in Occupational Therapy is a new program that is being developed as part of the College's direction to develop programs in the health professions. McDaniel's strategic plan includes launching a Bachelor of Science in nursing in fall 2024 and is developing a Master in Speech Language Pathology program with a planned launch date of spring 2027.

The OT Program Director will report to the Dean of Graduate and Professional Studies. The Program Director will supervise a team of faculty and staff that will be hired as part of the full development of this program.

Responsibilities

Strategic Planning

• Provides leadership for development of strategy, vision, organization, processes and infrastructure for the OT program, and in concert with the college's strategic and quality improvement plan;
• Assesses and reports on program metrics, such as faculty workload and scholarly productivity, student satisfaction, graduation rates, enrollments, etc. to assure program goals are being met;
• Identifies new opportunities for innovation and growth;

Program Operations

• Responsible for the development and maintenance of effective program operations including efficient workflow, achieving student learning outcomes; ensuring appropriate faculty numbers; assuring quality curriculum;
• Works effectively with other departments across the college to coordinate activities to include curriculum development, recruitment and admissions processes, scheduling, financial aid, and billing.
• Promotes a campus culture in alignment with the college's mission, vision and values that focuses on the academic achievement and personal development of all students;
• Communicates effectively and fosters collaborative relationships among all campus constituencies including students, faculty, and staff; advises students, assisting with problem solving and complaint resolution.
• Collaborate with internal and external partners to assure quality clinical experiences for students.
• In collaboration with admissions, conducts student recruiting information sessions;
• Ensures faculty support the attainment of department and institutional outcomes as laid out in the division and program assessment plans;
• Fosters relationships with external partners to build clinical site placement relationships for students.

Faculty Leadership and Development

• Hires, develops, and evaluates faculty (core and adjunct). Utilizing standards for effective job performance to evaluate faculty effectiveness;
• Mentors and develops employees to maximize individual performance, build future organizational leadership, enhance teamwork and strengthen support of the organization's core values;

Scholarly and Professional Development

• Stays abreast of educational best practices, policy changes and developments that may impact the program through attendance, and developing professional relationships at professional conferences, seminars and local, state and national organizations;
• Meets scholarly goals, as identified in faculty policies;
• Maintains visibility in respective professional organizations;
• Uses research and practice, and theory and experience to foster professional development and student learning;
• Contributes service to the college by serving on faculty committees or by other means.

Faculty and Program Director Responsibilities

• Teaches one course per semester
• Develops syllabus and course learning materials.
• Provides ongoing students advising
• Keeps abreast of current teaching and active learning strategies
• Promotes college and division's vision, mission and core values
• Maintains superior customer service to internal and external customers
• Fosters a success-oriented, accountable environment within the college
• In cooperation with the Dean of GPS, develops annual budget and expenses for area(s) of responsibility and guides managerial personnel in the development of their budgets as necessary. Administers or delegates the administration of budgets, approving expenditures, reviewing reports
• Develops, communicates, and upholds college policies and procedures
• Leads local participation in the programmatic accreditation process and assures full compliance with federal, state, and accrediting body standards and regulations
• Attends and participate in college and division committees
• Approves pre-requisite course substitutions and transfer credits

Technical and Managerial Skills

To perform this job successfully an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Appropriate reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

• Demonstrated effectiveness in teaching, scholarship and administration, in an institution of higher education
• Knowledge of fiscal management
• Exceptional leadership, communication, and management skills
• Ability to work collaboratively as part of a team, and to interact effectively with colleagues, administrators and faculty members and students, as well as external constituencies

Requirements:

Candidate Qualifications

Education/Certification and Experience

• Earned entry-level occupational therapy degree from an accredited program.
• Earned doctoral degree in occupational therapy or a related field from a US accredited college or university.
• Current certification by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy.
• Current license or eligible for license to practice in the state of Maryland.
• Eight (8) years of experience in OT administration, teaching, and scholarship to include
  • clinical practice as an occupational therapist AND worked with occupational therapy assistants.
  • a minimum of 2-3 yearof experience in a full-time academic appointment with teaching responsibilities atthepostsecondarylevel.
  • record of scholarship (e.g., scholarship of application, teaching and/or learning).
  • administrative experience including, but not limited to, program planning and implementation, personnel management, evaluation, and budgeting.

Physical Requirements

• Visual ability to perform detailed work at close distances (computer screens).
• Ability to convey detailed and complex information to others.
• Able to spend most of the workday in an inside environment.
• Stand, sit, walk, bend, stoop, use hand/eye coordination, finger dexterity, reach overhead, and lift to 40 pounds.
• Repetitive movements of the wrists, hands, and/or fingers repetitively.

Personal Characteristics

• Capacity to deal effectively with a wide range of relationships and confidential situations.
• Self-motivated, approachable, and visible leader who empowers others and fosters collaboration.
• Effective consensus builder and consummate team player. Ability to work with multiple stakeholders to bring about a broad perspective.
• Well-organized, analytical, self-directed individual with excellent project and time management skills. Capacity to work effectively in a team environment and work well independently.
• Ability to demonstrate open communication with a commitment to transparency in decision making.
• Demonstrated ability to build and sustain partnerships both internally and externally.
• Capacity to effectively use instructional technologies and software.
• Literacy and proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).

Additional Information:

McDaniel College is committed to building a diverse workforce that reflects the student body. McDaniel College, in compliance with federal and state laws and regulations, does not discriminate in the recruitment, admission, and employment of students, faculty, and staff in the operation of any of its educational programs and activities. McDaniel College will not tolerate any discrimination or harassment on basis of any protected status including protective hairstyle, race, religion, color, ancestry or national origin, disability, age, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, pregnancy, military status, genetic information, marital status, veteran's status, or any other actual or perceived legally protected characteristics. For more information on the College's commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, please visitDiversity, Equity, and Inclusion | McDaniel College.

Application Instructions:

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:

• CV
• Cover Letter
• 3 References
• Statement of Teaching Philosophy

Position is open until filled. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.

URL: candidateportal.wittkieffer.com/login