Careers

The University of St. Thomas (UST) invites nominations and applications for the position of Dean of the Opus College of Business. The University seeks a visionary and innovative leader with a commitment to faculty scholarship, collaboration, and rigorous education, a respect for the Catholic intellectual tradition and the ability to build productive relationships across the College and institution and effectively engage its alumni and the greater Twin Cities business community.

Founded in 1885 by Archbishop John Ireland, UST first opened as the St. Thomas Aquinas Seminary to serve the region’s growing immigrant population. The University’s mission, inspired by Catholic intellectual tradition, is to educate students to be morally responsible leaders who think critically, act wisely, and work skillfully to advance the common good. The University has experienced tremendous growth and is now the largest private university in Minnesota and a top 20 national Catholic university, with aspirations to rise higher. Today, the University has approximately 1,000 staff, 425 full-time faculty, 344 part-time faculty, and about 10,000 students enrolled from 41 states and 92 countries, about 60 percent of whom are undergraduates. UST sits in the heart of the thriving Minneapolis-St Paul Metro area with a vibrant cultural and corporate community. The College's ties to the greater Twin Cities business community are unparalleled.

The Opus College of Business is one of the leading business schools in the region, serving 3,200 graduate and undergraduate students and working professionals. Opus ranks #2 in undergraduate programs in Minnesota by Poets and Quants and the Schulze School of Entrepreneurship is ranked #23 nationally in the Princeton Review list of top undergraduate entrepreneurship programs. Its seven academic departments – accounting, entrepreneurship, ethics and business law, finance, management, marketing, and operations and supply chain management - are home to 91 tenured and tenure track faculty and 60 adjunct and contingent faculty members. The College's undergraduate program includes 13 concentrations and its graduate program offers four MBA programs, three specialized masters programs and seven graduate certificate programs. The Opus College of Business strives to unlock the talent of future problem solvers and prepare students to be highly principled, global business leaders by providing a comprehensive business education with relevant, responsive, applied programs, a deliberate combination of leadership and technical skill building and experiential learning. Its faculty are practitioners, scholars, and teachers who advance the practice of management through active research and applied consulting projects.

Reporting to and working alongside the Executive Vice President and Provost, and in collaboration with other university and college leaders, the Dean of the Opus College of Business will have responsibility for strategic programming, faculty evaluation and development, fundraising, and management operations that support the mission and vision of the College and its role within the University. The Dean will have a record of innovative and forward-looking leadership, skilled administrative ability, strong interpersonal and relationship building skills, an empowering and inspiring management style, a naturally collaborative mindset, cultural sensitivity, an active approach to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion, excellent communication skills and the capacity to create and articulate a common vision that will powerfully differentiate the College in a highly competitive landscape. The ideal candidate will bring the skills to successfully navigate the opportunities and challenges of the Opus College of Business, understanding the importance of and opportunities afforded to a comprehensive business education situated within a liberal arts environment and in support of the common good.

An earned doctorate or terminal degree and a record of scholarship and accomplishment commensurate with appointment as full professor at UST is desired. There is an openness to nontraditional candidates who bring an alternative combination of credentials and who, through previous experience and commitment to excellence in the study, teaching, and practice of business, would gain credibility with faculty and external audiences.

All applications, nominations and inquiries are invited. Applications should include, as separate documents, a letter of interest addressing the themes in the profile, available at www.wittkieffer.com, and a CV or resume. WittKieffer is assisting University of St. Thomas in this search. Application materials should be submitted using WittKieffer’s candidate portal by February 11, 2022. Nominations and inquiries can be directed to Suzanne Teer, Alejandra Gillette-Teran and Cathryn Davis at StThomasOpusDean@wittkieffer.com.

The University of  St. Thomas embraces diversity, inclusion, and equality for all. Our convictions of dignity, diversity and personal attention call us to embody and champion a diverse, equitable and inclusive environment. We welcome applicants of diverse races, ethnicities, geographic origins, gender identities, ages, socioeconomic backgrounds, sexual orientations, religions, work experience, physical and intellectual abilities, and financial means. We are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. This commitment is consistent with our university mission.