Director of the School of Rehabilitation Services and Counseling

Posting Details

Title Information

Faculty Title

Job Class Code

FLSA

Position Information

Posting Number
FRGV2078

Working Title
Director of the School of Rehabilitation Services and Counseling

Number of Vacancies
1

Location
Rio Grande Valley, Texas

Division/Organization
Division of Health Affairs

Appointment Period for Non-Tenure Position

Tenure Status
Non Tenure Track

FTE
1.0

Scope of Job

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) invites nominations and applications for the position of Director of the School of Rehabilitation Services & Counseling. Reporting directly to the Dean of the College of Health Professions, within the Division of Health Affairs, the director provides strategic leadership, fosters academic excellence, and ensures alignment with the goals of the College of Health Professions and the broader university. This position is equivalent to a department chair and plays a critical role in advancing the school's mission in teaching, research, service, and community engagement. The college seeks a dynamic leader who will collaborate with faculty, staff, and students to foster a culture of excellence.

Leadership Role of the Director

The Director of the School of Rehabilitation Services & Counseling serves as the academic and administrative leader of the school, equivalent to a department chair, at UTRGV. This role requires visionary leadership, strategic planning, and a commitment to advancing the mission of the university and the College of Health Professions.

The Director is expected to:

• Provide strategic academic leadership to advance the school's mission in teaching, research, and service, with a focus on innovation, excellence, and impact.
• Drive enrollment growth at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, with a particular emphasis on expanding and strengthening the PhD program.
• Champion research development, fostering a culture of inquiry and scholarship that supports UTRGV's goal of achieving R1 status as designated by the Carnegie Commission.
• Cultivate a collaborative and inclusive academic community, promoting shared governance, transparency, and mutual respect among faculty, staff, and students.
• Lead the school's administrative operations, including budget management, policy enforcement, and resource allocation to support strategic priorities.
• Recruit, retain, and mentor high-quality faculty and staff, supporting their professional development and fostering a culture of academic excellence.
• Oversee faculty evaluation, promotion, and development processes, ensuring alignment with university standards and best practices in higher education.
• Strengthen external partnerships and interdisciplinary collaborations, enhancing the school's visibility and impact within the university and broader community.
• Advance curricular innovation and student success initiatives, ensuring academic programs are responsive to evolving professional and societal needs.
• Foster effective communication and conflict resolution, addressing concerns and promoting a positive and productive academic climate.
• Engage stakeholders in shaping the school's direction, including faculty, students, alumni, community partners, and university leadership.

As a faculty member, the Director is also expected to maintain an active role in teaching (with a reduced load), research, and service, modeling the values of academic engagement and leadership.

Minimum Qualifications

The successful candidate will:

• Have a PhD in Rehabilitation Counseling, PhD in Rehabilitation Sciences, PhD in Counselor Education, PhD in Counselor Education & Supervision, or similar (e.g., PhD in Rehabilitation Psychology, ScD in Rehabilitation Science, RhD in Rehabilitation, PhD in Mental Health Counseling, EdD in Educational Leadership, EdD in Counseling, etc.).
• Be a tenured associate professor or higher.
• Have a demonstrated commitment to student success and satisfaction.
• Have strong organizational and management skills
• Have experience with faculty governance.
• Have a demonstrated ability to secure grants and external funding.
• Have a proven record of scholarship and current knowledge of the state of the field.

Discipline Specific Required Qualifications

Preferred Qualifications

• Tenured, full professor.
• Experience as chair, assistant chair, or program director.
• Experience at a Carnegie classified R2 doctoral university - high research activity - or higher.
• Experience and/or knowledge of distributed campus models.

License or Certification Required?
Yes

Salary
Commensurate with Qualifications and Experience.

Desired Start Date
07/01/2027

Posting Detail Information

Open Date
10/12/2026

Close Date

Additional Information

UTRGV is a distributed institution. As such and as assigned, the position may
require presence at multiple locations throughout the Rio Grande Valley. Work is
performed primarily in a general office environment. This position is security sensitive
and thereby subject to the provisions of the Texas Education Code
§51.215. The retirement plan for this position is Teacher Retirement System of
Texas (TRS), subject to the position being at least 20 hours per week and at least
135 days in length. This position has the option to elect the Optional Retirement
Program (ORP) instead of TRS, subject to the position being 40 hours per week
and at least 135 days in length.

Special Instructions to Applicants

Complete all sections on the application. If you are applying for the first time, please complete all biographical information including address, email and phone number. You may update this at any time by selecting to edit your profile in the application. Security sensitive; All UTRGV employees are required to have a criminal background check (CBC). CBCs will be conducted for all candidates invited for an on-campus interview.

Please Note

Texas law requires faculty members whose primary language is not English to
demonstrate proficiency in English as determined by a satisfactory paper-based
test score of 500 (computer-based of 173 or internet-based of 61) on the Test of
English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or a satisfactory test score of 6.0 on the
International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Incomplete applications
will not be considered. All positions are subject to budget approval.

Quick Link
https://careers.utrgv.edu/postings/52819