The Opportunity

Washington State University seeks a collaborative academic leader to guide the School of the Environment (SOE) into its next chapter. The Director will unite the School around a shared vision, foster a culture of collegiality and mutual respect, steward resources strategically, and strengthen the School’s impact. 

The Director is the School’s primary academic and administrative leader, with responsibility for academic programs, personnel, operations, and finances. The Director works closely with the deans and leadership teams of the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) and the College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences (CAHNRS) and serves on both colleges’ broader academic leadership teams. In partnership with faculty, staff, students, campus leaders, and colleagues across the WSU system, the Director advances the School’s teaching, research, and service missions. 

The Director will balance daily operations with long-term priorities: strengthening academic programs, recruiting and retaining students, developing faculty and staff, advancing research and scholarship, and managing resources responsibly. The Director will be an accomplished researcher who is interested in expanding into an academic leadership role that will expand access and opportunity in teaching, collaboration, and academic work for faculty, consistent with WSU’s land-grant mission. The Director will advance a shared vision through transparent decision-making, shared governance, and consensus building.

About the School

The School of the Environment is one of WSU’s most interdisciplinary and geographically distributed academic units, bringing together environmental science, geoscience, ecology, natural resource management, and society. It includes approximately 32 faculty members across tenure-track, career-track, and research appointments and serves approximately 500 undergraduate majors and 75 graduate students across multiple state-wide campuses.

The School delivers academic programs across Pullman, Vancouver, Tri-Cities, and the Global Campus. Its research, extension, and outreach programs extend across Pullman, Vancouver, Tri-Cities, the Puyallup Research and Extension Center, and the Wenatchee Research and Extension Center.

Undergraduate majors include Earth Science, Environmental and Ecosystem Sciences, Forest Ecology and Management, and Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Sciences. Graduate programs include M.S. degrees in Geology and Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences and Ph.D degrees in Geology and Environmental and Natural Resources. The School maintains nationally recognized research programs and strong partnerships with government agencies, tribal nations, nonprofit organizations, communities, and industry.

The School’s academic and research strengths are organized around three interconnected themes: Dynamic Earth, Water and Life, and Sustaining Ecosystems. Guided by its Strategic Plan, the School seeks to be a leading academic unit addressing environmental challenges through innovative teaching, transformative research, and community-engaged scholarship.

Leadership Priorities and Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership and Interdisciplinary Collaboration

Through collaborative planning, shared governance and broad engagement across the School, the Director will bring faculty, staff, and partners together to develop and carry out a system-wide vision that strengthens teaching, research, student support, and the School’s broader impact. That vision will align with CAS, CAHNRS, and University priorities and use evidence to guide planning, resource allocation, program development, and decisions. 

The School’s position at the intersection of multiple disciplines creates opportunities to shape the future of environmental scholarship and education at WSU. The Director will strengthen connections across disciplines and develop initiatives addressing climate change, water resources, ecosystem resilience, environmental justice, sustainability, natural hazards, and emerging environmental challenges, drawing on the complementary strengths of both colleges and the broader University. 

The Director will work with the deans and leadership teams of CAS, CAHNRS, and the WSU system on the School’s administration and strategic direction; actively engage in relevant leadership discussions and initiatives within both colleges and across campuses; and represent and advocate for the School with University administration, other academic units, and external stakeholders.

Academic Programs and Educational Innovation

The Director will oversee academic programs, curriculum, and the assessment of student learning. The role includes anticipating short- and long-term curricular needs; keeping curricula, teaching methods, and educational offerings current and relevant; and aligning teaching assignments and instructional resources with student needs and the School’s academic mission. 

Opportunities for educational innovation include developing interdisciplinary degree, certificate, and professional programs; expanding experiential, field-based, and community-engaged learning; integrating emerging technologies, geospatial sciences, artificial intelligence, and environmental data science into curricula; strengthening online and hybrid offerings; and building stronger connections among undergraduate, graduate, and professional education programs. 

Student Recruitment and Success

In partnership with CAS, CAHNRS, and University colleagues, the Director will lead efforts to recruit, retain, and support outstanding undergraduate and graduate students. The Director will support career preparation by expanding career pathways, internships, and partnerships with employers across the environmental and natural resource sectors. 

Faculty and Staff Leadership

The Director will build a collaborative and cooperative School culture characterized by civility, collegiality, accountability, and respect. The Director will oversee faculty and staff recruitment and retention and provide effective leadership and supervision consistent with University and applicable college policies and procedures. 

The Director will conduct annual reviews and provide useful feedback that supports performance and professional growth. The role also includes making appropriate recommendations on appointments, promotion, retention, compensation, and other personnel matters; creating opportunities for leadership, recognition, and awards; addressing personnel matters and conflicts consistently and in accordance with University policy; and assigning committee and service work equitably and strategically. 

Research Excellence and External Engagement

Building on the School’s strong and growing research portfolio, the Director will promote an environment that supports excellence in research, scholarship, teaching, and graduate education. The Director will support faculty efforts to pursue external funding and center-scale initiatives, enhance interdisciplinary research collaborations, and elevate the national and international visibility of the School’s research and scholarship. 

The Director will facilitate connections among School faculty and colleagues across CAS, CAHNRS, the WSU system, and external organizations. This includes building and maintaining productive relationships with federal and state agencies, tribal nations, nongovernmental and nonprofit organizations, industry, communities, alumni, and other stakeholders relevant to the School’s mission. The Director will work collaboratively with CAS and CAHNRS advancement teams and college leadership on development and philanthropic activities that support School priorities.

With programs and partnerships across Washington, the School is positioned to expand its impact through extension, outreach, applied research, and community engagement. The Director will connect research and education to the environmental challenges facing the state while strengthening the School’s national and international reputation.

Budget and Resource Stewardship

The Director will manage the School’s budget and resources responsibly in coordination with CAS and CAHNRS. Working with college fiscal and administrative staff, the Director will monitor budgets, make timely financial decisions, and oversee grants and other School-managed funds.

The Director will allocate resources strategically to support the mission and priorities of the School, both colleges, and the University; responsibly steward assigned facilities, equipment, and other resources; and identify opportunities for operational effectiveness and strategic use of existing resources.

Administration and Shared Governance

The Director will oversee daily operations and conduct the School’s official business with College and University administrators, faculty, staff, and students. Regular and effective communication with the deans, appropriate college and campus leadership, and School faculty, staff, and students is essential. The Director will clearly and consistently communicate College and University information, policies, and expectations, regularly convene and lead School meetings, and facilitate meaningful faculty participation in policy and shared governance.

The Director will apply University policies and procedures, including the Faculty Manual, Administrative Professional Handbook, academic regulations, and Graduate School policies. The role also includes leading accreditation, program review, assessment, and other academic or administrative reviews, as applicable, along with responsibilities assigned in consultation with the deans of CAS and CAHNRS.