Department Head, German Studies

The Department of German Studies, within the School of International Languages, Literatures, and Cultures (SILLC), at the University of Arizona seeks an established scholar with strong administrative experience to provide energetic and visionary leadership as head of one of the leading departments of its kind in the country.

In addition to representing the Department, the Head will report to the Dean of the College of Humanities and will work collaboratively with the Dean, SILLC director and staff, college administrators, and other college heads and directors to help shape the "humanities" in the 21st century.

The Department of German Studies is widely recognized as a vibrant and innovative research and teaching unit. Located in the Southwest borderlands but with a global scope, the Department is committed to social justice values, inclusive and transparent governance, and making meaningful and transformative contributions to the diverse communities we serve.

The Department of German Studies offers a variety of academic programs, including a BA and several MA in German Studies, and a dual PhD/Dr. phil in Transcultural German Studies with partner universities in Leipzig and Cologne. It is also a leader in community outreach and study abroad, and has a diverse graduate student body.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Oversees teaching and curriculum development, as well as assessment plans, at both the graduate and undergraduate levels, including the language program, and chairing dissertation committees and mentoring/advising doctoral and master candidates.
• Supports faculty of all ranks and status, graduate students, and staff professional development.
• Plans, oversees, and administers academic budgets, and secures internal and external funding for students, staff, and faculty.
• Sets and advances long and short-term academic strategy for the Department in line with the College and University strategic plans and directions.
• Plans and oversees the recruitment and retention of undergraduate students (including majors and minors), graduate students, and faculty in the Department.
• Plans and oversees fundraising and alumni relations for the Department in collaboration with the Dean and Director of Development.
• Fosters a culture of sponsored research and innovation in the Department.

Leadership and Management Style

The successful candidate will constantly promote recruitment and retention of undergraduate majors and graduate students, and will have a record of accomplishments in many of the following areas:

• Cultivating, modeling, and maintaining a positive and respectful environment and supporting the professional activities, goals, and achievements of students, faculty, and staff, regardless of rank and status.
• Identifying and promoting opportunities for departmental growth.
• Demonstrating commitment to transparency and fairness in decision-making processes.
• Maintaining an inclusive, collaborative, and accountable governance style.
• Communicating and meaningfully engaging with diverse populations at the department, college, and university levels, as well in the community at large.
• Supporting, rewarding, and promoting visibility of scholarship and innovative pedagogical practices among faculty and graduate students, regardless of rank and status.
• Participating in Departmental and College-wide activities such as Meet Your Major Fair, Study Abroad Fair, Language Fair, Convocation, Welcome Back receptions, Homecoming, Study Abroad Programs, Commencement and the Tucson Humanities Festival.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Effectiveness in developing and sustaining appropriate and transparent structures for management, consultation, decision-making, and communication with staff, faculty, and students
• Excellent communication skills (oral and written) in both English and German.
• Ability to promote inclusivity and diversity.
• Inclusive and collaborative decision-making and management skills.
• Demonstrated strong leadership skills with goal-setting and results-oriented disposition.

Minimum Qualifications

• An earned doctorate in German Studies or related field (open specialization) with scholarly credentials commensurate with appointment at the rank of tenured Full Professor at a Carnegie Research Intensive Institution.
• Experience in teaching and curriculum development at both the graduate and undergraduate levels, including German language classes.
• Experience in effectiveness in planning, budgeting, and personnel management at a program level requiring high-level abilities and organization/prioritization.
• Experience in planning, overseeing, and administering academic budgets, and in securing internal and external funding for students, staff, and faculty.
• Experience in actively recruiting and retaining majors and minors.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in inclusive leadership in a PhD granting program with a diverse student body. Productive and forward-thinking research profile.
• Experience in collaborating with and supporting the welfare and professional development of faculty, graduate students, and staff/administrative members.
• Experience in chairing dissertation committees and mentoring/advising doctoral and master candidates.
• Experience fundraising and generating revenue through community outreach venues, donors, and alumni.
• Successful experience in developing innovative, interdisciplinary, and/or collaborative programs on and off campus.