Job Details

The School of Natural Resources at the University of Tennessee – Knoxville (UTK) invites applications for the position of Professor and Director of the School of Natural Resources (SNR). This is a full‑time, 12‑month, tenured position.

UTK is Tennessee's flagship state research institution, with nationally and internationally recognized undergraduate and graduate programs. The School of Natural Resources is the state's comprehensive natural resources program, consisting of 36 teaching, research, and Extension faculty, 19 professional staff, 8 administrative support staff, and more than 325 students. The school's mission is to advance the science and sustainable management of natural resources to promote their health, utilization, and appreciation in Tennessee, the region, and beyond.

The Director's responsibilities include leadership of all school programs and administrative responsibility for planning, fiscal management, human resources, and facilities. The Director reports to the Deans of AgResearch, UT Extension, and the Herbert College of Agriculture, working with their offices to accomplish school goals and objectives. The Director guides the School of Natural Resources in its mission to deliver statewide, nationally, and internationally recognized programs in teaching, research, and Extension. The Director helps articulate and promote the School's vision to provide high quality, relevant education and training for undergraduate and graduate students that encompasses the vision of the University of Tennessee – a world enriched by our ideas, improved through action, and inspired by the Volunteer spirit of service and leadership – positioning students to become academic and industry leaders in the state of Tennessee and the world.

The Director serves as the chief executive officer of the School and is responsible for providing dynamic, visionary leadership in the following key areas:

• Strategic Leadership: Facilitate the achievement of the School's teaching, research, Extension, and service missions, while ensuring alignment with institute and university goals and growing all programs and enhancing leadership.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Collaborate with faculty, staff, students, administration, alumni, industry and agency partners, advisory groups, and external constituencies to establish priorities and guide the School's growth.
• Faculty and Staff Development: Recruit, support, mentor, and evaluate a diverse team of faculty and staff; lead efforts in performance management, retention, and professional development.
• Student Success: Oversee student recruitment, advising, and support efforts to enhance enrollment, retention, and student achievement within the School's disciplines.
• Academic Program Quality: Ensure the health, accreditation, and continuous improvement of academic programs and maintain high standards for teaching and learning outcomes.
• Collegiality and Professionalism: Promote a positive, collegial, and welcoming School culture that values teamwork and interdisciplinary collaboration.
• Resource Management: Manage the School budgets, human resources, and facilities; identify and cultivate internal and external funding and sponsored opportunities to support program growth.
• Visibility and Advocacy: Enhance the visibility of the School (forestry, wildlife, fisheries, outdoor recreation, and renewable carbon) through strategic marketing, promoting excellence, and fostering recognition of faculty, staff, and student achievements at the institute, university, state, and national levels.
• Faculty Mentorship: Implement and administer a structured faculty mentoring program, ensuring long‑term support through multi‑member mentoring committees.

Required Qualifications

• Qualify for the rank of Professor in the School of Natural Resources with an earned PhD in forestry, wildlife, fisheries, outdoor recreation, wood science, or closely related field and a distinguished record of scholarly achievement.
• Display evidence of visionary leadership that aligns with faculty goals for the Extension, research, and teaching programs within natural resources.
• Demonstrate interest in and understanding of the Land Grant philosophy.
• Possess excellent interpersonal, communication, and decision‑making skills.
• Have a strong commitment to development of faculty, staff, and students and a proven ability to foster collaboration across disciplines and institutions.
• Demonstrate administrative and leadership experience, including supervision of personnel, fiscal management, and strategic planning.

Desired Qualifications

• Experience working within a land‑grant university system.
• Experience in and a willingness to engage in assessing priorities, strategic planning and implementation, and adaptability to change in a multidisciplinary environment.
• Skills in effective management of personnel and mentorship, navigation of administrative challenges, and facilitation of productive teamwork.
• Demonstrated fiscal and resource management skills, and a commitment to financial transparency.
• Experience in teaching, curriculum development, and assessment.
• International reputation in specialty area, successful grantsmanship at regional and national levels, and active involvement in appropriate scientific societies.
• Demonstrated evidence of successful collaboration including scholarly activity and establishing productive partnerships.