Dean, Leavey School of Business

Santa Clara University seeks a Dean of its highly regarded Leavey School of Business. The Dean will drive academic innovation, lead with strategic purpose, and create a compelling vision for all aspects of the School while taking advantage of Santa Clara's ideal position at the heart of Silicon Valley. The vision will include high-quality academic programs, outstanding teaching and research, and a clear reflection of the University's Jesuit and Catholic traditions in all of its programs, including a commitment to social justice and educating the whole person.

Founded in 1851, Santa Clara has grown in size and stature and is increasingly recognized as one of the top Catholic universities in the United States. In 2019, Santa Clara was named in the top 10 percent, at No. 51, of 650 top-tier American colleges and universities by Forbes Magazine in its annual America's Top Colleges rankings. In 2018, it was named by U.S. News and World Report as the Best Regional University in the West, and a recent redefinition of Carnegie classifications places it in the new Doctoral/Professional classification. Santa Clara University blends high-tech innovation with social justice, grounded in the Jesuit and Catholic educational tradition.

Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, one of the most dynamic business environments in the world, the Leavey School of Business combines academic excellence in the 450-year Jesuit tradition, with an energetic, innovative spirit that typifies the region. Santa Clara University’s Leavey School of Business offers one of the nation's best graduate business programs, ranked No. 11 Executive MBA by U.S News & World Report, No. 25 ranked Evening MBA by U.S News & World Report, and No. 25 ranked Online MBA by The Princeton Review.

The Dean will join the Leavey School of Business at a pivotal time in Santa Clara's history. The University is at the final stage of Santa Clara 2020, its integrated strategic plan, and in the midst of a comprehensive fundraising campaign, Innovating with a Mission: The Campaign for Santa Clara University. The campaign is raising the University's profile into the ranks of the leading Catholic universities in the United States. The School is a beneficiary of a number of campaign priorities, including the launch of a new Real Estate Institute and the expansive growth of graduate and undergraduate endowed scholarships to meet continued need. The Dean will have a remarkable opportunity to chart a vision, strategies, and priorities for the School, build on its national reputation for teaching, research, and innovative business education programs, strengthen and further develop relationships internally and externally with donors, alumni, and Silicon Valley companies and leaders, raise national visibility, and generate revenue for the long term vitality of the School – all within the context of Santa Clara's Jesuit mission and values. This is an exciting inflection point for the Leavey School, with many opportunities that lie ahead.

The incoming Dean will be a visionary, engaged, relationship oriented, and collaborative leader with a demonstrated commitment to academic achievement, research excellence, and amplifying the success of faculty, staff, and students. Compelling candidates will be values-based leaders who have successful experience managing a complex academic unit including a track record in budgets and finance, curriculum review and implementation, fundraising, and relationship-building both internally and externally. The ideal candidate will have a distinguished scholarly reputation and strong record of academic and teaching accomplishments commensurate with appointment as Dean and Professor, including an earned doctorate or terminal degree and a tenured appointment in a discipline appropriate to the School. There is an openness to nontraditional candidates who bring an alternative combination of credentials and who, through previous experience and commitment to excellence in the study, teaching, and practice of business, would gain the respect of faculty and external audiences. Finally, success in this role requires a clear understanding of, affinity for, and commitment to the University's Jesuit and Catholic mission and values as well as an unwavering commitment to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion and preparing students to create a more just, humane, and sustainable world.

All applications, nominations and inquiries are invited. Applications should include, as separate documents, a CV or resume and a letter of interest addressing the themes in the leadership profile available on www.wittkieffer.com.

WittKieffer is assisting Santa Clara University in this search. For fullest consideration, candidate materials should be received by January 4, 2021. Application materials should be submitted using WittKieffer’s candidate portal.

Nominations and inquiries can be directed to: Suzanne Teer, Greg Duyck, and Alejandra Gillette-Teran at SantaClaraLSBDean@wittkieffer.com.  

Santa Clara University is an equal opportunity/equal access/affirmative action employer fully committed to achieving a diverse workforce and complies with all Federal and California State laws, regulations, and executive orders regarding non-discrimination and affirmative action. Applications from members of historically underrepresented groups are especially encouraged. For a complete copy of Santa Clara University’s equal opportunity and nondiscrimination policies, see https://www.scu.edu/title-ix/policies-reports/.