Position Title: Director of Clinical Practice and Field Experience
Department: School of Education
Rosary College of Arts, Education, and Sciences
Reports To: Associate Dean, School of Education
Location: On Campus (River Forest, IL)
Position Summary:
The Director of Clinical Practice and Field Experience provides leadership and administrative oversight of clinical practice and field experiences for educator preparation programs within the School of Education. Reporting to the Associate Dean, the Director serves as the primary liaison among educator preparation candidates, school partners, university supervisors, faculty, and other university stakeholders to support high-quality clinical experiences and candidate success.
The position initially focuses on the coordination and oversight of clinical practice and field experiences. As the Director develops expertise in Dominican University''s educator preparation programs, institutional processes, and educator licensure requirements, additional licensure responsibilities will be assumed progressively through training and collaboration with School of Education leadership. This phased approach supports continuity of services, regulatory compliance, and a successful transition into the full scope of the role.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Clinical Practice and Field Experience Leadership
- Coordinate and oversee field experiences and clinical practice placements for candidates enrolled in traditional educator preparation programs.
- Collaborate with candidates, cooperating teachers, mentor teachers, school administrators, university supervisors, and faculty to support successful completion of field and clinical requirements.
- Manage clinical placement processes, including placement agreements, candidate assignments, evaluations, and resolution of placement concerns.
- Maintain ongoing communication and partnerships with school districts and community organizations that support educator preparation.
- Provide leadership and coordination for university supervisors and clinical experience stakeholders supporting educator preparation programs.
- Collaborate with faculty and leadership on assessment of field and clinical experiences and analysis of candidate data.
- Coordinate candidate orientations related to field experiences, clinical practice expectations, background checks, required training, and professional dispositions.
- Maintain and update clinical and field experience handbooks and related documentation.
- Support candidate remediation plans and problem-solving related to clinical experiences.
- Represent Dominican University in professional organizations related to teacher preparation and clinical practice.
- Support accreditation, program review, and continuous improvement activities related to educator preparation programs.
Licensure Responsibilities (Phased Transition)
The following licensure responsibilities will be transitioned to the Director over time based on training, demonstrated proficiency, institutional needs, and in collaboration with School of Education leadership.
- Assume increasing responsibility for serving as the primary liaison between Dominican University and the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE).
- Evaluate candidate completion of program requirements, testing requirements, and other requirements necessary for educator licensure.
- Process educator licensure entitlements and endorsements for current candidates and alumni.
- Maintain current knowledge of Illinois educator licensure rules, regulations, and policy changes and communicate updates to faculty and program leaders.
- Manage licensure processes for Alternative Licensure Program candidates, including transcript analysis and documentation required for state approval.
- Coordinate and support ISBE audits, reporting requirements, and compliance activities.
- Manage annual federal and state reporting requirements.
- Process out-of-state licensure requests for Dominican University graduates.
- Maintain licensure records and databases required for state and institutional reporting.
- Collaborate with university partners and programs to support professional development approval and educator credentialing processes.
- Participate in structured training and knowledge transfer related to licensure, state reporting, compliance processes, and institutional procedures to support a successful transition into the full licensure role.
Required Qualifications:
- Bachelor''s degree in education, educational leadership, curriculum and instruction, or a related field.
- Experience working with educator preparation programs, clinical practice, field experiences, or P-12 school partnerships.
- Working knowledge of educator preparation programs and candidate support processes, with familiarity with educator licensure processes or the demonstrated ability to develop expertise in educator licensure regulations through training.
- Experience collaborating with P-12 school partners, faculty, candidates, and other educational stakeholders.
- Strong organizational skills and demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects, compliance-related processes, and deadlines.
- Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively and diplomatically with diverse stakeholders.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
- Ability to take initiative and follow through with minimal supervision.
- Ability to foster an equitable and inclusive working and learning environment.
- Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively and diplomatically in both oral and written forms to various stakeholders, including students, faculty, school partners, and administrative personnel.
- Strong organizational abilities, with a proven capacity to manage multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously.
- Proven ability to thrive in a diverse, team-oriented environment, fostering collaboration and inclusivity.
- Self-motivated with a demonstrated ability to take initiative and execute tasks independently.
- Strong attention to detail and ability to manage confidential candidate and licensure-related records and processes.
- Commitment to creating and maintaining an equitable and inclusive working and learning environment for all students and staff.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Master''s degree in education, educational leadership, curriculum and instruction, or a related field.
- Experience coordinating clinical practice, field experiences, or educator preparation partnerships with P-12 schools.
- Experience working within educator preparation programs or teacher preparation programs.
- Experience supporting accreditation, assessment, continuous improvement, or program review activities.
- Experience with clinical practice management systems, student information systems, or educator preparation data systems.
- Ability to build and maintain collaborative relationships with school districts, community partners, university faculty, and state agencies.
- Familiarity with Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) educator licensure requirements, reporting systems, or compliance processes.
- Experience serving as a licensure officer or in a comparable educator preparation compliance role.
Physical Demands:
- Ability to spend long durations of the workday sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
- Ability to lift up to 15 pounds at times.
Salary and FLSA Status
- Salary: $64,000 - 67,000 annually
- FLSA Status: Exempt, Full-time, 37.5 hours
Benefits
- Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance
- Retirement plan with employer matching contributions
- Professional development opportunities
- Tuition remission for employees and their dependents
- Flexible spending accounts (FSA)
- Generous paid time off (PTO)
Employment at Dominican University is contingent upon the successful completion of a background investigation.
About Dominican University
Dominican University is a Catholic, comprehensive teaching university located in River Forest, a suburb of Chicago, with an additional campus in the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago. Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, Dominican University offers associate, baccalaureate, master's, and doctoral degrees. It is highly regarded for its academic rigor, thoughtful accompaniment of students, intentional affordability, and values-based, relationship-centered learning environment.
Dominican currently enrolls over 3,800 students, including 2,690 undergraduates and 1,114 graduate students. Sixty-eight percent (68%) of undergraduate students identify as Latinx, 5% as Black or African American, and 3% as Asian. Under-represented minority students comprise 77% of the undergraduate enrollment and 38% of the graduate enrollment. Over 90 percent of undergraduates receive some form of financial aid. Nearly half of all undergraduates are first-generation college students; over half are federal Pell Grant recipients, illustrating their families' level of income; and 58% are eligible for low-income MAP grants from the State of Illinois.
Recognized since 2011 as a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) by the U.S. Department of Education, Dominican is committed to expanding and enhancing educational opportunities for Latinx students and all students from historically underrepresented groups. For more information, visit www.dom.edu.
Expectations for all Dominican Employees:
To support the University''s mission of preparing students to pursue truth, give compassionate service, and participate in the creation of a more just and humane world, engage in university service work that promotes collaboration and community building. This includes participating in organizational initiatives, supporting campus events, contributing to community outreach, and fostering a diverse and inclusive environment through involvement in various staff-driven activities and groups.
Institutional Statement
Dominican University is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive academic community. We encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds. Upon request, reasonable accommodations in the application process will be provided to individuals with disabilities.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
Dominican University is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from women, minorities, individuals with disabilities, protected veterans, and candidates from diverse backgrounds. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
If you need accommodations due to a disability, you may contact us at opc@dom.edu for assistance.