Dean, School of Architecture

The Opportunity

The University of Virginia is seeking a principled, visionary, and strategically minded leader to serve as the next Dean of the School of Architecture. This is a pivotal moment for design education, and the incoming Dean will extend the School’s strong foundation while navigating rapid change, seizing new possibilities, and shaping the future of design practice and pedagogy. The School of Architecture is committed to preparing the next generation of bold thinkers, creative professionals, and civic leaders who will confront the most pressing challenges of our time.

The Dean of the School of Architecture serves as the School’s chief academic and administrative officer. The Dean provides strategic vision and operational leadership for all aspects of the School’s activities—academic programs, faculty and staff affairs, fiscal management, institutional advancement, and external engagement. Importantly, the Dean is expected to be a visible and accessible leader whose presence is evident across the School, engaging regularly with students, staff, faculty, alumni, and advisory boards.

• Build on UVA’s distinction as a pre-eminent public university and the School’s century-long leadership in design education.
• Lead a diverse academic community spanning Architecture, Architectural History, Landscape Architecture, and Urban and Environmental Planning, strengthening interdisciplinary teaching, research, and experiential learning, and fostering a collegial environment in which faculty, staff, and students can thrive creatively and intellectually and can do their best work.
• Inspire a culture of curiosity, collaboration, and innovation that prepares students to address the defining challenges of the 21st century—from climate resilience and housing equity to preservation, design justice, and urban transformation.

• Advance the School’s academic profile and visibility nationally and internationally through excellence in teaching, research, and creative practice.
• Promote innovation in pedagogy, design research, and interdisciplinary collaboration that aligns with UVA’s academic and public mission.
• Strengthen connections between design education and the University’s broader strengths in democracy, sustainability, civil and environmental engineering, data science, public policy, and the arts.
• Strengthen the School’s research enterprise by expanding access to public-sector funding, foundation grants, and private-sector partnerships that support applied, creative, and scholarly work.

• Serve as the principal advocate and ambassador for the School, representing it across UVA and to national and international audiences.
• Serve as a bridge-builder across Grounds, developing collaborative initiatives with other UVA schools that enhance academic programs, research impact, and institutional support.
• Cultivate external collaborations with alumni, practitioners, civic leaders, and global partners that translate research and design ideas into real-world impact.
• Strengthen engagement with the School of Architecture Foundation, alumni network, and professional associations to extend the reach and reputation of the School, and advance the School’s influence, visibility, and impact.

• Provide visible and sustained leadership for the School’s fundraising and advancement efforts, working closely with the School of Architecture Foundation and the University’s advancement team to secure philanthropic support for strategic priorities. Articulate a compelling case for investment in the School’s priorities, including student scholarships, professorships, research initiatives, and capital improvements to support the School’s academic mission.
• Oversee fiscal planning and management, ensuring efficient and responsible stewardship of financial and physical resources.
• Develop innovative partnerships and revenue-generating opportunities that sustain the School’s long-term growth and impact.

• The University of Virginia seeks an accomplished and…