Open Rank Faculty-Community & Organization Leadership

The School of Business and Leadership at Columbia College invites applications for an open rank faculty position (up to Associate Professor) in Community and Organizational Leadership beginning August 2026.

Position Description

The School of Business and Leadership at Columbia College invites applications for an open rank faculty position (up to Associate Professor) in Community and Organizational Leadership. Preferred applicants will have a terminal degree in Business Administration, Community and Organizational Leadership, or closely related discipline from an accredited institution with significant professional experience. The individual holding this position will be responsible primarily for teaching undergraduate and/or graduate courses in community and organizational leadership and business. This position offers an excellent opportunity for active involvement in the reimagined School and the targeted expansion of the College's existing undergraduate/graduate programs. Based in Columbia, South Carolina, the division currently has over 380 students who learn and research across all teaching modalities. Poised with strong industry partnerships and a history of student support, the division is ready to grow and implement innovative techniques to reach students throughout its service area and beyond.

Candidates considered for the rank of assistant and associate must demonstrate the potential to pursue a balanced commitment to excellent teaching, active professional and community service, and productive research. In addition to teaching and conducting research, successful candidates will be required to perform academic and career counseling, serve on division, standing, and college committees, participate in assessment activities, and engage in recruitment and retention efforts. This is a full-time, 9-month, tenure or non-tenure track position, based on rank. The standard teaching load is twelve credit hours for each of the fall and spring semesters. The candidate is expected to have flexibility in class scheduling to meet the needs of the College. All faculty members, regardless of rank, are expected to participate in faculty governance and academic program activities, and to engage in service and professional development. Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.

Responsibilities

The ideal candidate will:

• Commit to deliver stimulating and effective outcomes-based learning to a culturally and economically diverse population of students by integrating classroom, field-based, distance learning, and assessment.
• Teach and assess courses in the Business Core and Community and Organizational Leadership major.
• Teach a 9-month regular faculty load, plus summer courses (if desired and budget allows).
• Conduct research that enhances Community and Organizational Leadership and business disciplines, is applicable regionally and globally, and is suitable for promotion and tenure
• Provide service to the School of Business and Leadership and the College, as well as professional service activities.
• Develop, in collaboration with the Chair, faculty and Dean, curricula and pedagogical approaches for the School, its programs, and its growth trajectory.
• Work cooperatively with multiple stakeholders including community, regional, and national non-profits and for-profit business personnel, faculty, staff, and students.
• Actively engage with regional and statewide businesses, government and non-profit communities, and other stakeholders; a professional network is critical.
• Assist the Community and Organizational Leadership and Business programs in fundraising, College Advancement, and others to ensure our programs meet industry and community needs, and to attract support for the program.
• Recruit, advise, and mentor students and enable their career goals through introductions and referrals to relevant enterprises, government, and local non-profit organizations.
• Render other school and college duties as may be assigned consonant with the usual expectations of this position

Minimum Qualifications

Non-tenure track: Master's degree in Business Administration, Community and Organizational Leadership, or closely related discipline from a regionally accredited institution or the highest degree appropriate in the field of specialization with a demonstrated record of achievement in teaching, service, and professional experience.

Tenure track: Earned doctorate in Business Administration or Community and Organizational Leadership, or closely related discipline from a regionally accredited institution.

Preferred Qualifications

The successful candidate will need the following:

• Preferred applicants will have a terminal degree in Business Administration, Community and Organizational Leadership, or closely related discipline from an accredited institution with significant professional experience. ABD applicants will be considered but the doctorate must be completed by August 1, 2026, for tenure-track positions.
• Significant profit and/or not-for-profit leadership experience.
• Ability to teach effectively in a wide range of courses in business and leadership.
• Passionate about teaching, preferably evidenced by good student evaluations and peer assessments; must be able to demonstrate teaching capabilities.
• Candidates must be proficient using simulations, Al, and a wide variety of teaching modalities including face-to-face; synchronous and asynchronous on-line; and hybrid.
• Interpersonal skills and ability to collaborate with colleagues are essential.
• Experience working effectively in an ethnically and culturally diverse campus community and business community.
• Proven ability to work well with a broad range of stakeholders.
• Active research agenda at the assistant professor tenure-track level.
• Evidence of community-focused research.
• Involvement with community engaged learning.
• Success in developing cooperative industry programs/initiatives, and evidence of continuing involvement with local, national and/or globally relevant industries.
• Demonstrated leadership skills in professional or academic areas.
• Experience with study abroad programs, project-based learning, and service-learning.

Application Procedures

Candidates must apply online through the Columbia College website application portal: Employment I Columbia College. Applicants should be prepared to attach the following: a letter of application/interest; current curriculum vitae; list of at least three references with current email addresses and phone numbers; statement of teaching philosophy; evidence of excellence in teaching, including current teaching evaluations; and copies of graduate transcripts. References will be contacted and asked to submit letters of recommendation to the Committee Chair. Depending on the rank, evidence of scholarly activity may be requested. Please submit all documents in one combined pdf file. Review of applications will begin April 15, 2026, and will continue until the position is filled.

Official transcripts and a background check will be required for successful candidates. Columbia College offers a competitive benefits package. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.

About Columbia College

Columbia College was founded in 1854 as Columbia Female College by the Methodist Conference of South Carolina. Today, Columbia College offers a personalized liberal arts education that is open and inclusive to all. The College provides educational opportunities that develop students' capacity for critical thought and expression, lifelong learning, and acceptance of personal responsibility.

Columbia College empowers students to change the world with Courage for Innovation, Commitment to Social Justice, Confidence through Service, and Competence in Leadership. In furtherance of its mission, the College is responsive to the needs of students, the communities to which it belongs, and the greater global society.

Columbia College encompasses the historic undergraduate day college as well as evening, online, and graduate programs. Total enrollment is approximately 1600. The College is noted for faculty who foster academic excellence through collaborative teaching and learning; a vital learning community in which character, ethics, and values are cultivated; the study of leadership enhanced by opportunities for practical application; programs that capitalize on advances in technology; and learning environments that extend beyond the classroom.