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Employment Type: Permanent Staff (EHRA NF)

Vacancy ID: NF0009187

Salary Range: Dependent upon experience and qualifications

Position Summary/Description:

The School of Social Work ( SSW ) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill invites applications for a position as Assistant Dean of Workforce Development to lead an exciting new initiative the NC Public Service Leadership Program ( PSLP ).

The Assistant Dean of Workforce Development ( ADWD ) will work directly with the Principal Investigator and within the School of Social Work Office of Community Engagement and Outreach to accomplish three goals over the five-year project, including: 1) developing a pipeline by recruiting North Carolinians to enter the field of social work and increase awareness and knowledge of our public sector system and health and human services programs; 2) recruit, education and place social work students and graduates in public sector positions to develop a specialized workforce to meet statewide and rural needs; and 3) create resiliency and strengthen the existing workforce to retain social workers and effectively serve populations with complex needs.

This position will develop and execute activities to administer, plan, and implement the PSLP and maintain program resources. The ADWD will recruit, hire, and supervise staff, including an Assistant Director, a Communications Director, an Evaluation Director, Recruitment Coordinators, Certificate Program Coordinators, and other staff positions to support informational technology, professional learning communities, and contracts. The ADWD will assist with the coordination of an Advisory Council, comprising University, State, philanthropy, employers, and community representatives, and facilitate regular meetings to develop strategies for long-range sustainability. The Assistant Dean will develop statewide recruitment, awareness, and public education campaigns with the outcome of establishing sub-awards, memorandums of understandings, and articulation agreements with community partners and other stakeholders, including participating Coalition universities, high schools, and community colleges.

The project plans to take a multi-faceted approach to shore up the public sector service workforce and to produce highly competent social work practitioners to work with targeted populations across the state. This position and the team will be vital for increasing recruitment and outreach to build a pipeline of social workers; developing a statewide Public Sector Leadership Program to emphasize direct service and focus on critical service delivery areas; attracting new practitioners through a loan forgiveness and public service sector work commitment; and retaining existing workforce through professional learning communities and career development.

The Assistant Dean will organize and oversee six teams, including Project Administration, Planning, and Implementation; Recruitment and Career Pipeline; Public Education, Marketing, and Communications; Curriculum, Certificate, and Training Development; Practicum Education, Post-Graduation Service Agreement, and Licensure; and Evaluation and Sustainability, to successfully implement all aspects of the project over five years. The ADWD will coordinate with workforce development partners, including the National Association of Social Workers ( NASW : NC Chapter), the Public School Forum of North Carolina, UNC Behavioral Health Workforce Research Center, and all 25 universities of the Coalition. This role is central to the project’s success, ensuring smooth collaboration across various teams, organizations, and initiatives.

Education and Experience:

+ PhD in social work, social welfare, public policy, education, evaluation, social science, or relevant discipline

+ Demonstrated ability to lead complex, multi-institutional initiatives with multiple stakeholders

+ Licensure as a social worker

+ Deep understanding of North Carolina’s health and human services systems, particularly in areas like child welfare, behavioral health, aging, disability, and/or justice

+ Experience working with advisory councils, boards, and/or cross-sector task force

+ Experience overseeing or contributing to public awareness and education campaigns

+ Capacity to develop and manage marketing and communications teams or functions

+ Cultural competence and commitment to welcoming workplace culture and environments

+ Familiarity with North Carolina’s social work educational landscape, including rural and underserved communities

+ Ability to design or oversee curriculum and certificate programs tailored to public sector needs

+ Experience in data evaluation, workforce analytics, and/or collaborating with researchers for program evaluation and impact measurement

Essential Skills:

+ Experience in project management, particularly involving university systems and partnerships; a strong background in social work and community engagement

+ Proven leadership in academia or large-scale project settings and experience coordinating across university, state, and/or community systems

+ Experience supervising multi-disciplinary teams, hiring staff, and managing large budgets

+ Familiarity with grant-funded initiatives,

+ Extensive program development and implementation experience, particularly related to workforce and/or community engagement

+ Strategic planning, evaluation, and sustainability experience

+ Knowledge of public sector delivery systems and workforce development best practices

+ Strong skills in building teams, partnerships, and collaborating with government agencies, educational institutions, community organizations, and/or funders

+ Excellent communication, public speaking, and organizational skills

AA/EEO Statement:

The University is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all to apply without regard to age, color, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.