Chair of Fashion

SCAD seeks a highly motivated chair of fashion to provide vision and leadership for the department, build its reputation, create a strong sense of collegiality, and inspire a shared responsibility for goals.

The person in this position will assist in the placement of students in internships and jobs. The chair is expected to teach classes in alignment with the agreed-upon hours. The department chair collaborates with the School of Fashion dean, the associate dean, and associate chairs to ensure that overall school and SCAD strategic plans are achieved.

The chair maintains a visible onsite presence, oversees and guides the work of department faculty and staff, supports and mentors students, and collaborates with academic leaders, faculty and support staff across departments and university locations. The chair ensures that all services related to academic offerings of the department are planned and delivered at the highest quality and without any interruptions. The chair makes sure that university policies and procedures are administered without any exceptions.

The chair models academic and professional leadership and makes sure that all faculty and staff of the department work toward the achievement of the university mission, vision and values. Through day-to-day operational and long-term strategic actions, the department chair ensures the department’s intentional and measurable contribution to the university’s strategic plan and the 8Rs (responsibility, resources, recruitment, retention, recognition, revenue, research and results).

SCAD Savannah is woven throughout one of the best small cities in the U.S., as named by Condé Nast Traveler. The city of Savannah’s inviting climate and a culturally rich downtown provide a living laboratory for the study of art and design and a dynamically layered learning environment in which students, faculty, and staff flourish. This is your chance to work with students in a vibrant and entrepreneurial workplace that embraces innovation, creativity, and collaboration.

Additional duties include assisting in hiring of faculty and overseeing the department’s budget.

Minimum Qualifications: 

• Credentials and professional experience in fashion sufficient to command the respect of the department members, normally including a terminal degree such as Ph.D. or master’s degree (M.F.A. preferred) in a relevant field
• Outstanding interpersonal, communication, and problem-solving skills
• Innovation, energy, and personal and professional integrity
• Experience with curriculum development
• Ability to conduct thorough, thoughtful, and fair professor evaluations, including class observations
• Ability to define the needs of the department for faculty hiring and the judgment to make appropriate hiring recommendations to the dean
• Willingness to collaborate with the admission department on student recruitment
• Strong focus on sustainable design practices and responsible innovation
• Profound understanding of cultural, social, and technological shifts and their impact on design
• Extensive connections to the fashion industry in general and design studios in particular

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Leadership and supervisory experience in academia preferred

Work Hours: As noted in the employment agreement

ADA Tag: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements and minimum qualifications listed are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions and/or meet the minimum qualifications.