| Description: The Graduate College of Social Work (GCSW) at the University of Houston, a Carnegie Designated Tier One Research University, invites applications and nominations for the Associate Dean for Strategic Excellence (ADSE) at the tenured Associate Professor/Professor rank with an appointment beginning September 1, 2026.
Reporting directly to the Dean, the Associate Dean for Strategic Excellence will provide visionary leadership to strengthen and expand the College’s culture of excellence in faculty, staff, and student development. This position plays a pivotal role in advancing the GCSW’s commitment to academic innovation, inclusive excellence, student success, and national prominence.
We are interested in a leader who will bring fresh ideas, a commitment to advancing social work education, and an interdisciplinary mindset that embraces collaboration. This is a transformative leadership role designed to elevate the entire ecosystem of the College—faculty, staff, and students—through development, mentoring, recognition, and innovative practices that align with the GCSW’s bold vision for national prominence.
The selected candidate will teach graduate level social work courses in the MSW and Ph.D. program while participating in meaningful service at the College, University, and professional settings.
Successful candidates are expected to develop and maintain a dynamic, externally funded research program and strong record of high-impact scholarship (e.g., publications, presentations, etc.).
We are especially interested in applicants whose teaching, research and scholarship align with the following areas:
-Health equity/social determinants of health, Aging/Gerontological Social Work, Behavioral Health, Substance Use and Addiction Services,
-Intersections of artificial intelligence (AI), human-centered design, and the future of social work—driving transformative approaches to ethical use, practice, education, and impactful research.
-Macro practice/Workforce expansion, social policy/advocacy, Community Innovation and Global Efforts, and leadership development
In addition to the primary responsibility of being a full time faculty member, the Associate Dean for Strategic Excellence responsibilities include but are not limited to:
• Faculty & Staff Development
o Design, curate, and oversee faculty and staff development programs that promote growth, innovation, and career advancement.
o Lead initiatives in mentoring, leadership training, and succession planning that strengthen organizational culture.
o Support promotion and tenure processes with workshops, mentoring, and resources.
o Establish structured faculty mentoring programs for tenure-track, clinical, and adjunct faculty.
o Develop leadership training initiatives to prepare faculty for administrative and academic leadership roles.
o Support cross-rank and cross-disciplinary collaborations to strengthen scholarship and teaching.
• Strategic Planning & Institutional Alignment
o Partner with the Dean and other Associate Deans to align faculty and staff development with the College’s strategic priorities regarding bold, and values driven leadership.
o Lead initiatives that enhance faculty contributions to the College’s research, teaching, and service missions.
o Monitor and assess faculty development outcomes to ensure continuous improvement.
• Student Mentoring & Leadership Development
o Develop and coordinate structured mentoring programs for MSW and PhD students to support academic success, professional growth, and leadership pathways.
o Foster a culture of inclusive excellence through programming that enhances student engagement, retention, and achievement.
• Awards & Recognition
o Champion initiatives that elevate the visibility of GCSW’s contributions locally, nationally, and globally.
o Plans and leads the implementation of various lecture series including the Maconda Brown O’Connor Lecture Series, among others
o Administer College-level awards and recognition programs for faculty, staff, students, and community partners.
• Professional Development & Strategic Growth
o Identify and implement innovative professional development opportunities aligned with emerging trends in social work education, research, and practice.
o Collaborate with College leadership to strengthen organizational effectiveness and advance the GCSW’s strategic priorities.
We are seeking bold, forward-thinking applicants who will help advance our growing programs while envisioning new and innovative pathways to expand and transform the social work workforce. We are interested in candidates with a background in rigorous research methods that can support the College’s mission.
We seek a visionary colleague to join a dynamic faculty united in advancing excellence, innovation, and student success. The successful candidate will help shape the future of our programs through engaged service, program leadership, lecture series’ and curriculum design and to help create transformative learning experiences that empower the next generation of social work practitioners, leaders, researchers, advocates, and healers. Therefore, we especially seek candidates (Associate/Full Professors) who can provide leadership in CSWE accreditation and advance innovative approaches to assessment that strengthens social work education.
The GCSW is the largest graduate social work program located in Houston, the fourth largest city in the United States. The University of Houston is the flagship campus of a state-assisted higher education system that enrolls over 70,000 students (system-wide) and will celebrate its Centennial Year in 2027. Likewise, the GCSW will celebrate its 60th anniversary in 2027 as well.
We welcome candidates whose interests and experience in teaching, research, or community engagement has prepared them to contribute to our strategic plan, Charting Our Path To Excellence. Our MSW program offers face-to-face, hybrid, and online curriculum options. Our PhD program focuses on developing scholars that contribute to evidence-based social work, research, and macro-level initiatives/opportunities. As a Graduate-only College, the GCSW serves approximately 500 MSW and 33 PhD students.
The University of Houston is a member of the Texas Medical Center, which includes the MD Anderson Cancer Center, UT Medical School, Michael E. DeBakey Veteran’s Administration Medical Center, and Baylor College of Medicine. In addition, UH is home to the newly established UH Tilman J. Fertitta College of Medicine. This environment is rich in potential for numerous collaborative opportunities. Our faculty are actively engaged in groundbreaking research and scholarship to address complex challenges facing society. Over the last 5 years, the GCSW faculty has secured over $20 million in external grant funding. For more information, please visit our web site at www.uh.edu/socialwork.
Salary and rank commensurate with experience.
The University of Houston is responsive to the needs of dual career couples.
Required Qualifications
• Ph.D. in Social Work, DSW, or an equivalent doctoral degree in a related discipline from an accredited institution. ABD's will be considered if degree is earned by the start of the appointment period.
• Record of scholarly productivity, including peer-reviewed publications
• Show clear evidence of potential for impact in research, teaching, and community engagement
• Strong potential for securing external funding
Preferred Qualifications
• Master of Social Work (MSW) degree from a CSWE-accredited program
• Two years of post MSW social work practice experience
• Experience with CSWE reaffirmation and accreditation processes
• A research agenda showing opportunities for collaboration with the other units/disciplines on campus including the UH Tillman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine and faculty at UH.
• Leadership experience in higher education including roles as a Program Coordinator, BSW or MSW Program Director, Assistant or Associate Dean
• Experience developing and/or implementing leadership development and mentoring programs
• Demonstrated scholarly activity including publications, presentations, and invited talks
• Current funding or evidence of potential for external funding.
• Teaching experience in higher education
Required Attachments
• Letter of application that outlines how you are prepared to join the faculty at the GCSW highlighting your interests and expertise in research and teaching, and your alignment with our College mission, and other qualifications for the position.
• Curriculum Vitae
• Statement of Teaching Philosophy that addresses how you are prepared to instruct and mentor students.
• Statement of Research outlining their current scholarship, future research agenda, and potential contributions to advancing the mission of the Graduate College of Social Work.
• Information for three professional references (name, title, organization, e-mail address, phone number). Please note that references are not contacted until a candidate is identified as a finalist for this position
Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.
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