Internal Posting Only - Department Chair – Public Safety FF9968

Campus

OSU-Oklahoma City

Contact Name & Email

Tiffany Smith, tiffany.r.smith@okstate.edu

Work Schedule

Dependent upon course scheduling and needs of the department.

Appointment Length

12 months

Hiring Range

Commensurate with education and experience

Special Instructions to Applicants

For full consideration, please include a resume, cover letter and contact information for three professional references.

Recruitment for position open internally to OSU-Oklahoma City Faculty.

About This Position

The department chair is the first-line administrator of the department to which they are assigned. The chair is responsible for all issues related to the department, including but not limited to: goal setting, faculty/staff supervision, curriculum oversight, accreditation and compliance, budget management, scheduling and course management, student advising and success, assessment, strategic planning, and advisory committees. The department chair must actively recruit and mentor majors, serve on faculty committees, and perform other duties as assigned.

Department Portfolio - Department of Public Safety

• All courses associated with the Department of Public Safety including, but not limited to, PLSC, PSM(BT), FRSC, and FFI(CERT).
  
  

Required Qualifications

• Associate or bachelor's degree and licensure/certification in one of the portfolio’s programs if required or
• Master’s degree in one of the portfolio’s programs or a related area if required
• Must be qualified to teach and provide leadership in a degree program within the department; total of at least three (3) years of college-level teaching experience.
  
  

Skills, Proficiencies, And/or Knowledge

• Teaching Competence – Demonstrated ability to design and deliver effective lesson plans, instructional content, presentations, assignments, and supporting materials that promote student learning. Must consistently assess student learning outcomes and use results to improve instruction.
• Communication skills – Ability to communicate clearly and professionally in both written and verbal forms, using grammatically correct English. Must be capable of preparing detailed reports by established deadlines and interacting effectively with supervisors, colleagues, students, alumni, advisory committee members, and the public using sound judgment, tact, and discretion.
• Organizational and Time Management Skills – Proven ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously in an environment characterized by frequent deadlines, peak workloads, and substantial student and public interaction.
• Technical Skills – Demonstrated proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (Word, PowerPoint, Excel), as well as email, internet tools, and learning management systems, with the ability to apply technology efficiently in instructional and administrative contexts.
• Interpersonal Skills – Strong ability to communicate diplomatically and collaborate effectively with students, faculty, staff, and community partners. Must be able to give and receive instructions, respond to inquiries appropriately, and foster positive working relationships.
• Student‑Centered Commitment – Evident dedication to student success and support, along with the ability to represent the OSU‑OKC and OSU brands with professionalism, positivity, and integrity.
• Leadership and Goal Development – Evidence of innovative leadership practices, with the ability to establish, implement, and continuously refine goals aligned with institutional priorities.
• Ethical and Professional Conduct – Demonstrated, consistent history of ethical behavior, professionalism, and adherence to institutional policies and standards.
  
  

Education

• Associate or bachelor's degree and licensure/certification in one of the portfolio’s programs if required or
• Master’s degree in one of the portfolio’s programs or a related area if required
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Doctorate in related field.
• Minimum of one year of successful supervisory or administrative leadership in an academic setting.
  
  

Other Performance Measures

• Successful job performance requires creativity, initiative, and effective problem-solving, with a clear focus on the ongoing success, relevance, and growth of the academic programs within the chair’s portfolio. A department chair must work constructively with faculty, staff, and university officials, and external partners to advance student success, ensure program quality, and support continuous improvement. The chair is expected to promote program visibility, responsiveness to workforce and industry needs, and alignment with institutional goals.
  
  

Interpersonal Skills

• Must work effectively and cooperatively with campus faculty, departments, schools, and support units, as well as a wide variety of people outside the university, such as advisory committees and representatives of other two-year and four-year institutions.
  
  

Essential Job Functions

• Teaches a reduced load to fulfill administrative leadership responsibilities; not to be less than 15 credit hours per academic year, or 12 credit hours if most courses have scheduled laboratory.
• Oversees multiple academic programs within a department; manages department operations.
• Leads hiring recommendations, onboarding, evaluation input, workload coordination, and faculty development for faculty in the department chair portfolio.
• Ensures consistency, quality, and relevance across curricula for programs in their portfolio.
• Coordinates compliance and reporting tied to programs in their portfolio; supports program accreditation activity where applicable.
• Manages the allocated budget lines for their portfolio (including adjunct and operating needs as assigned), submits resource requests to the dean.
• Builds course schedules for programs in their portfolio, recommends instructor assignments, ensures coverage, and ensures efficient course rotation.
• Oversees advising approach and retention strategies for programs in their portfolio, monitors progression and completion.
• Leads employer, workforce, and community partnerships connected to programs in their portfolio.
• Promotes department visibility, responsiveness to workforce needs, and strategic program growth.
• Leads department-level outcomes assessment and strategic planning.
• Coordinates advisory board engagement and follow-up across all programs in the department; participates in advisory boards for degree programs in portfolio.
• Supervises the development and distribution of department publications.
• Coordinates with transfer institutions in the articulation of courses and/or degree programs.
• Remains current with theory and practice in the profession, coordinates and monitors professional growth activities for faculty.
• Coordinates the recruitment, selection, and recommendation of adjunct faculty and actively participates in the selection of qualified full-time faculty.
• Develop and monitor faculty teaching loads.
• Evaluates faculty/staff.
• Supervises textbook selection.
• Supervises implementation of initiatives for student success and retention.
• Supervises implementation of assessment model.
• Participates in active advisory boards for degree programs.
• Establishes and maintains effective cooperation and coordination with all other schools, departments, and support units on campus.
• Participates in professional organizations.
• Completes all mandatory training and participates in RPT recommended level of professional development each year.
• Performs other duties as assigned.
  
  

The duties listed in this job description are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.

Working Conditions

• Must be able to work a flexible schedule to include some evenings and weekends in an often times busy and noisy environment.
• Work will be performed in an office and classroom environment with a significant amount of public contact, in person, by telephone, via email, and various communication platforms.
  
  

Physical Requirements

• Duties require extended periods of sitting, talking and listening.
• Duties require extensive use of computers, telephone and other office equipment.
• Requires possible lifting of up to 25 lbs. (If an object weights more than 45 lbs., OSU-Oklahoma City requires this to be a two-person lift).
  
  

The work environment and physical demands described here are representative of those required by an employee to perform the essential functions of this job with or without reasonable accommodation.