Open Rank Professor of Communication, Media, and Marketing

THE OPPORTUNITY

National Louis University's (NLU's) Undergraduate College (UGC) is seeking a full-time Open Rank Professor of Communication, Media, and Marketing, beginning September 1, 2025.

The Open Rank Professor of Communication, Media, and Marketing would be responsible for teaching and revising curriculum for the B.A. in Communication and Media, and the B.A. in Marketing courses, which support students on their preparation for careers in communication, media, and marketing. This role demands content expertise in digital media, podcasting, marketing, and written communications, demonstrated instructional excellence, and a commitment to NLU's undergraduate student population. This position is a 10-month, full-time non-tenure track faculty position with teaching and course management responsibilities, and the expected faculty appointment at Assistant rank. The position will be based in Chicago, and applicants must be willing to teach at other Chicago metropolitan area campuses, as needed. The position requires an on-campus presence at the Chicago campus on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays.

National Louis University (NLU) is focused on developing undergraduate degrees that are highly relevant within the field of study. As such, we are looking for a faculty member who understands the knowledge, skills, and attributes that students must acquire to become competitively prepared for the workplace. Just as critical is this leader's knowledge of NLU's student population and the instructional strategies and curricular approach that will ensure student success.

Who We Are:

We are a team of dedicated educators in the Undergraduate College (UGC) at National Louis University (NLU) focused on building academic pathways and providing holistic student support to ensure students are successfully employed in a field of their choosing upon graduation. We believe we are not successful unless students achieve sustainable employment and experience economic mobility associated with their educational investment. Our undergraduate majors serve first-time freshmen as well as adult and transfer students in blended and online delivery formats - on and off campus.

We work fearlessly to educate and retain our students - but we know this is not enough. Accordingly, we measure our success by their ability to achieve meaningful, sustainable employment upon graduation from NLU. We have exceeded national benchmarks through our approach to appreciative advising and data-driven, personalized instruction. Our educational model is student-focused, professionally-focused, expects excellence, and provides personalized support in a data-driven environment, while grounded by pillars of continuous improvement and innovation to structure our work.

WHO YOU ARE

You will: Provide Students with Exceptional Learning Experiences

Your work has demonstrated your respect for education and the power that it holds to empower students to achieve their career and life goals. Each term, you will facilitate blended and online classes that utilize technology and data to drive instruction. You will work with a dedicated team of faculty, success coaches/advisors, career advisors, employer relations managers, and data analysts to determine how to personalize the learning experience for your students. In addition to teaching content, you will support students with meeting the goals that they have for themselves and celebrate the lived experiences they bring to the classroom.

You are: Driven to Succeed

You are energetic and passionate about a diverse student body that includes many first-generation students. To be successful teaching in this program, you must be committed to excellence in teaching and learning in Higher Education. The position requires you to be agile, creative, and engaging while offering an unparalleled experience to undergraduate students. Enthusiastic candidates have the belief that all students can be successful students. As an active team member, you believe in a supportive environment and a student-driven and data-informed culture.

You are ready to: Make an Impact

Each and every day, our Undergraduate College changes lives. You want to be a part of that meaningful innovation. You are someone that will always look for creative ways for students to earn success. We know this work is challenging, but we are in it together.

To be successful in this program, you must be committed to excellence in teaching and learning in higher education. The position requires you to be agile, creative, and engaging while offering an innovative, practice based curriculum and an unparalleled experience to undergraduate students. You believe in a supportive environment, a strengths-based approach to learning, and a student-driven culture. As an active team member, working closely with both internal and external partners, you are open to continued learning and self-reflection.

Demonstrate excellence in teaching:

Collaborate with the program director, faculty, success coaches/advisors, and career services staff to develop an effective student experience for students.
• Facilitate courses by delivering engaging instruction in multiple modalities.
• Empower students to develop competency by sharing a passion for the subject and skills being taught.
• Utilize technology-based teaching platforms that aid students in the development of competencies.
• Communicate professionally and relate well.

Demonstrate, maintain, and continuously strengthen content expertise:

• Course manage various communication, media, and marketing courses as assigned, which may include curriculum audits to ensure the latest trends and platforms in digital media and marketing are current in the coursework.
• Maintain current and active content knowledge in the expertise area that is reflected in instruction, including staying topical on AI, influencer, social media, and content management trends as they pertain to career-readiness for students entering the fields of digital media and marketing upon graduation.
• Possess appropriate expertise as demonstrated by appropriate credentials.
• Maintain current knowledge of the field by engaging in professional development around career development and employment trends.

Promote student success with a proactive, high expectations, high support approach:

• Demonstrate and share a passion for postsecondary success for diverse learners and for teaching.
• Demonstrate flexibility in delivery and work schedule to provide personalized student support (includes but is not limited to office hours).
• Demonstrate academic integrity, which includes fostering a learning space where students practice critical thinking and authentic writing, embracing their unique thoughts and written voices without the use of generative AI for brainstorming ideas and writing papers.
• On-campus presence on days when not teaching.

Engage in data-driven instruction, student support planning, and continuous curriculum improvement:

• Track student course data weekly in multiple university data systems as needed.
  Engage in regular data-driven Student Success Collaboration meetings with faculty, coaches and support specialists to report student progress and obstacles and to plan student support interventions.
• Engage in regular content area team meetings with peer faculty to review curriculum plans, determine implications of student data, and plan curriculum revisions.
• Participate in continuous improvement of UGC curriculum: Actively document and share suggestions for curriculum revision to support ongoing revision/enhancement of UGC curriculum.

Commit to continuous improvement of self and colleagues (i.e., professional development), and service to the institution:

• Create, attend, and actively participate in training opportunities provided in online and in-person settings.
• Contribute to a learning culture by participating on committees, supporting local campus events such as orientation and graduation, and participating in various other workshops and meetings.
• Participate in faculty governance related to college and/or university operations and improvement.
• Oversee the UGC Eagle Talk podcast station by mentoring a work-study student podcast producer as needed and ensuring the station remains active and engaging for the undergraduate community.
• Co-manage the Communication, Media, and Marketing LinkedIn Group for students and alumni.
• Support B.A. in Communication and Media, and B.A. in Marketing awareness to grow enrollment and increase engagement, which may involve collaborating with the Program Director on classroom drop-ins and enrollment initiatives.

• Minimum of a Master's Degree in communication, media, marketing, or related degree; Doctorate preferred.
• Demonstrated commitment to increasing professional opportunities for historically underrepresented college students and to building career skills that will increase professional access and success.
• Content expertise in communications pedagogy.
• Experience and a passion for elevating and driving toward excellence in teaching in a higher education setting, particularly with students from minoritized populations.
• Excellent facilitation and classroom management skills; ability to differentiate instruction and support based on students with diverse learning needs.
• Excellent writing skills. Ability to provide feedback to support students' growth as authentic writers, prepared for professional written communication to succeed in the workplace post-graduation.
• Technologically savvy, with experience working with different platforms and learning management systems.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Acute familiarity with AI in digital media and marketing, as well as AI use ethics and best practices.
• Collaborative attitude and creative problem-solving skills.
• Experience with digital tools for teaching, teaching in either online or blended/hybrid formats is required.
• Ability to consistently connect instruction to its real-world relevance, tying in concepts and theories in the classroom to students' current and future work experiences and highlighting immediate applicability.
• Willing and able to use data to inform instruction.

NLU UNDERGRADUATE COLLEGE CORE COMPETENCIES

• Student-Focused: Make decisions based on what is best for students with the belief that when all students have access, resources and support, they are empowered to achieve success.
• Expect Excellence: Hold high expectations for our students and for the adults to serve them and hold ourselves accountable for achieving excellence.
• Personalized Support: Take a holistic approach to providing individualized support that encourages students to realize their full potential in college and beyond.
• Data-Driven, Collaborative Environment: Work together as a unified team, utilizing real-time data and technology to adapt to student needs.
• Continuous Improvement and Innovation: Remain agile and open to changes and new ideas-incorporating data as well as student, faculty and administration voice-to ensure that we are continuously learning, improving, and innovating in all aspects of the student experience.

NLU Inclusion Statement:

National Louis University is deeply committed to serving its community, advancing access and equity, and ensuring that all individuals are welcomed and valued. We are dedicated to fostering a culture where diversity, equity, and inclusion remain at the core of who we are. These are more than just words to us: they are truly a way of life for the NLU community. We recognize that differences in abilities, age, ethnicity, gender (identity and expression), race, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, and background bring richness to our work environment. We affirm diverse perspectives, innovative contributions, and authentic presentations of self from every member within the NLU community. We believe inclusion is grounded in the actions we intentionally take each day. Our goal is to inspire and empower NLU employees and community members to cultivate an environment where we collectively focus on uplifting and advancing our institutional culture.

At National Louis University, we offer our employees an innovative environment to work together and inspire the ideas that will make an impact. As our external environment changes, our employees are provided the opportunities and tools needed to grow both personally and professionally to remain successful. NLU employees and dependents are offered a wide range of benefits, including but not limited to, Health Insurance benefits, Retirement benefits, Paid Time Off and Educational Opportunities. Additional information regarding full-time faculty benefits can be found here.

NLU Faculty salaries are based on rank within each college. The ranges for each rank for the Undergraduate College are listed below:

2024 UGC 10-Month Faculty Salary Ranges

Compensation decisions are dependent upon the facts and circumstances of each position and candidate. Offers are based on multiple factors permitted by law, including but not limited to: budgetary considerations, job-related knowledge/skills, experience, current/previous faculty rank, market considerations, tenure and standing with the university (applicable to current employees), and internal equity.