Job Details

The Associate Dean for Academic Quality, Accreditation, and Compliance provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for academic quality assurance, accreditation, regulatory compliance, and continuous program improvement across all programs within the College of Nursing. This role holds primary accountability for the design, implementation, and performance of the College’s academic quality infrastructure.

The Associate Dean ensures that all academic programs meet and exceed standards established by specialized accreditors, state regulatory bodies, and institutional accrediting agencies, including the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing (and other state boards of nursing), Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA), and Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE).

This role has explicit authority over the Systematic Evaluation Plan (SEP), program outcomes thresholds, and academic quality metrics, ensuring that performance benchmarks are established, monitored, and enforced across all programs. The Associate Dean also has institutional responsibility for ensuring academic equivalence across all instructional locations and modalities, including in-person, hybrid, and online programs.

In addition, the Associate Dean ensures that all distance education programs comply with state authorization and Board of Nursing requirements across jurisdictions, including the approval and oversight of clinical placements for students completing practica outside the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Key Responsibilities:

Accreditation Strategy and Oversight

Lead all initial and continuing accreditation processes across undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs
Serve as primary liaison to accrediting and regulatory bodies (e.g., CCNE, BON, COA, MSCHE)
Oversee preparation of self-studies, substantive change reports, annual reports, and site visit coordination
Ensure compliance with all applicable accreditation standards and regulatory requirements across programs and sites
Establish and maintain a proactive accreditation calendar and readiness infrastructure

Academic Quality, SEP Authority, and Continuous Improvement

Own and operationalize the College’s Systematic Evaluation Plan (SEP), including authority over design, implementation, and enforcement
Establish, approve, and monitor program outcomes thresholds (e.g., licensure, certification, completion, employment, and progression metrics)
Require and oversee action plans for any outcomes that fall below established benchmarks
Ensure systematic, ongoing evaluation of mission, curriculum, resources, and outcomes consistent with national expectations for program quality and improvement
Lead root cause analysis and continuous quality improvement initiatives across programs
Ensure documentation is audit-ready and defensible across all accrediting and regulatory reviews

Curriculum Alignment and Academic Integrity

Lead institutional alignment of curricula with the American Association of Colleges of Nursing Essentials (2021) competency-based framework
Oversee curriculum mapping, gap analysis, and progression validation across all programs
Ensure that competency-based education principles are consistently applied across curricula, supporting measurable and transferable student competencies
Partner with program directors to ensure curricular rigor, coherence, and compliance

Cross-Site Academic Equivalence and Program Integrity

Hold primary accountability for ensuring academic equivalence across all instructional locations and delivery modalities
Establish and enforce standards for consistency in curriculum implementation, evaluation methods, grading practices, and student learning experiences
Ensure that outcomes, course expectations, and assessment strategies are equivalent regardless of site or modality
Monitor and evaluate cross-site performance data to identify variation and implement corrective actions
Ensure that expansion to new instructional locations maintains full compliance with accreditation and regulatory expectations

Regulatory Compliance and State Authorization (Including Online Programs)

Ensure compliance with all state board of nursing requirements, including curriculum approvals, reporting, and program changes
Oversee compliance for distance education and online programs across all states in which students are enrolled
Ensure that programs meet requirements for state authorization, out-of-state clinical placements, and licensure eligibility
Establish processes to verify that students enrolled from other states (e.g., California) are eligible to complete clinical experiences in their home state and meet that state’s Board of Nursing requirements
Maintain up-to-date regulatory intelligence across jurisdictions and ensure program alignment with evolving requirements
Oversee submission of regulatory documents, including curriculum changes and site approvals

Assessment, Data, and Reporting Infrastructure

Oversee the collection, validation, analysis, and reporting of academic and programmatic data
Ensure integrity, consistency, and accessibility of data used for accreditation and decision-making
Develop dashboards and reporting systems to support program leaders and faculty
Align assessment systems with institutional effectiveness and regional accreditation expectations

Faculty Development and Capacity Building

Provide leadership in faculty development related to assessment, accreditation, and competency-based education
Support faculty in developing measurable student learning outcomes and evaluation strategies
Promote a culture of shared accountability for academic quality and outcomes
Strategic Leadership and Institutional Alignment
Serve as a key member of the senior academic leadership team
Align academic quality initiatives with institutional strategic priorities, including program growth, innovation, and expansion
Provide consultation on new program development, modality changes, and expansion to new sites
Ensure that academic quality infrastructure scales effectively with institutional growth

Job Description

Qualifications Required:

PhD in Nursing or related field, or EdD

At least one graduate degree in nursing

Unencumbered registered nurse (RN) license, with eligibility for licensure in Pennsylvania

Eligibility for appointment at the rank of Associate Professor or higher

Minimum of 5 years of progressive leadership experience in nursing education

Demonstrated expertise in accreditation processes (e.g., Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing, Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs, Middle States Commission on Higher Education)

Strong knowledge of academic assessment, program evaluation, and outcomes measurement

Experience with curriculum design and alignment to competency-based frameworks

Exceptional attention to detail and organizational leadership skills

Qualifications Preferred:

Experience leading successful accreditation reviews or site visits

Experience with multi-site and distance education program delivery

Experience managing state authorization and out-of-state clinical compliance

Record of scholarship or leadership in nursing education, quality, or accreditation

Teaching, Service, and Travel Expectations:

Teaching: 1–2 courses per academic year, as needed

Service: Active engagement in college, university, and professional service

Travel: Periodic travel to JCN campuses, including Center City, Dixon, and Lehigh Valley

Reporting Structure:

Reports to: Vice Dean for Academic Affairs

Works in close collaboration with Program Directors, Associate/Assistant Deans, and institutional offices

Interested candidates should submit on-line application/CV/Cover Letter detailing specific teaching and clinical experience, and areas of scholarship and service; http://hr.jefferson.edu/human-resources.html then enter in search box Job ID # REQ-0028522

Work Shift

Workday Day (United States of America)

Worker Sub Type

Regular

Employee Entity

Thomas Jefferson University

Primary Location Address

901 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America

Nationally ranked, Jefferson, which is principally located in the greater Philadelphia region, Lehigh Valley and Northeastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey, is reimagining health care and higher education to create unparalleled value. Jefferson is more than 65,000 people strong, dedicated to providing the highest-quality, compassionate clinical care for patients; making our communities healthier and stronger; preparing tomorrow's professional leaders for 21st-century careers; and creating new knowledge through basic/programmatic, clinical and applied research. Thomas Jefferson University , home of Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Jefferson College of Nursing, and the Kanbar College of Design, Engineering and Commerce, dates back to 1824 and today comprises 10 colleges and three schools offering 200+ undergraduate and graduate programs to more than 8,300 students. Jefferson Health , nationally ranked as one of the top 15 not-for-profit health care systems in the country and the largest provider in the Philadelphia and Lehigh Valley areas, serves patients through millions of encounters each year at 32 hospitals campuses and more than 700 outpatient and urgent care locations throughout the region. Jefferson Health Plans is a not-for-profit managed health care organization providing a broad range of health coverage options in Pennsylvania and New Jersey for more than 35 years.

Jefferson is committed to providing equal educational and employment opportunities for all persons without regard to age, race, color, religion, creed, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, marital status, pregnancy, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, military status, veteran status, handicap or disability or any other protected group or status.

Benefits

Jefferson offers a comprehensive package of benefits for full-time and part-time colleagues, including medical (including prescription), supplemental insurance, dental, vision, life and AD&D insurance, short- and long-term disability, flexible spending accounts, retirement plans, tuition assistance, as well as voluntary benefits, which provide colleagues with access to group rates on insurance and discounts. Colleagues have access to tuition discounts at Thomas Jefferson University after one year of full time service or two years of part time service. All colleagues, including those who work less than part-time (including per diem colleagues, adjunct faculty, and Jeff Temps ), have access to medical (including prescription) insurance.