Academic Program Director, Occupational Therapy
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Strategic Planning
- Provide leadership, vision, and organizational strategy for the program while aligning with the institution’s strategic and quality improvement plans.
- Monitor program metrics such as faculty workload, scholarly productivity, student satisfaction, graduation rates, and enrollment trends to ensure program goals are achieved.
Program Operations
- Oversee development and maintenance of efficient department operations, ensuring workflow, student learning outcomes, and curriculum quality.
- Collaborate across departments to coordinate activities, implement improvements, and foster innovation.
- Promote a campus culture focused on academic achievement, personal development, and institutional core values.
- Communicate effectively with students, faculty, and staff while supporting problem-solving and complaint resolution.
- Partner with the Clinical Education department to ensure quality clinical experiences for students.
- Conduct student information and recruiting sessions as required.
- Ensure faculty support institutional and departmental goals tied to educational effectiveness.
Faculty Leadership and Development
- Hire, develop, and evaluate core and adjunct faculty while supporting effective staffing patterns and scheduling.
- Mentor faculty to enhance individual performance, build leadership capabilities, and strengthen alignment with institutional goals.
Scholarly and Professional Development
- Stay current on best practices, policy changes, and emerging trends through ongoing engagement with professional organizations, conferences, and seminars.
- Meet scholarly and professional development goals identified in annual performance evaluations.
- Integrate research and practice into student learning and faculty development initiatives.
Management Responsibilities
- Develop and execute the program’s strategic plan and identify opportunities for innovation and growth.
- Manage budgets, approve expenditures, and oversee departmental financial planning.
- Ensure full compliance with accreditation standards, institutional policies, and federal and state regulations.
- Participate in institutional committees, councils, and student-facing meetings as needed.
- Maintain a reduced teaching load of no more than 0.5 FTE or 148 hours per term.
- Review and approve prerequisite course substitutions and transfer credits.
Other Duties and Travel
- Perform additional responsibilities as assigned by leadership.
- Occasional travel may be required for professional development, recruitment, or multi-campus meetings.
- A valid driver’s license and minimum state-required liability insurance are required.
Supervisory Responsibilities
- Directly supervise core faculty, contributing faculty, and academic support staff.
- May oversee an assistant director or site coordinator as applicable to campus structure.
Education, Experience, and Skills
Required Background
- Doctoral degree from an institution accredited by a recognized accrediting agency.
- Minimum of 8 years of documented experience in occupational therapy, including clinical practice as an occupational therapist.
- Administrative experience within an OT program or higher education setting.
- Scholarship and research contributions appropriate to the field.
- Understanding of the occupational therapy assistant role.
- At least 4 years of postsecondary-level teaching experience.
Required Skills
- Demonstrated effectiveness in teaching, scholarship, and academic leadership within higher education.
- Strong knowledge of programmatic accreditation processes including ACOTE standards.
- Proven leadership, communication, and team-building skills.
- Ability to work collaboratively across departments and with external partners.
- Experience in fiscal management, strategic planning, and operational oversight.
Key Leadership Competencies
Demonstrates genuine passion for student success and aligns decisions with institutional values and program mission.
Designs effective learning experiences and consistently leverages pedagogical best practices across curriculum and instruction.
Works effectively across teams and external partnerships to achieve shared goals and drive program outcomes.
Adapts communication style to audience and context while fostering strong, productive relationships across all stakeholder groups.
Creates an inclusive, supportive, and academically challenging environment that advances student progression and success.
Identifies, mentors, and develops faculty talent to build a high-performing team aligned with program and institutional goals.
Search Conducted by Excelon Associates
Excelon Associates is a retained executive search firm headquartered in Asheville, NC, with offices in Boca Raton and Delray Beach, FL. Our allied health education practice places program directors, associate deans, and senior academic leaders across occupational therapy, physical therapy, nursing, physician assistant studies, and dental hygiene at accredited institutions nationwide. We have been conducting searches in allied health education since 2007.
For confidential consideration, please apply through our platform below or visit our candidate registration page to submit your resume for future opportunities.
Ready to Apply?
Submit your application through Excelon Associates. Questions about this role can be directed to our team at +1 (828) 417-7094.