Dean of the College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences

Washington State University (WSU), a distinguished and innovative land grant university, seeks a highly skilled, creative, articulate, and experienced leader to serve as Dean of the College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences (CAHNRS). The CAHNRS Dean is a highly visible and influential leader in agricultural, human, and natural resource sciences in the State of Washington, nationally, and around the globe. CAHNRS serves the diverse and varied communities, businesses, agriculture systems, natural resources, and landscapes of the State of Washington, and the incoming Dean will lead the College, increase its visibility, impact, and influence, and set the path forward for continued success in the years ahead.

The Dean will play a critical and exciting role in translating WSU’s land-grant mission into action. Recognizing its land-grant mission and commitment to the people of Washington—as well as the state’s role as a doorway to the global business and learning community—CAHNRS provides leadership in discovering, accessing, and disseminating knowledge through high quality research, teaching, partnerships, and extension programs that contribute to a safe, abundant food and fiber supply; promotes the health, development, and wellbeing of people and communities; enhances sustainability of agricultural and economic systems; and promotes stewardship of natural resources and ecological systems. CAHNRS includes 16 academic units, 13 subject matter centers, four large research and extension centers, and one tribal and 39 county extension offices distributed across Washington, with approximately 550 faculty, 700 staff, 2,300 undergraduates, and 600 graduate students.

The successful Dean will be a visionary leader prepared to serve as a visible and vocal advocate and spokesperson for CAHNRS, WSU Extension, and the College’s external partners across the State. They will engage the College’s stakeholders in a sense of cohesion and common purpose, possess the ability to advance excellence in the fields within the College, and build and grow mutually beneficial partnerships across the State of Washington. To achieve these goals, the Dean will need to address the following opportunities and challenges that are central to CAHNRS’s future success:

  • Develop a comprehensive and compelling narrative for CAHNRS to increase the College’s visibility, impact, and reach
  • Serve as a highly visible leader, spokesperson, and advocate for CAHNRS and agricultural, human, and natural resource sciences in the State of Washington
  • Foster, coordinate, and provide leadership to research and outreach initiatives that solve important societal problems
  • Improve access, increase enrollment, and create new academic programs to sustain the future of agricultural, human and natural sciences in Washington and beyond
  • Nurture stakeholder relations and CAHNRS-industry partnerships that provide support to WSU research and extension programs
  • Develop, recruit, and retain excellent research, teaching, and extension faculty, staff, and students
  • Lead and foster professional development within a complex organization
  • Lead resource generation and management efforts for the College

WSU has retained Isaacson, Miller, a national executive search firm, to assist in this search. Screening of complete applications will begin immediately and continue until the completion of the search process. For more details, including the full position profile and to submit inquiries, nominations, referrals, and applications, please see the Isaacson, Miller website for the search: www.imsearch.com/6062. Electronic submission of materials is required.

Julie Filizetti and Brett Barbour

Isaacson, Miller

1000 Sansome Street, Suite 300

San Francisco, CA  94111

Phone: 415.655.4900

Fax: 415.655.4905

Washington State University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action educator and employer. Members of ethnic minorities, women, disabled veterans, veterans of the Vietnam-era, recently-separated veterans, and other protected veterans, persons of disability, and/or persons age 40 and over are encouraged to apply. WSU employs only U.S. citizens and lawfully authorized non-U.S. citizens. All new employees must show employment eligibility as required by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.