University of Washington Tacoma

Dean of the Milgard School of Business

The University of Washington Tacoma (UW Tacoma) invites nominations, expressions of interest, and applications for the position of Dean of the Milgard School of Business (MSB).

Established in 1990, UW Tacoma is a dynamic campus serving the growing South Puget Sound Region of Washington State. The Deanship offers a unique opportunity for an inspiring higher education leader to shape UW Tacoma’s future by leading the MSB’s efforts to develop inspired business leaders prepared to take on today’s complex challenges regionally, nationally, and globally, while promoting equity, inclusion, and social responsibility. The MSB is the second largest academic unit at UW Tacoma and enjoys strong relationships with local businesses and the South Puget Sound community. The next dean will enjoy the unique privilege of building on the work to more regional and national prominence.

UW Tacoma joined an elite group of institutions that have achieved business accreditation from AACSB International. Only 840 schools of business, or less than 5% worldwide, have earned this distinguished hallmark of excellence in management education. With multiple centers of distinction, exceptionally high-quality undergraduate and graduate programs, and located within a Tacoma business environment that prizes innovation and community engagement, the MSB possesses many of the resources and attributes that characterize the successful business school of the future. Add to that students, faculty, and staff who are passionate about social justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion, and you have an environment ripe for leadership that will accelerate the MSB into a new era of success.

The next MSB Dean will join a cohort of talented and highly capable faculty and staff during a time of momentous and exciting change. UW Tacoma is notably ranked for its large representation of first generation, military, and veteran populations. MSB will open its doors to a brand new, state-of-the-art building named Milgard Hall in January 2023. With its small class sizes and excellence in research, the next dean will join a community dedicated to educating the next generation of business leaders and industry professionals.

Succeeding in this era of opportunity and change requires a Dean who is deeply committed to the University’s and the School’s mission and values. The successful candidate must be an outstanding and transformational leader with a recognized scholarly record. Candidates must hold a Ph.D. or equivalent terminal degree from an accredited institution, attained rank as full professor, and have a record of teaching and scholarly or professional attainment that merits continued appointment as full professor with tenure. Of critical need are superior communication and relationship-building skills, outstanding fiscal and budgetary ability, and leadership experience.

UW Tacoma is a dynamic and aspirational institution. The incoming Dean will inherit momentum and a future with significant potential for growth, increased excellence, and opportunities to propel the University into the ranks of the premier urban-serving institutions in the country. As the University continues to make headway in ensuring its fiscal and operational health, the next Dean will find that campus leadership is deeply committed to its mission and the success of its academic units. UW Tacoma enjoys unusually strong community and legislative support and recently received Carnegie Community Engagement Classification.

All applications, nominations, and inquiries are invited. Applications should include, as three separate documents, a CV or resume, a letter of interest addressing the themes in the profile available at wittkieffer.com, and a Contributions to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion statement. WittKieffer is assisting the University of Washington Tacoma in this search. For fullest consideration, candidate materials should be received by May 2, 2022.

Application materials should be submitted using WittKieffer’s candidate portal.

Nominations and inquiries can be directed to:

Bree Liddell, Natalie Song, and Ryan Crawford

UWTMilgardBusinessDean@wittkieffer.com

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement 

University of Washington is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, genetic information, gender identity or expression, age, disability, or protected veteran status. 

Commitment to Diversity 

The University of Washington is committed to building diversity among its faculty, librarian, staff, and student communities, and articulates that commitment in the UW Diversity Blueprint (http://www.washington.edu/diversity/diversity-blueprint/). Additionally, the University’s Faculty Code recognizes faculty efforts in research, teaching and/or service that address diversity and equal opportunity as important contributions to a faculty member’s academic profile and responsibilities (https://www.washington.edu/admin/rules/policies/FCG/FCCH24.html#2432). 

COVID-19 Vaccine Requirements and Information 

Under Washington State Governor Inslee’s Proclamation 21-14.1, University of Washington (UW) workers must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and provide proof thereof, or receive a UW-approved medical or religious exemption. This requirement will be a condition of any offer associated with this recruitment. For more information, please visit https://www.washington.edu/coronavirus/vaccination-requirement/.