Executive Dean of the Maine Business School

The University of Maine seeks an entrepreneurial and innovative executive dean to lead the Maine Business School based at the University of Maine, the flagship campus of the University of Maine System. The executive dean will have the opportunity to enhance existing areas of excellence in undergraduate education and research, foster new collaborations within and outside of the Maine Business School, and continue to grow enrollment, support for the School, and experiential learning opportunities for students.

Maine Business School

The Maine Business School (MBS) faculty prepare students for successful careers in a global economy by challenging them to develop business skills, discover their potential, and act responsibly in a complex world (MBS Mission and Values). MBS is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion (MBS Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion). The MBS is ranked by U.S. News & World Report among the nation’s best and has been fully accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International) since 1974 (an accreditation held by less than 5% of business schools worldwide). These distinctions demonstrate the quality of our faculty and the relevance of our curriculum.

MBS is now seeking an executive dean to lead its undergraduate education, research, service and other activities from the flagship university in Orono and to coordinate with the dean of the graduate program. The undergraduate programs of MBS include a four-year Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with majors in: accounting, finance, management, marketing, sport management, and business information systems and security management, as well as concentrations in international business and entrepreneurship. 

MBS graduate programs are led by the dean of the Graduate School of Business. The Graduate School of Business is located in Portland, Maine, and includes some MBS faculty and staff.  Graduate faculty are from the University of Maine and from the University of Southern Maine.  Both deans will work in close collaboration with each other and report directly to the Provost.

Required qualifications

Candidates with backgrounds in either academia or the private sector are welcome and encouraged to apply.

In either case, the successful candidate will have a track record of progressive leadership, familiarity with relevant skills the leader of an institution must demonstrate, and an interest in furthering the betterment of Maine.

For candidates from academia, the successful candidate will have an earned doctorate or terminal degree in business or a related field. They will have a record of scholarship, teaching, and service that meets the criteria for appointment to the rank of Associate or Full Professor, with tenure, at the University of Maine. The successful candidate will also have a demonstrated record of progressively significant leadership and administrative responsibilities in academic or executive positions in the public or private sector. Additionally, the candidate will possess administrative or teaching experience in or related to undergraduate business studies.

Preferred qualifications

The Executive Dean should have demonstrated leadership skills that include:

  • A commitment to the recruitment, advancement, and retention of a diverse community of faculty, staff, and students
  • Demonstrated commitment to promoting and supporting diversity, inclusion, and equity
  • Demonstrated understanding of best practices in undergraduate recruitment and enrollment management, and student success and services
  • Ability to represent the needs of undergraduate business students, faculty, and programs to both internal and external stakeholder communities
  • Demonstrated experience and record of successful entrepreneurial approaches to the development and evaluation of undergraduate business and interdisciplinary academic programs and initiatives
  • A strong background in, and understanding of, technology and its role in contemporary education and business
  • Ability to collaborate closely with the dean of the Graduate School of Business, particularly in areas of faculty effort and development, research, articulation, and external relations
  • A data-driven and collaborative leadership style across academic units and colleges, and with transparency for multiple stakeholders
  • Significant experience engaging the external (local, regional, and national) business and governmental communities in the development of mutually beneficial partnerships, and the ability to leverage those partnerships to benefit programs (e.g. student internships and employment, fundraising and friend-raising, marketing and branding, and organizational growth)
  • Experience with fundraising and donor relations
  • Demonstrated record of successful entrepreneurial approaches to the development of academic programs and initiatives
  • Experience with, or an understanding of, issues related to AACSB accreditation and emerging areas of potential programmatic growth
  • Commitment to shared governance and experience with a unionized faculty
  • Understanding of the mission and environment of a multi-campus public university system, and a multi-program educational and administrative environment
  • Strong written and oral communication skills

The University of Maine

The University of Maine is a dynamic and distinguished comprehensive Research 1 university, offering first-class resources and programs within the welcoming context of a flagship campus.  UMaine is Maine’s only land, sea and space grant research university, home to its largest liberal arts college, and the only NCAA Division I athletics program in the state. UMaine is a public research university that offers a strong inclusive and accessible education at an affordable price. Opportunity and inclusion for all members of the UMaine community are cornerstones of its mission. The university welcomes students, faculty, staff, partners and collaborators into an atmosphere that honors the full heritage and diversity of Maine and the United States.  The University of Maine System recently received a $240 million investment from the Harold Alfond Foundation — the largest gift ever given to a public institution of higher education in New England. It will propel to new heights the state’s largest educational, research, innovation and talent development asset. Along with our Strategic Vision and Values, which affirm our focus on fostering student success, discovering and innovating, and growing and advancing partnerships, this transformational gift provides an opportunity to attract exceptional and collaborative leaders to the University of Maine community. We seek applicants who lead effectively through meaningful change; value and uphold transparency; demonstrate a commitment to promoting and supporting diversity, inclusion, and equity; support world-changing research; encourage innovative teaching practices; recognize and seize opportunities; and amplify the university’s profile.

Established in 1865 as a land grant college, UMaine is now also a sea and space grant institution. With an enrollment of over 11,000 students, UMaine is the largest university in the state and is the only institution in Maine classified as a Doctoral University/Higher Research Activity by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. At UMaine, nationally recognized faculty teach in over 100 undergraduate majors and academic programs, 85 master’s degree programs, and 35 doctoral programs. The campus has first-rate facilities, a friendly, safe atmosphere, and easy access to some of the best year-round recreation sites in the nation.

UMaine has a statewide mission of teaching, research and community engagement, and extends the resources of its learning community to address the educational, economic, cultural and social needs of Maine. The University of Maine’s six academic colleges include the Maine Business School; the College of Engineering; the College of Natural Sciences, Forestry, and Agriculture; the College of Education and Human Development; the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences; and the Honors College, as well as UMaine’s regional campus, the University of Maine at Machias. For more information, see: https://umaine.edu/ , https://umaine.edu/about/quick-facts/https://machias.edu/, https://umainecenter.org/.

About Orono, Maine

The flagship University of Maine campus and the Town of Orono maintain a vibrant and healthy culture. The town contains approximately 1,200 acres of bicycle and pedestrian trails maintained by the Orono Land Trust; a year-round Saturday farmers market; a swimming pool; playgrounds, parks, public gardens; and a busy modern public library. The downtown boasts a variety of shopping and dining options, and easy access to museums, a performing arts center, planetarium, and recreational opportunities on the UMaine campus, as well as to public transportation, airports, and Baxter State and Acadia National Parks. Orono, with a population of over 10,000, sits five miles north of the beautiful central Maine town of Bangor, home to a major airport and many other attractions.

Application and Nomination Process

Nominations and expressions of interest can be submitted in confidence to Vice President Jake Ward, chair of the search committee, at jsward@maine.edu or call 207-581-2201. Applications must be submitted at:  https://umaine.hiretouch.com/job-details?jobid=78955  

Review of applications will begin January 23, 2023, with full consideration given to those applicants who have fully submitted their documents by January 23, 2023. In deference to the sensitivity of the positions presently held by many of those who will be nominated, who apply and who are considered, the search will be conducted in strict confidence until finalists are invited to participate in the formal on-campus interview process.

Candidates for this position must submit three separate documents: a cover letter that describes experience, interests, and suitability for the position, with specific reference to the characteristics of the position and to the knowledge, skills, and qualifications sought; a current CV with email address and telephone number; and a reference list with the names, home and business telephone numbers, and email addresses of five professional references. References will not be contacted without permission from the candidate.

The University of Maine is an EEO/AA employer, and does not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, transgender status, gender expression, national origin, citizenship status, age, disability, genetic information or veteran’s status in employment, education, and all other programs and activities.  Please contact the Director of Equal Opportunity, 101 Boudreau Hall, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469-5754, 207.581.1226, TTY 711 (Maine Relay System) or by email to: equal.opportunity@maine.edu with questions or concerns.