🚀 Director of the Richard T. Robertson School of Communication

Director of the Richard T. Robertson School of Communication

Join to apply for the Director of the Richard T. Robertson School of Communication role at Virginia Commonwealth University

Benefits

All full‑time university staff are eligible for VCU’s robust benefits package that includes comprehensive health benefits, paid annual and holiday leave granted up front, generous tuition benefits, retirement planning and savings options, tax‑deferred annuity and cash match programs, employee discounts, well‑being resources, abundant opportunities for career development and advancement, and more.

Unit

College of Humanities and Sciences MBU

Department

CHS Deans Office

Duties & Responsibilities

The Richard T. Robertson School of Communication, founded in 1978, is one of the largest units of the College of Humanities and Sciences at Virginia Commonwealth University, a Carnegie R1 (Very High Research) designated institution. It offers professional undergraduate and graduate programs and an interdisciplinary doctoral program in an environment that values the strong foundation of liberal arts and sciences necessary for professional communicators combined with an emphasis on professional and research excellence as well as on experiential learning and required internships for all undergraduate students.

The Robertson School is one of only 120 select journalism and mass communication programs accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications. The School was successfully reaccredited in 2025. The School offers a bachelor’s degree with six concentrations in Advertising (Creative and Strategic), Journalism (Digital and Broadcast), Media Production and Public Relations. It also offers an online master’s degree with concentrations in Integrated Communication and Media Leadership, as well as a Graduate Certificate in Media Leadership. In addition, the School offers a Ph.D. in Media, Art and Text in collaboration with the Department of English and the School of the Arts at VCU.

The Robertson School is committed to preparing its 700 undergraduate and graduate students not only with strong academic foundations but also with the professional readiness needed to thrive in a rapidly evolving media landscape, especially in the area of artificial intelligence. In addition to a robust academic advising team, the School is unique within the College of Humanities and Sciences in offering a dedicated career development team that delivers individualized guidance and industry connection. Additionally, the Robertson School strives to cultivate an environment in which faculty research and professional excellence can flourish and contribute to the university’s R1 mission.

Virginia Commonwealth University invites nominations and applications for an exceptional leader to serve as the next director of the Robertson School. The successful candidate will foster excellence in learning, teaching, research, creative activity and institutional development. The director will champion career readiness and student success by supporting initiatives that bridge academic learning with real‑world application, including internships, employer engagement and career education. A special focus for the School in the coming years will be the training of faculty, staff and students in the area of artificial intelligence. The ideal candidate understands the importance of cultivating strong relationships with alumni, industry professionals and community partners to expand career pathways for all students. The candidate also recognizes the need to have a robust mix of scholars and practitioners to achieve these goals and to align with the R1 mission of the university.

The director is the academic and administrative leader of the Robertson School and will collaborate with all key stakeholders in executing the School's strategic plan. The director will ensure the academic excellence and success of the undergraduate and graduate programs; promote the success of students, faculty, staff and alumni; responsibly manage and grow its fiscal, physical and professional resources; foster an environment in which research and professional excellence flourish; and represent it effectively and collaboratively within the University and to a broad variety of external constituencies, including the School's Industry Advisory Council.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications: The ideal candidate will have demonstrated a distinguished record of individual professional and/or academic accomplishment and leadership in one or more of the Robertson School’s fields of study, as well as a passion for advancing the professional and academic pursuits of advertising, journalism, media production and public relations. A terminal degree in a related field from an accredited institution is required. Candidates are expected to possess either documented administrative experience and a record of success at the department chair or school director level within one or more of the disciplines represented in the school or equivalent leadership experience and success within the advertising, journalism, media production and/or public relations professions. A successful candidate’s scholarly record will support an appointment at the rank of professor with tenure at VCU.

Ideal candidates will have attained distinction in and can exhibit evidence of: outstanding leadership and management ability; detailed knowledge of their field; strong sense of vision and a record of implementing that vision; enrollment management and student recruitment potential; faculty recruitment, retention and support; ability to enhance academic research and professional engagement; commitment to supporting a career‑minded, student‑centered culture that prioritizes access to opportunity, mentorship and preparation for industry success; substantial administrative experience within a complex organization; commitment to and evidence of success in fundraising; and effective interpersonal relationship skills with groups and individuals both internal and external to the School and university.

Additionally, the successful candidate will have the following personal qualifications and characteristics: highest professional and personal integrity; outstanding listening skills and ability to foster a respectful and productive workplace; strong commitment to student success and faculty and staff development; open‑mindness in dealings with others and acceptance of diverging perspectives; capacity to bring individuals and groups with a variety of perspectives to common action; ability to formulate, communicate and inspire others with a strong and clear vision; effectiveness in person‑to‑person and group communication with students, faculty, staff and others; willingness to propose and consider innovative ideas and to take creative approaches to problem solving.

Demonstrated ability to work in and foster an environment of respect, professionalism and civility with a population of faculty, staff, and students from all backgrounds and experiences, or a commitment to do so as a faculty member at VCU.

Contact Information

Contact Name: Scott Sherman

Contact Email:

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