Academic Program Director, Physical Therapy

The Program Director is responsible for the effective delivery of the academic program in alignment with institutional goals, learning outcomes, and accreditation standards. This role provides leadership across curriculum implementation, faculty management, accreditation activities, and continuous improvement initiatives, while supporting student success and academic quality. The Program Director also plays a central role in strategic planning, assessment, and cross-departmental collaboration.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership and Planning

• Provide leadership, vision, and structure for the academic program in alignment with institutional strategic and quality improvement plans.
• Assess and report on program metrics including faculty workload, scholarly activity, student satisfaction, graduation rates, and enrollment trends.
• Contribute to long-term planning initiatives related to program growth, effectiveness, and sustainability.

Program Operations and Academic Oversight

• Oversee day-to-day program operations to ensure effective workflows, quality curriculum delivery, and achievement of student learning outcomes.
• Collaborate with academic and administrative departments to coordinate initiatives and support institutional priorities.
• Foster a campus culture focused on academic achievement, professional development, and student engagement.
• Support educational effectiveness through reporting and participation in governance or management committees.
• Communicate effectively with students, faculty, and staff, including advising students and supporting issue resolution.
• Partner with clinical education teams to ensure high-quality experiential learning opportunities for students.
• Participate in student recruitment activities including information sessions and outreach efforts.
• Ensure faculty alignment with departmental and institutional outcomes outlined in institutional effectiveness plans.

Faculty Leadership and Development

• Recruit, hire, develop, and evaluate core and adjunct faculty across the program.
• Support faculty workforce planning and instructional coverage to maintain program continuity and quality.
• Evaluate faculty performance using established standards and provide mentorship to support professional growth.
• Build a collaborative, accountable, and mission-driven faculty culture aligned with institutional values.

Scholarly and Professional Engagement

• Stay current with educational best practices, policy changes, and industry developments affecting the program.
• Maintain active engagement in professional organizations and scholarly activities appropriate to the discipline.
• Support a culture of continuous improvement through research-informed practice and professional development.

Administrative and Compliance Responsibilities

• Lead program-level strategic initiatives and identify opportunities for innovation and improvement.
• Develop and manage annual budgets related to the program, including oversight of expenditures and resource allocation.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and accrediting body requirements including CAPTE standards.
• Lead local participation in programmatic accreditation processes, including reporting and documentation.
• Participate in institutional meetings and leadership councils as appropriate to the role.
• Maintain a teaching load of approximately 0.5 FTE as part of the position.
• Approve prerequisite substitutions and transfer credit evaluations.

Supervisory Responsibilities and Reporting

• Provide direct supervision to core faculty, contributing faculty, and program staff.
• May oversee an Assistant Director or Site Coordinator depending on campus structure.
• Reports to the Associate Dean.
• Occasional local or overnight travel to other campuses may be required. Valid driver’s license and state-required insurance are required.

Qualifications and Experience

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, department chairs, deans, and academic leaders across physical therapy, nursing, physician assistant studies, dental hygiene, and respiratory therapy 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.