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Executive Search

Director of the Department of Social Work

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) invites inquiries, nominations, and applications in the search for its next Director of the Department of Social Work. The university seeks to hire a full-time, tenured faculty position at the rank of Associate or Full Professor to serve in the role of Department Director (75%) while also maintaining a limited research agenda (25%). The position is a nine-month academic appointment that begins August 23, 2027.

UWM, Wisconsin’s second largest university and the state’s major public urban research campus, delivers a life-changing, high-quality education to 23,000 students from more than 80 countries each year. The university embraces its unique dual mission of performing world-class research and ensuring college access for students from all backgrounds. Recognized as an R1 doctoral university, UWM is among only a few R1 institutions with a dedicated urban access mission and was also recognized in 2026 as a Carnegie Community Engagement Classified campus.

The College of Community Engagement & Professions develops informed, engaged, and empathetic professionals through the School of Education, Helen Bader School of Social Welfare, and School of Information Studies. Housed within the college, the Helen Bader School of Social Welfare includes the Department of Social Work and the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology. The two departments serve approximately 800 undergraduate and 350 graduate students and partner with hundreds of agencies regionally and statewide to provide field placement opportunities.

The Department of Social Work is in a growth phase and includes 13 faculty, nine clinical faculty members, and 25 lecturers and confers BSW, MSW (traditional and online), and PhD degrees. Its MSW program, ranked within the top 25% nationwide, boasts a burgeoning online program and several federally funded training initiatives. It offers specialized curricula in critical service areas such as trauma-informed care and applied gerontology to augment its generalist instruction. In addition, the BSW program is developing a fully online option, and alongside an established PhD program, the department is adding a DSW program to its doctoral offerings. The Department of Social Work includes 13 faculty, nine clinical faculty members, and 25 lecturers. Beyond its extensive educational programming, the department has a distinct community engaged identity. Through faculty-led applied research, it has established a strong record of collaboration with community and state agencies. All such activities align with the department’s mission: to promote the health and welfare of diverse, underserved, and marginalized populations through social work research, education, training, and practice.

The Director is the Department of Social Work’s chief academic and strategy officer, responsible for overseeing policies and procedures, facilitating shared governance processes, coordinating the administrative leadership team, liaising with campus administration, corresponding with the Wisconsin service community and the social work field, and ensuring compliance with CSWE accreditation standards. The qualified applicant must hold a PhD in social work or a related field and must meet the rank of a tenured associate or full professor within the Department of Social Work at UWM. Preference will be given to applicants with an MSW degree and those who have demonstrated a strong record of (1) leadership and administration, (2) research and scholarship, and (3) teaching and curriculum development.

Additional information is available in the search profile available at the link above.

How to apply: The University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee is being assisted by Academic Search. Applications should consist of a substantive cover letter, a curriculum vitae, and a list of five professional references with full contact information and a note indicating the nature of your working relationship with each. No references will be contacted without the explicit permission of the candidate. Applications, nominations, and expressions of interest can be submitted electronically, and in confidence, to:

UWMDirectorSW@academicsearch.org

The position is open until filled, but only applications received by November 2, 2026, can be assured full consideration. Confidential discussions about this opportunity may be arranged by contacting senior consultant Chris Butler. Further information about the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee is available at https://uwm.edu/.

Inclusivity Statement: UWM celebrates, values, and promotes the different voices and experiences of our students, employees, and community partners. We believe differences enrich and strengthen our university. UWM is committed to providing equitable access to opportunities for students and employees from every background. We aspire to create a campus climate that is welcoming to all.

Land Acknowledgement: We acknowledge in Milwaukee that we are on traditional Potawatomi, Ho-Chunk, and Menominee homeland along the southwest shores of Michigami, North America’s largest system of freshwater lakes, where the Milwaukee, Menominee, and Kinnickinnic rivers meet and the people of Wisconsin’s sovereign Anishinaabe, Ho-Chunk, Menominee, Oneida, and Mohican nations remain present.

UWM is an AA/EO employer: All applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, disability, or protected veteran status.

UW is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other basis protected by applicable federal or State law and UW System policies. We are committed to building a workforce that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills, and encourage all qualified individuals to apply.