Job description

Notre Dame of Maryland University, in partnership with the national search firm Scott Healy & Associates, invites applications and nominations for the position of Dean of the School of Nursing. Reporting to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, the Dean serves as the chief administrative officer of the School, providing strategic, academic, and operational leadership across all programs and delivery sites. The Dean will advance the University’s mission and the School Sisters of Notre Dame charism while ensuring alignment with the School’s vision, strategic priorities, and distinctive academic culture. This leader will guide strategic planning, uphold academic quality and accreditation standards, foster faculty and staff excellence, steward financial and human resources, and cultivate partnerships that strengthen the School’s impact across the region. The new Dean will build upon a strong foundation of nationally recognized programs and a mission-centered commitment to caring science, social justice, and the preparation of nurses as transformative leaders in healthcare and the world.

Responsibilities:

• Ensures compliance with regional accreditation (MSCHE), program-specific accreditation (CCNE), and state regulatory requirements (e.g., MBON, MHEC).
• Oversees the implementation of academic and operational policies within the school and ensures alignment with university policies.
• Leads faculty and staff recruitment, hiring, onboarding, retention, supervision, and annual performance evaluations.
• Supports faculty development, mentoring, and advancement (tenure, promotion, certification).
• Ensures communication between administration and faculty, representing faculty concerns to administration and administrative concerns to faculty.
• Serves as an ex officio member on faculty governance committees (Circles) and facilitates collaborative decision-making.
• Develops and manages the school’s annual budget, including personnel planning and workload distribution, to support academic quality and financial sustainability.
• Pursues external funding, partnerships, and grant opportunities in collaboration with the University’s Grants Office.
• Contributes to the academic mission through teaching and scholarship consistent with the expectations of a senior academic leader.
• Provides leadership for student recruitment, advising, and retention initiatives to ensure student success.
• Ensures that academic and support services meet diverse student needs and align with university expectations for student persistence and completion.
• Represents and advocates for the school to internal and external stakeholders, including clinical partners, accrediting bodies, professional organizations, government/regulatory agencies, and donors.
• Performs such similar, comparable, or related duties as may be assigned or required.

Qualifications:

• Terminal degree (Ph.D. or professional equivalent) and a graduate degree in nursing.
• Record of exceptional teaching, scholarship, and service.
• Minimum of 5 years of increasingly responsible administrative experience in nursing education.
• Exceptional interpersonal and administrative skills.
• Commitment to fund-raising.
• Vision indicative of the ability to shape and energetically lead the school.

Preferred Qualifications:

• NP credential and experience teaching and leading NP programs.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Commitment to caring science as a way of being in the School of Nursing.
• Knowledge and support of the philosophies and outcomes of the University and the School of Nursing.
• Knowledge and competence in nursing education practices and development.
• Ability to read, understand, interpret, and implement accreditation criteria and state agency regulations.
• Ability to resolve inquiries and complaints from employees, students, regulatory agencies, or members of the academic or business community.
• Ability to effectively present information to faculty, academic and campus leaders, community leaders, and public groups.
• Understand curriculum development and evaluation.
• Ability to mentor new faculty and staff.
• Ability to build and lead teams.
• Knowledge and support of shared governance models.

About Notre Dame of Maryland University:

Notre Dame of Maryland University (NDMU) is a private, independent institution anchored in the Homeland neighborhood of Baltimore City with outreach programs in the state serving central and southern Maryland and the Eastern Shore. Founded as a Catholic women’s college in 1895, NDMU is now a comprehensive university that offers baccalaureate degrees on campus and online to post-traditional learners, and graduate programs through the School of Arts, Sciences, and Business, School of Education, School of Nursing, School of Pharmacy and Health Professions, and School of Integrative Health. NDMU is committed to building a faculty and staff that reflects the composition of our diverse student body. To that end, we especially encourage applications from those traditionally underrepresented in academia.

About the School of Nursing:

The School of Nursing prepares nurses to transform healthcare and the world through programs that emphasize intellectual excellence, inclusive communities, and social responsibility. The School’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing program was recognized among the 2023 U.S. News & World Report top undergraduate nursing programs, and it is the only Maryland university ranked in the Best Nursing Master’s Programs for Your Money and #1 in the state for Top Performers in Social Mobility. Students gain hands-on experience in the Center for Caring with Technology’s three simulation labs, equipped with computer-powered human simulators, allowing them to practice skills and develop clinical reasoning in a safe, realistic environment. Rooted in a philosophy of caring, advocacy, and social justice, the School fosters reflective, intentional nursing practice, emphasizing authentic connections with patients, students, colleagues, and the discipline itself. Its mission is to educate nurses as leaders who embody compassion, perseverance, and ethical practice, advancing both individual and professional growth.

About the Community:

Baltimore, MD offers walkable waterfront fun, world-class art museums, and amazing street murals, all set against a city proud of its rich history. Known for crabs and oysters and often celebrated for having the best seafood in the world, Charm City invites you to enjoy its vibrant harbor, the jewel of the Chesapeake and cultural capital of the region. From historic neighborhoods and professional sports to a thriving healthcare, higher education, and biotechnology economy, Baltimore blends opportunity with character and community. About 40 miles away, Washington, D.C. enhances the region’s appeal with its iconic national monuments, renowned Smithsonian museums, acclaimed dining scene, global cultural institutions, and the distinctive energy of the nation’s capital.

How to apply

All correspondence relating to the position of Dean of the School of Nursing at Notre Dame of Maryland University should be directed in confidence to the University’s executive search consultant:

Danan Tsan, Vice President

Scott Healy & Associates

[email protected]

A complete application should include the following:

1. Cover Letter outlining your interest and qualifications for the position;
2. Updated CV;
3. Contact information for three (3) professional references with title, institutional affiliation, email address and direct phone numbers. (No references will be contacted without written permission from the candidate.)

Applications received by April 20, 2026 will receive priority consideration. The search will remain open until the position is filled.

Salary range: $140,000 – $155,000

Notre Dame of Maryland University does not discriminate in its educational programs, activities, or employment based on race, color, national and ethnic origin, religion, sex, disability, or age. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policy: Vice President for Student Life, Notre Dame of Maryland University, 4701 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21210, 410-532-5308. For all other employment inquiries, please contact Human Resources at 410-532-5898 or [email protected].

Notre Dame of Maryland University is an EEO/AA employer.