Associate Dean and Open Rank Professor (Non-Tenure Track or Tenure Track), Graduate School of Counseling and Social Work

Position Overview:

The Graduate School of Counseling and Social Work invites applications for a full time 12- month Open Rank, Non-Tenure Track or Tenure Track Professor to serve as Associate Dean.

The Associate Dean partners with the Academic Dean to advance the mission and growth of graduate programs in Graduate School of Counseling and Social work including; Clinical Mental Health Counseling, School Counseling, and Social Work. These programs include over 800 masters' level graduate students and 18 faculty and staff. The Associate Dean role will lead day- to-day academic operations, foster a culture of collaboration and inclusion, and manage program development, assessment and resource allocation that enhances student experience, enrollment strength, and community impact.

Primary Responsibilities

• Collaborative Leadership: Coordinate across program directors, online coordinators, admissions, advising/coaching teams, and the Registrar to deliver a seamless student journey-from application through graduation. Represent the Dean's Office at campus and community events.
• Teaching: Responsible for teaching at least 4-credit/contact hours (1 course) during each semester including fall, spring, and summer; and engagement in course development and/or revision to maintain current knowledge content quality.
• Research and Scholarship: Maintain an active, impactful program of scholarship; produce peer-reviewed publications or equivalent scholarly outputs annually, pursue external/internal funding where appropriate, present at professional conferences, and mentor faculty and graduate students in research productivity and dissemination.
• Academic Operations and Student Outcomes: Oversee course scheduling and catalog updates for consistency, accuracy, and enrollment efficiency. Monitor student experience, progression (leaves, incompletes, CARE reports) and outcomes, and ensure timely faculty advising assignments. Drive process improvements for clinical programming to enhance operational efficiency, coordination, and student experience, and provide oversight and strategic direction to the clinical placement process across programs.
• Program Innovation and Quality: Partner with faculty to design high-impact student programming, co-curriculars, and clubs; support continuous improvement aligned with professional standards (e.g., MPCAC, CACREP, CSWE, APA) and evolving workforce needs.
• Talent and Team Development: Cultivate a collaborative, service-oriented culture across staff and faculty teams.
• Partnerships and Communication: Serve as liaison to Graduate Admissions, Marketing/Communications, and external school/community partners to support recruitment, orientations, licensure pathways, and public-facing materials.
• Strategic Growth: Assist the Academic Dean with multi-year planning, new program development, and data-informed decision making to strengthen enrollment, retention, and student outcomes. Evening/weekend engagement as needed.

Required Qualifications

• Doctorate in Counseling Psychology, Social Work, or a closely related field.
• At least 5 years of progressive academic leadership experience in graduate education.
• Licensure as a masters' level clinician (e.g., LICSW, LMHC), psychologist, or eligibility. Evidence of research/scholarly productivity and a record of effective teaching (e.g., strong teaching evaluations).
• Demonstrated success leading collaborative initiatives across units; commitment to student-centered practices.
• Demonstrated familiarity with accreditation and licensure landscapes (e.g., CACREP, MPCAC, APA, CSWE; DESE for School Counseling).
• Demonstrated proficiency with academic systems and data-informed decision making.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with online/hybrid program delivery and enrollment partnerships.
• 10 years of progressive academic leadership experience in graduate education.
• Grant writing and external funding experience.

Application Materials Should Include:

• Curriculum vitae
• Cover letter stating motivation and interest in the position, citing experience relevant to the qualifications and experience associated with key responsibilities for the position including teaching philosophy and evaluations.
• Contact information for three professional references (name, title, address, phone number, email address). Applicants will be notified before references are contacted.

We welcome experienced faculty leaders who value teamwork, innovation, and the holistic success of graduate students. If you're energized by building programs that prepare compassionate, practice-ready professionals, we invite your application.

For questions related to application submission, please contact Dr. Michael Mobley, Academic Dean, Graduate School of Counseling and Social Work at (978) 837-3515 or via email at [email protected].

Compensation

The expected salary range for the Associate Dean and Open Rank Professor at the Associate Professor or Associate Clinical Professor rank is $120,000-146,000; for the Professor or Full Clinical Professor rank is $146,000-$160,000. The actual pay offered to the selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as, but not limited to, candidate qualifications and prior experience, scope of responsibilities, internal equity, and market considerations.

Work Location

This is an on-campus position as employees are essential in order to provide a fully on-campus, residential college experience for our students and the community.

This position is subject to the successful completion of a criminal background check.

Statement on Our Mission

Merrimack College is a Catholic Augustinian institution of higher education committed to building an accepting and respectful community. Our mission is to enlighten minds, engage hearts and empower lives and is inspired by our Catholic faith and the Augustinian tradition of seeking truth through inquiry and dialogue.

Merrimack College seeks candidates who understand, respect, and can contribute to Merrimack's Catholic and Augustinian mission. All candidates should describe in their application how they will foster a culture that supports our mission.

About Merrimack College

The only Catholic, Augustinian institution of higher education in New England, Merrimack College is a private, independent, coeducational institution with more than 4,100 undergraduate, 2,500 graduate students and 50 doctoral students from 48 states and 63 countries. The College features more than 160 career-focused undergraduate, professional and graduate programs, all taught by exceptional faculty who are passionate about their subject and student success. The College has six schools: arts and sciences, engineering and computational sciences, nursing and health sciences, education and social policy, the Girard school of business and the graduate school of counseling and social work. The College's suburban 220-acre campus is just north of Boston in North Andover, Massachusetts. Merrimack is a Master's Colleges and Universities/Larger Programs (M1) institution in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. Merrimack is one of the fastest growing educational institutions in the country and has steadily climbed up in the U.S. News & World Report's ranking of Best Colleges, ranking 38th in the Regional Universities North category in 2026. Merrimack is a NCAA Division I athletic institution.

Merrimack College is an Equal Opportunity Employer.