Chair, Department of Language & Literature

Job Summary

Florida Gulf Coast University's College of Arts & Sciences invites applications for the position of Chair of the Department of Language and Literature. The Chair will play a pivotal role in leading the department's mission and spearheading the ongoing development of both the BA and MA English majors as well as providing oversight for General Education courses and language course offerings within the department. This is an out-of-unit faculty able to be appointed at the rank of Full Professor with a 1-1-1 teaching load. The Chair reports directly to the Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences.

Academic Department Chairs occupy a unique place in the continuum of academic administrators, as the facilitating link among Department faculty members, students, and higher administration. Chair persons play five essential roles, serving as academic leaders of their Department; representatives of their Department and faculty to the rest of the University, specially higher administration; representatives of higher administration to their faculty members and Department; managers of Department resources; and representatives of the Department and University to external bodies.

Located between the Everglades, Naples, Florida and the most pristine beaches on the Gulf Coast, Florida Gulf Coast University is a comprehensive university dedicated to quality education, research and service. All faculty are expected to be excellent teachers, responsive to changing professional needs; committed to innovative delivery of instruction resulting in improved student learning; committed to effective use of technology including distance learning; produce peer reviewed scholarship; and provide service to the College, University and Community. Teaching assignments may be on the main campus or at off-campus sites within our region.

FGCU is building a culture of curiosity, commitment and collaboration. We value employees who successfully work with others and drive positive change through critical thinking and decisive action. If you thrive in an environment of innovation, accountability and mutual respect, you will find a good home here.

Job Description

Typical duties may include but are not limited to:

• Coordinating the development of and implementing the Department Vision and Goals Statement.
• Leading Department effort toward achieving University and College goals and initiatives.
• Developing a Department budget.
• Managing the fiscal affairs of the Department.
• Leading and coordinating Department strategic planning and curriculum development.
• Assigning and assessing the distribution of faculty workload including instructional, research, and service responsibilities.
• Promoting excellence in instruction, scholarly and service.
• Leading and coordinating the governance of the Department.
• Leading the processes of faculty selection and ensuring that the appointment follows university, college, and departmental policies.
• Coordinating the professional development of faculty members.
• Leading the evaluation of faculty members for retention, and promotion.
• Providing recommendations to the Dean and Provost regarding sabbaticals and other leaves for faculty and staff.
• Managing non-faculty staff members.
• Developing, leading, and encouraging outreach and public service efforts.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Additional Job Description

Required Qualifications:

• Terminal degree (Ph.D. or equivalent) in English, Comparative Literature, or other closely related discipline.
• Record of scholarly achievement, teaching excellence, and service appropriate for appointment as Full Professor at FGCU (or equivalent standing at another accredited institution).
• Evidence of successful teaching and scholarship.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Terminal degree (Ph.D. or equivalent) in English, Comparative Literature, or a closely related field.
• Previous service as a department chair, program director, or comparable administrative role in higher education.
• Candidates without prior chair experience may be considered if they have significant evidence of academic leadership, such as leading program development, assessment initiatives, or community-engaged projects.
• Substantial experience in faculty governance, curriculum development, or program coordination that demonstrates readiness to assume chair-level responsibilities.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities:

• Skills in working in a rapidly developing regional comprehensive university with a focus on creating a student-learning environment among various academic disciplines.
• Ability to successfully develop relationships and interact with external university constituents in construction, business, and technology and to establish relationships internally.
• Ability to teach undergraduate and graduate courses, mentor and coach faculty and students, and participate in regional/national seminars, workshops and committees.
• Ability to lead continuing education programs.
• Ability to deal effectively with a various range of learners and to use information technology as a pedagogical and professional tool.
• Ability to collaborate both within and outside of the university in the development and delivery of instruction.
• Ability to collaborate with other faculty to develop a shared vision of the future.
• Proven ability to think strategically and approach challenges with creativity
• Demonstrated track record of reliability, meeting goals, and holding oneself accountable
• Strong interpersonal skills and experience working effectively across teams

Institutional Values & Behavioral Expectation

In this role, the successful candidate will be expected to:

• Seek out new approaches to improve outcomes; remain open for feedback and new ideas.
• Lead with integrity; consistently produce high-quality work; persevere to overcome obstacles to meet deadlines and achieve deliverables.
• Share information and insights thoughtfully; build partnerships across departments; communicate respectfully; support colleagues to achieve common goals.

Special Instructions to Applicants:

Appointment will be made at an out-of-unit faculty rank commensurate with the candidate's experience on a 12-month out-of-unit multi-year appointment basis with an anticipated start date of July 2027.

Because applications and materials are subject to public review and retention under Florida's Public Records Law, please DO NOT send examples of your project/scholarship unless requested to do so. Therefore, all submitted materials including articles, disks, slides, books, etc., become the property of FGCU and CANNOT BE RETURNED. As applicable, finalists will be notified of the need to submit specific additional materials. Such materials will become the property of FGCU. Under Florida's Public Records law, applications will be available for public review upon request.

Required Application Materials:

• Unofficial transcripts
• Statement of Teaching Philosophy
• Curriculum vitae
• Cover letter
• Five (5) Professional References

The position is listed as "open until filled", however applications received by December 15, 2026 will receive priority consideration.

FGCU is a State University System of Florida member and an Equal Opportunity and Equal Access employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.