Associate/Full Professor of Strategic Communication Department Chairperson

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Job Description

POSITION DESCRIPTION

The College of Communication and Media (CCOM) at Montclair State University invites applications for a faculty member to serve as chairperson for the Department of Strategic Communication. Qualified candidates will be hired with tenure as either an associate or full professor. Candidates must have earned tenure prior to applying. This person will have the opportunity to lead an engaged and talented faculty in ensuring academic and co-curricular programs are contemporary and industry-aligned while continuing to build the national reputation and distinctiveness of programs within the department. They will also lead the Department in furthering critical interdisciplinary work both in the College and across the University. The Department chair will provide leadership in supporting external engagement with industry and community, lead the department in best practices in teaching and in a range of administrative functions, drive innovative academic and public scholarship that informs the discipline, and champion new programs and curricula that prepare students for the future strategic communication workplace.

The ideal candidate will have an established record as a faculty member in one of the Department’s disciplines. They should have a record of excellence in teaching, scholarship, and service that merits tenure at Montclair. They must have administrative experience, which could include serving as department chair, deputy chair, graduate director, assistant dean, and other leadership roles. The candidate must embrace the importance of responsibilities assigned to the chair, including efficient and equitable scheduling, faculty evaluation, assessment, student grievances, mentoring of junior faculty, student recruitment, and hiring and overseeing adjunct faculty. They must recognize the importance of resource management and prioritization. They should be excited to fully embrace the professional opportunities that come from a campus in the shadows of NYC, the center of the nation’s communication and media industries. Ideal candidates will foster a positive environment where faculty work collaboratively towards student success, creative and scholarly initiatives, and department innovation. Candidates from all disciplines within the Department are welcomed to apply, and they must be keenly focused on the technologically evolutionary nature of these fields and ensuring that the Department’s academic programs prepare students for these career opportunities. Department chairpersons do maintain a teaching schedule, reduced for their administrative load, and receive additional compensation for their administrative responsibilities throughout the summer.

THE DEPARTMENT OF STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION

The Department of Strategic Communication houses two undergraduate (B.A.) majors, Advertising and Social Media & Public Relations; and a graduate (M.A.) program, Strategic Communication & Media. The undergraduate programs currently enroll over 319 majors and are experiencing rapid growth in both majors – particularly true as the Advertising major was only launched in 2022. While these are two separate majors, they share several common courses and a recognition of the synergies between the two disciplines in a highly integrated academic and professional landscape. The graduate program in Strategic Communication & Media is a highly innovative and fully online curriculum that prepares graduates for careers in the contemporary professional landscape. The department also supports several key co-curricular programs, including Hawk Communications (the Department’s strategic communications agency), a PRSSA chapter, and a newly forming Ad Club. The Department also oversees participation in the Bateman PR competition, in which Montclair finished second nationally in 2024, and is preparing to participate in the National Student Advertising Competition. Department faculty oversee the work of the Joetta Di Bella and Fred C. Sautter III Center for Strategic Communication, which has garnered extensive global media coverage through its public scholarship of timely social issues using social media analytics tools

THE COLLEGE OF COMMUNICATION AND MEDIA

Founded in 2012, the College of Communication and Media offers a range of dynamic programs in communication and media to a talented and diverse student population of approximately 2,000 students. Offering degrees in Advertising, Animation & Visual Effects, Communication & Media Studies, Film & Television, Journalism & Digital Media, Social Media & Public Relations, Sports Communication, and an MA in Strategic Communication & Media, the College prepares the next generation of communication and media practitioners and leaders. It maintains several critical strategic partnerships, including membership in NBCU Academy, the summer residency program for Ghetto Film School, and a highly collaborative partnership with WNBC/Telemundo 47. CCOM houses award-winning student programs that include WMSC Radio, The Montclarion newspaper, Hawk Communications PR Agency, the Red Hawk Sports Network, Hawk+ OTT streaming platform, a Los Angeles residential program, and News Lab, as well as the Joetta Di Bella and Fred C. Sautter III Center for Strategic Communication and the Center for Cooperative Media, the latter of which serves the public by working to grow and strengthen local and collaborative journalism. Recent national recognitions for the College include an Edward R. Murrow Award, several Marconi Award nominations, two College Television Awards from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, and several SVG Sports Media nominations.

The College consists of four departments: Animation, Film, & Television; Communication & Media Studies; Journalism & Sports Media; and Strategic Communication. The College will continue to drive the upward trajectory of its faculty, staff, and student endeavors, which aspire toward inclusive excellence and national recognition across departments, degrees, centers, and programs.

Qualifications

Strong candidates will hold a Ph.D. in communication, media, or an appropriately aligned discipline. Candidates must have a strong record of scholarly or creative work appropriate to tenure at the associate or full professor level at an R2 institution; a demonstrated history of being an engaged and successful instructor of students from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences; a history of building curriculum and co-curricular learning opportunities; and an ability to articulate a vision for a department in strategic communication that aspires to provide outstanding educational and career opportunities to a broad and aspiring student population. Candidates must have past academic administrative experience.

Responsibilities

The Department Chairperson will provide strategic leadership and administration for the Department, ensuring the highest standards of teaching, research, and service. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Overseeing curriculum development and assessment
• Supporting faculty and staff in their professional growth
• Fostering a culture of research and creative activities among faculty and students
• Fostering excellence in teaching
• Managing departmental budgets and resources
• Facilitating collaborations with industry professionals and academic partners
• Enhancing the department's presence in national organizations in our field
• Supporting student media initiatives, including AdClub and PRSSA.
  
  

Minimum Qualifications

• An earned doctorate in advertising, public relations, strategic communication, or a closely related field
• Administrative experience in higher education institutions
• A distinguished record of teaching, research, and service that qualifies the candidate for tenure at the rank of Associate Professor or Professor
• Significant teaching and research experience in strategic communication
• Demonstrated leadership experience in an academic setting
• Strong commitment to student success and the ability to work effectively with students from varied backgrounds
• Excellent communication, organizational, interpersonal and technical skills
• Experience with accreditation processes
• Proven track record of securing external funding and developing partnerships
• Experience with innovative curriculum development
• Active involvement in relevant professional organizations
• Experience in leading and mentoring faculty and staff
  
  

STARTING DATE August 28, 2026

Required Materials

• Cover letter, curriculum vitae, research and teaching statements, and representative publications, which can be uploaded during the application process.
• Candidates who are shortlisted will be asked to supply 3 letters of recommendation separately.
  
  

APPLY BY: The position is open until filled, and application review begins immediately.

AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY/AFFIRMATIVE ACTION INSTITUTION

Salary Range

$118,155.21-$143,607.61 Annually

The position may also be eligible for comprehensive benefits, including health insurance, retirement plans, and tuition assistance. For further details, please visit: https://www.montclair.edu/human-resources/benefits/

Montclair State University considers factors such as, but not limited to, scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate’s relevant work experience, education, skills, and internal equity, when extending an offer.

Salary offers for internal employees who are part of a collective bargaining unit (CBU) and are applying to a position that is within a CBU will be determined in accordance with contractual provisions.

Department

College of Communication and Media

Position Type

Faculty

Contact Information

For questions or concerns, please contact Human Resources' Workday Recruiting Support at 973-655-5000 (Option 2), or email talent@montclair.edu.

Inclusion Statement

Montclair State University values access and educational excellence. We are committed to an environment of diverse perspectives which ensures that graduates will be civically engaged, committed to democracy, and prepared to thrive as global citizens. We foster a community that promotes varied experiences and voices. We seek applicants who will contribute diverse ideas and perspectives and who value an environment that promotes educational growth and advancement for all.

EEO/AA Statement

Montclair State University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action institution with a strong commitment to diversity.

Additional information can be found on the website at

www.montclair.edu/human-resources/about-us/eo-aa-and-diversity/

Title IX and 34 C.F.R. 106 Policy

Montclair State is required by Title IX and 34 C.F.R. 106 not to discriminate on the basis of sex or gender, and does not discriminate on the basis of sex or gender in the operation of education programs and activities. The requirement to not discriminate on the basis of sex or gender in the operation of education programs and activities extends to admission and employment. For further details, please visit: https://www.montclair.edu/human-resources/job-seekers/