Founding Program Director of Occupational Therapy

THE OPPORTUNITY

National Louis University is seeking a visionary leader responsible for establishing and maintaining high-quality Occupational Therapy program pathways aligned with market demand, accreditation standards, and institutional and college goals. Initial planning efforts will prioritize a Master's degree program, while also evaluating additional degree options to support long-term program growth and workforce needs.

National Louis University is embarking on an ambitious journey to build a cutting-edge healthcare professions portfolio, addressing critical healthcare disparities and the growing shortage of healthcare professionals. A key part of this mission is the launch of its Occupational Therapy Program (OTP), a priority area given the OT's vital role in providing accessible, high-quality patient care. NLU recognizes that Occupational Therapists are essential to addressing the complex needs of today's healthcare landscape. Their expertise in helping individuals regain independence, adapt to life changes, and engage meaningfully in daily activities positions them as key contributors to interdisciplinary care. With a growing demand for rehabilitative and community-based services, the OT profession plays a vital role in bridging gaps in care and advancing health equity, particularly in underserved communities.

NLU is seeking an enterprising and visionary leader to serve as the Founding Program Director for this program. This is an extraordinary opportunity to build a transformative program from the ground up, develop an innovative curriculum, form strategic clinical partnerships, and attract a diverse student body. If you are passionate about shaping healthcare education and want to create a program that will have a lasting impact, we invite you to join NLU in this inspiring mission.

The Founding Program Director will assume responsibility for the entirety of the developing Occupational Therapy (OT) program pathways. Duties include, but are not limited to, planning, developing, implementing, and evaluating the OT curriculum, policies, and procedures; working collaboratively with healthcare, school, and community partners to ensure ample and optimum clinical learning experiences for students; student advising and monitoring academic progress and retention throughout the program; participating in program- and university-level committees; and ensuring that accreditation standards are met at all times. The Program Director will also lead the efforts in hiring, training, mentoring, and evaluating a dynamic team of faculty dedicated to ensuring the success of their students.

This role involves comprehensive program oversight, including student recruitment, curriculum development, faculty evaluation, and strategic planning. The Founding Program Director will work closely with faculty, academic affairs, and other internal and community entities to ensure the program meets accreditation standards and prepares students for successful careers as certified Occupational Therapists. This position reports to the Provost and includes a dotted line to the Vice Provost of Academic Programs and Accreditation and collaborates with various departments to support student and program success.

Program Leadership:

Provide strategic direction, shaping the future of Occupational Therapy programs at NLU.
• Develop, manage and provide administrative oversight to the Occupational Therapy program(s).
• Lead programmatic accreditation, ensuring program(s) meet standards and maintain accreditation status.
• Oversee programmatic budget and resources.

Curriculum Development:

• Design and manage program curriculum, creating cohesion across mission, goals, and learning outcomes.
• Develop clinical site partnerships, policies, and procedures.

Continuous Programmatic Review and Analysis:

• Lead academic quality and program evaluation efforts, including using formative and summative assessments to analyze student and program outcomes data, informing continuous improvement of the program.
• Prepare accreditation self-study and annual internal program evaluation reports.

Student Recruitment and Support:

• Collaborate with enrollment team and develop externship partnerships to recruit academically prepared students.
• Develop programmatic efforts and provide direct support to prepare students for a rigorous graduate program and certification exam.

Faculty Management:

• Recruit, hire, supervise and evaluate program faculty.
• Mentor faculty and commit to strategies for professional development.
• Foster a collaborative academic environment and student-centered approach.

Interprofessional Collaboration:

• Facilitate collaboration with other departments and external healthcare, school, and community entities.
• Promote interprofessional education to foster cross-disciplinary perspectives and service delivery.

Communication and Marketing:

• Ensure effective day-to-day communication within the program and across the University.
• Collaborate with Marketing and Admissions to enhance the program's visibility and attract prospective students.

Community Engagement:

• Build partnerships across healthcare, school, and community entities and within the University to further program mission and goals.

Education and Certification:

• Doctoral degree in Occupational Therapy or a related field awarded by an accredited institution required
• Degree awarded in Occupational Therapy from an ACOTE accredited program required
• Certification as an Occupational Therapist from the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, with current license or eligibility to be licensed in Illinois required

Experience:

• Minimum of eight (8) years of professional experience in the field of Occupational Therapy, including:
  • Clinical practice experience as an occupational therapist;
  • Administrative experience including, but not limited to, program planning and implementation, personnel management, evaluation, and budgeting;
  • Relevant teaching and/or research scholarship;
  • Understanding the role of the occupational therapy assistant; and
  • Four (4) years of experience as a faculty member with teaching responsibilities at the postsecondary level.
• Management experience in a college, university, or academic post-secondary institution strongly preferred
• Knowledge of the ACOTE Standards and accreditation process for Occupational Therapy programs

Skills and Abilities:

• Visionary leadership and interpersonal skills
• Excellence in teaching, scholarship, and service
• Ability to build partnerships within and outside the program

Commitment to Community and Service:

• A strong commitment to serving the community and fostering student success.

This is a full-time, 12-month faculty appointment and all applicants must be available to report in person at NLU's Chicago Campus.

NLU Inclusion Statement:

National Louis University is deeply committed to serving its community, advancing access and equity, and ensuring that all individuals are welcomed and valued. We are dedicated to fostering a culture where diversity, equity, and inclusion remain at the core of who we are. These are more than just words to us: they are truly a way of life for the NLU community. We recognize that differences in abilities, age, ethnicity, gender (identity and expression), race, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, and background bring richness to our work environment. We affirm diverse perspectives, innovative contributions, and authentic presentations of self from every member within the NLU community. We believe inclusion is grounded in the actions we intentionally take each day. Our goal is to inspire and empower NLU employees and community members to cultivate an environment where we collectively focus on uplifting and advancing our institutional culture.

At National Louis University, we offer our employees an innovative environment to work together and inspire the ideas that will make an impact. As our external environment changes, our employees are provided the opportunities and tools needed to grow both personally and professionally to remain successful. NLU employees and dependents are offered a wide range of benefits, including but not limited to, Health Insurance benefits, Retirement benefits, Paid Time Off and Educational Opportunities. Additional information regarding full-time faculty benefits can be found here.

The salary for this position will range between $120,000 and $160,000 annually. Compensation decisions are dependent upon the facts and circumstances of each position and candidate. Offers are based on multiple factors permitted by law, including but not limited to: budgetary considerations, job-related knowledge/skills, experience, current/previous faculty rank, market considerations, tenure and standing with the university (applicable to current employees), and internal equity.