Job Description:

The Department of Community and Regional Planning (CRP) in the College of Design at Iowa State University is seeking an accomplished administrator with demonstrated achievements in planning for the role of Department Chair to support and promote the interdisciplinary and collaborative work of all departmental faculty and staff.

As a Carnegie Foundation- designated Research-Extensive institution, we seek an individual in the field who will support the department's long-standing scholarly excellence in education, research, and practice. The Chair will be expected to foster collegiality and enhance our unique land- grant university status by upholding and inspiring our work both on and off campus. The Department Chair will enrich our community as we pursue an appropriate balance in knowledge building and sharing, innovation, and entrepreneurship.

Founded in the late 1940s, the program has a long history of excellence. The CRP department integrates research, teaching, and outreach consistent with the tenets of Iowa State’s land grant mission. Planning at Iowa State is known for strong community-based learning and scholarship and for maintaining a close relationship with the University’s Extension and Outreach program. The department offers two accredited, on-campus degrees: a Bachelor of Science in Community and Regional Planning (one of only 16 accredited undergraduate planning programs in the United States) and a Master of Community and Regional Planning. The department offers a new, fully online Master of Community Development program, as well as graduate certificates in Geographic Information Systems and Heritage Preservation. The department also supports joint graduate degrees between Planning and Sustainable Agriculture, Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and Business Administration.

The successful candidate will oversee a diverse department comprised of 12 faculty with wide ranging experience and expertise, including two faculty who hold joint appointments with Iowa State Extension and Outreach. The Chair will be an advocate for members of the department in their relationships with allied programs, college and university administration, alumni, the profession, and the public. We seek a candidate who can support all three dimensions of the land-grant mission: education, research, and outreach. Candidates must demonstrate experience and aptitude in strategic planning and facilitating communication to support success for all students, faculty, and staff. As an academic administrator, the candidate must show an in-depth knowledge of the field of planning, an understanding and appreciation of the breadth of planning research and practice, and an appreciation for allied disciplines.

The Chair is the designated executive officer of the department and is responsible for personnel matters, including faculty recruitment and advancement, budgeting, departmental governance, and collaborative engagements. The chair also maintains relationships with the department’s extensive alumni network around the state, region, and nation. The Chair oversees administrative operations of the department, including teaching assignments, as well as assessment and accreditation. The Chair serves at the pleasure of the Dean of the College of Design. The proposed start date for the position is July 1, 2025. This is a full-time position, and candidates must be eligible for appointment at the rank of full professor with tenure.

Duties of the Chair

Provides leadership, strategy, and support for the department

Assists in the articulation of the department’s mission, values, and interests within the university and beyond

Supports the advancement of the department in all three dimensions of the land-grant mission: education, research/creative inquiry, and outreach

Supervises teaching assignments, program assessment, and accreditation

Supervises faculty within the department

Mentors and supports departmental faculty members through promotion and tenure

Plans and manages departmental financing, budget, and workforce in coordination with finance and human resources support

Maintains and strengthens interdisciplinary connections with other college/university programs, as well as with communities, professionals, and other external stakeholders (alumni, donors, and community partners)

Supports college/department/university efforts in recruitment, marketing, communication, and fundraising

Promotes the visibility and impact of the department and its students and alumni in national and international contexts

Engages in scholarship and teaching