Director, School of Media and Communication

Build What Comes Next

The University of Memphis College of Communication and Fine Arts (CCFA) invites applications and nominations for the Director of the School of Media and Communication. The school, created July 1, 2026, with the merger of the Department of Communication and Film and the Department of Journalism and Strategic Media, is taking shape, and the faculty and staff are developing an inaugural strategic plan. The next Director arrives to a school with strong programs, a clear sense of its own potential, and a community ready to be led toward a world-class future. 

About the School

The School of and Media and Communication is the largest academic unit in CCFA by enrollment, with more than 500 undergraduate majors and approximately 90 graduate students. Its programs and course offerings span communication studies, rhetoric and critical/cultural studies, film and video production, journalism, strategic communication, public relations, advertising, and creative mass media. The journalism and strategic media programs carry ACEJMC accreditation — a distinction held by fewer than 120 programs worldwide — and the public relations program earned back-to-back Silver Anvil Awards from the Public Relations Society of America, the profession’s highest honor. The School houses the college's largest doctoral program: the PhD in Communication, with concentrations in communication studies and journalism and strategic media.

Shape the School That Tells the Stories

The School of Media and Communication has the programs, the faculty, the students, and the city. Its foundation is strong and its people are invested. Memphis continues to be a place where communication is not only studied but practiced at the highest level, where journalism still matters, where film finds authentic stories, and where the next generation of citizens and media professionals will learn to participate in and shape public life. The Director will help turn a compelling beginning into something extraordinary.

Responsibilities

The Director serves as the chief academic and administrative officer of the School, reporting to the Dean of CCFA, with full authority over academic programs, personnel, budget, and operations. This is a twelve-month administrative faculty appointment with a 1/1 teaching load. The Director sets the School's academic direction in consultation with faculty and the Dean; manages the School's RCM budget and day-to-day administrative operations; leads faculty recruitment, development, and performance review; maintains relevant accreditations; champions student success and enrollment growth; builds industry partnerships and an advisory board; and represents the School at the college, university, and national level. The incoming Director will inherit the faculty's initial strategic plan as a living document and help lead its realization.

Qualifications

Candidates should hold a terminal degree in communication, journalism, film, media studies, strategic communication, or a closely related field, and a record of scholarly or creative achievement sufficient for appointment as tenured full professor in the School. Required: demonstrated administrative experience, a track record of mentoring faculty toward promotion and tenure, and a commitment to inclusive leadership and shared governance. 

Preferred: experience as a department chair or school director; familiarity with accreditation and RCM budget models; active funding raising and grant record; established industry relationships; and experience with doctoral program administration.

How to Apply

Applicants should submit the following materials for full consideration:

• A letter of application (three pages maximum) presenting a vision for the School and a philosophy of leadership

• A comprehensive curriculum vitae

• Names and contact information for five professional references (references will not be contacted without prior notice)

Follow: @uofmccfa 

About UsThe University of Memphis is a leading, student-centered, urban public R1 research institution. Located in Memphis, Tennessee, on 1,160 acres. The University serves a population of nearly 20,000 students and 2,500 employees, including more than 1,000 full-time faculty members. The University offers bachelor’s degrees in more than 230 areas of study, master’s degrees in more than 50 subjects and doctoral degrees in 26 disciplines; supported an institutional record of more than $100 million in research awards for FY24; and has an operating budget of close to $500 million.