North Carolina A&T State University - Dean, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences

Overview

North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (N.C. A&T) invites applications for the position of Dean, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences (CAES).

Academic Career & Executive Search is pleased to assist N.C. A&T in its search for the Dean of CAES. For full consideration, please apply by March 11, 2026. Applications received by this date will receive priority consideration. However, the position will remain open until filled and applications may be considered after the priority date.

This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for a nationally respected, research-intensive leader to shape the future of CAES at N.C. A&T, the nation’s largest historically Black university and a top-flight doctoral research institution. CAES is a flagship college aligned with the University’s Preeminence 2030 agenda and is positioned to expand in research activity, doctoral education, innovation, and statewide engagement. The next Dean will lead a modern, high-impact college advancing discovery, economic development, and transformational public service across North Carolina and beyond.

CAES has been a cornerstone of instructional excellence and impactful research since the University’s founding in 1891 and remains a major driver of institutional success. As one of only two land-grant universities in North Carolina, N.C. A&T’s research output and the state’s economy benefit from CAES’s impact and partnerships.

• A flagship College at the forefront of N.C. A&T’s land-grant mission and Preeminence 2030 research growth strategy, with ambitious goals for research expenditures, faculty productivity, and doctoral education.
• Leadership of one of the largest and most nationally significant colleges of agriculture among 1890 land-grant universities, and the nation’s leading producer of African Americans earning degrees in agriculture.
• A major and growing research environment, with N.C. A&T generating $147 million annually in sponsored research funding and programs.
• Stewardship of a complex and well-resourced enterprise, including an annual budget of approximately $50.7 million.
• A thriving academic portfolio, encompassing four academic departments and more than 28 undergraduate and graduate programs.
• Extraordinary applied learning and research infrastructure, including the 581-acre University Farm, the largest in its 124-year history, supporting experiential education, innovation, and outreach.
• A deeply consequential statewide engagement mission, with Cooperative Extension housed within the College and serving as a key driver of community impact across North Carolina.
• A highly visible external leadership platform, with the Dean serving as CAES’s chief ambassador to industry, government, alumni, advisory boards, and philanthropic partners.
• A visionary Chancellor and Provost who view this deanship as one of the University’s most consequential leadership roles, with institution-wide influence and strategic importance.

The Dean serves as the chief executive officer of the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, providing strategic and operational leadership for its academic programs, research enterprise, Cooperative Extension, and external engagement mission. Reporting to the Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, the Dean oversees an annual budget of approximately $50.7 million and leads a complex organization that includes associate and assistant deans, department chairs, and dedicated advancement and administrative support.

The Dean must bring deep knowledge of the history and role of 1890 land-grant universities; demonstrated excellence in leadership within the context of institutional change and significant research expansion; and a strong commitment to student success, faculty excellence, and inclusive innovation. The successful candidate will be an exemplary communicator, consensus-builder, and advocate, with the ability to cultivate partnerships that advance external funding, philanthropic investment, student career pathways, and statewide impact.

• Develop and advance a strategic vision for the…