For best consideration, complete applications should be received before December 22, 2025.

Complete information is available on the Search Profile.

Spalding University seeks an experienced and proven academic leader for the position of Dean of the Kosair for Kids College of Health & Natural Sciences. This is a transformative opportunity for an innovative and collaborative leader to shape a newly realigned and interdisciplinary academic unit dedicated to excellence in health and science education.

THE OPPORTUNITY

The Kosair for Kids College of Health & Natural Sciences Dean will play a central role in advancing a dynamic academic environment that fosters interprofessional education, cross-disciplinary research, and community-engaged learning. The College is committed to preparing the next generation of practitioners, scholars, and change agents in the health and natural sciences. This position is a pivotal and forward-looking opportunity for an inclusive, visionary, and collaborative leader to guide a newly realigned, interdisciplinary college that integrates health, science, and service to society. The position will report to the Provost and will join an interdependent team including: Dean, College of Education, Business & Professional Studies; Dean, College of Social Sciences & Humanities, Dean, Student & Academic Success.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide strategic leadership and oversight for all academic, administrative, and operational functions of the College.
• Support faculty recruitment, development, retention, and scholarly engagement.
• Foster collaboration among the six distinct schools while promoting a shared vision for innovation and excellence.
• Advance accreditation, assessment, and programmatic excellence across all health and science disciplines.
• Promote student success, clinical partnerships, and interdisciplinary learning opportunities.
• Cultivate external relationships with healthcare systems, research institutions, nonprofits, and community stakeholders.
• Manage budgets, allocate resources strategically, and support fundraising and grant initiatives.
• Champion interprofessional education in all aspects of the College’s mission and operations.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• An earned doctorate in a health sciences, natural sciences, or related field represented within the College
• At least 5 years of progressive academic leadership experience (e.g., department chair, associate dean, or dean)
• A record of academic and scholarly achievement sufficient to qualify for a tenured faculty appointment
• Demonstrated experience with clinical or healthcare education, program accreditation, and external partnership development
• A strategic thinker with a collaborative leadership style and commitment to shared governance

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience in launching or restructuring academic units or interdisciplinary programs
• Demonstrated success in building clinical and community partnerships
• Knowledge of current trends in health care, behavioral health, and science education
• Experience with fundraising, grants management, or philanthropic engagement
• Strong communication and team-building skills

LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY

Louisville, Kentucky, rich in history, was founded in 1778 by George Rogers Clark at the Falls of the Ohio River, initially as a portage point for river travel. Named for King Louis XVI of France in appreciation for his assistance during the Revolutionary War, Louisville’s initial growth was slow. The advent of the steamboat in the early 1800s sparked booming industrial development, and by 1830 Louisville had secured its place as the largest city in Kentucky.

During the Civil War, Louisville was an important Union base of operations and a major military supply center. In the postwar era, the city emerged even more prosperous than before, with merchant princes and manufacturers shaping the new economy. Owing to its strategic location at the Falls of the Ohio, Louisville was a major commercial center. River transportation was supplemented by the construction of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad, which was chartered in 1850 and operated more than 1,800 miles of line in the state by 1920. Joseph E. Seagram and Sons opened the world’s largest distillery in Louisville following the repeal of prohibition. Thanks to companies such as Dupont, the city became the world’s largest producer of synthetic rubber during World War II.

Louisville was also a city of firsts. In the reform-minded progressive era of the 1880’s the city was the first in the nation to introduce the secret ballot, significantly reducing vote fraud. It was the first city in Kentucky to adopt zoning and planning measures to control and shape urban growth. Home to the first bridge designed exclusively for motor vehicles to cross the Ohio River, Louisville was also the birthplace of Mary Millicent Miller, the first woman in the United States to receive a steamboat master’s license.

The city has been home to a number of men and women who changed the face of American history. President Zachary Taylor was reared in surrounding Jefferson County, and two U.S. Supreme Court Justices, including Louis D. Brandeis, the first Jewish Justice, were from the city proper. John James Audubon was a local shopkeeper in the early years of his career, drawing birds in his spare time. Second Lt. F. Scott Fitzgerald, stationed at Camp Zachary Taylor during World War I, was a frequent presence at the bar in the famous Seelbach Hotel, immortalized in the novel The Great Gatsby. Muhammad Ali, perhaps the greatest heavyweight boxer of all time, was born in Louisville and won six Golden Glove tournaments in Kentucky.