Executive Director for the Center for Professional ReadinessThe mission of the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences is the development of professional health care practitioners through innovation, individualized, and quality classroom, clinical, and distance education.The Executive Director for the Center for Professional Readiness provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for a centralized university-wide function dedicated to advancing student success, clinical education quality, and licensure outcomes across all academic programs and campuses. Within the Center, the role also oversees clinical site development and career services, ensuring strong clinical partnerships and effective pathways from education to employment.This role is responsible for developing and implementing institution-wide strategies that ensure students are clinically prepared, academically supported, and fully ready for professional licensure and practice.
The incumbent partners closely with academic leadership, program directors, and faculty to drive measurable improvements in student outcomes and ensure a consistent, high-quality student experience.This is a fully on-campus role (not hybrid or remote). As a key university leader, the incumbent is expected to maintain a consistent and visible presence on a USAHS campus.Essential Duties and ResponsibilitiesStrategic Leadership and CollaborationLead and grow the Center for Professional Readiness as a high-impact, institution-wide functionPartner with academic leaders to align operational processes with student outcomesCollaborate with faculty to ensure clinical preparation through effective teaching, advising, and clinical practicesServe as a key advisor to the Chief Academic Officer on strategies to improve student success and program performance as students approach graduation, with a focus on clinical readiness, licensure success, and successful program completion.Licensure Readiness and OutcomesDevelop and implement comprehensive, program-integrated licensure preparation strategiesEstablish early identification systems for students at risk of licensure failure and implement targeted intervention strategiesMonitor and analyze licensure performance data across programs and campusesLead continuous improvement initiatives to increase first-time pass rates and overall outcomesPartner with Program Directors to ensure accountability for licensure performanceClinical Education ExcellenceProvide university-level leadership and accountability for the quality and performance of clinical education and placement processes across programs, by partnering with program leaders to monitor performance and drive continuous improvementEnsure efficiency, timeliness, and scalability of clinical placementsEstablish standards to ensure placements are appropriate, high-quality, and aligned with student learning needsMonitor and improve student satisfaction and experience in clinical environmentsBuild, expand, and sustain high-quality clinical partnerships and site relationshipsPromote consistency and excellence in clinical education across campusesStudent Success and SupportDesign and implement systems to monitor student progression and readiness for clinical and licensure milestonesDevelop standardized approaches to student intervention, remediation, and academic supportCollaborate with faculty and academic leadership to address student performance gapsEnsure alignment between academic preparation, clinical performance, career development, and licensure readinessData, Analytics, and Continuous ImprovementEstablish dashboards and reporting structures to track key performance indicators, including licensure pass rates, clinical performance, and student success metricsConduct root cause analyses to identify trends and performance gapsTranslate data insights into actionable strategies and measurable improvement plansEnsure transparency and accountability for outcomes across programs and campusesStandardization and Best PracticesDevelop and implement standardized processes for clinical education, student support, and licensure preparationReduce variability in student experience and outcomes across campuses and programsIdentify, scale, and sustain best practices across the institutionKey Outcomes and Performance MetricsImproved licensure pass rates across all programsHigh-quality, consistent clinical education experiencesIncreased student satisfaction and preparedness for practiceReduced variability in outcomes across campusesScalable, efficient clinical placement processesStrong, sustainable clinical partnershipsSupervisory ResponsibilityProvides direct leadership and oversight for the Clinical Education Central Functions, Site Development, Career Services, and Licensure Success teamsHolds indirect accountability for overall clinical education performance and licensure outcomes across programsOther Duties and ResponsibilitiesMay perform other duties and responsibilities that management may deem necessary from time to time.Position in OrganizationReports to: Chief Academic OfficerPositions Supervised: Central Functions Manager, Clinical Site Development Manager, Manager of Career Services, and additional roles as developed to support the Center's growth and strategic prioritiesTechnical, Managerial & People Skills RequiredTo perform this job successfully an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.
Incumbents will be evaluated, in part, based on performance of each essential function. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.Education and/or ExperienceRequiredEntry level degree in a clinical disciplineMinimum of 8–10 years of progressive leadership experience in higher education, health sciences education, or a related fieldDemonstrated experience improving licensure/certification pass rates, progression, retention, and/or employment outcomesExperience overseeing or partnering with clinical education functions, including placements, site relationships, and experiential learningProven ability to lead cross-functional teams and drive initiatives across multiple programs and/or campusesStrong experience using data and analytics to inform decision-making, assess performance, and drive continuous improvementExperience developing and implementing scalable processes and systems in a complex organizationPreferredTerminal degree in a health sciences discipline or closely related field (e.g., PhD, EdD)Experience in a multi-campus, distributed, or systems-based academic environmentPrior experience in an academic leadership role, such as a Director, Program Director, Associate Dean, or comparable positionFamiliarity with accreditation standards and regulatory requirements in health sciences education (e.g., CAPTE, ACOTE, CCNE, or other health sciences programmatic accreditors)Experience with clinical site development, partnership management, and workforce alignmentExperience overseeing or collaborating with career services and employer engagement initiativesDemonstrated success leading student success, clinical education, or professional readiness initiatives at scaleLeadership CompetenciesStrategic and systems-level thinker with the ability to operationalize visionOutcomes-driven with a strong focus on accountability and measurable impactCollaborative and influential leader with the ability to partner effectively with faculty and academic leadershipChange agent with experience leading transformation and reducing variability across programsStrong communicator with the ability to engage diverse stakeholdersTravelOccasional domestic travel may be requiredBusiness CompetenciesTo perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following competencies:Collaborates - Building partnerships and working collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives.Being Resilient - Rebounding from setbacks and adversity when facing difficult situations.Instills Trust - Gaining the confidence and trust of others through honesty, integrity, and authenticity.Drives Results - Consistently achieving results, even under tough circumstances.Innovation - Creating new and better ways for the organization to be successful.Customer Focus - Building strong customer relationships and delivering customer-centric solutions.Drive