Dean, Phillip and Patricia Frost School of Music University of Miami

About the role

The Dean serves as the chief administrative officer of the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami. The School has an annual operating budget of approximately $30 million and comprises 120 faculty and 50 staff members.

Key Opportunities and Challenges

Craft an ambitious vision and shared identity to guide the School forward. The Frost School is renowned for its world-class faculty, diverse programs, and location in South Florida. The Dean will lead efforts to define music performance, scholarship, research, education, and professions for the 21st century.

Ensure the financial health and sustainability of the School. The Dean will guide operational efficiency, identify new revenue streams, and lead fundraising efforts to maintain the School's financial stability.

Recruit, develop, and champion world-class faculty and staff. The Dean will continue to attract distinguished faculty and support their growth, while overseeing the recruitment and development of staff.

Assess and develop the operational infrastructure of the School. The Dean will evaluate current structures and processes, and work with faculty and staff to establish new frameworks for resource allocation, promotion, tenure, and service, teaching, and scholarship expectations.

Cultivate meaningful partnerships in the surrounding communities and across South Florida. The Dean will foster collaborations that benefit both the School and local communities, including through initiatives like the Donna E. Shalala MusicReach program.

Elevate the School’s standing nationally and globally. The Dean will promote the School’s achievements and reputation, serving as a public ambassador for the School on national and international stages.

Build and strengthen connections to the other Colleges and Schools across the University. The Dean will leverage the University’s resources to facilitate interdisciplinary collaboration and enhance the School’s programs.

Qualifications and Characteristics

• Demonstrated record of successful leadership
• A collaborative and transparent approach to leadership
• Experience partnering across institutional boundaries
• The ability to bring a broad range of constituents to actionable consensus
• A broad perspective and innovative vision needed to inspire the Frost School community
• The presence and skill to serve as the public face of the School to audiences across the city, region, nation, and world
• Experience with external relations and an established track record of productive fundraising efforts
• A commitment to advocating for and developing a world-class, distinguished, and preeminent faculty
• A meaningful commitment to and appreciation for the student campus and classroom experience
• Familiarity with the ever-changing landscape of music and its impact on career options for students
• Experience or familiarity with recruitment efforts and strategies for attracting music students at both the undergraduate and graduate levels
• Experience defining budget priorities and responsibly stewarding institutional resources
• Excellent communication skills
• The disposition to listen and consult broadly before making strategic decisions
• The ability to build alignment and unity among disparate groups
• A highly developed understanding of academic values and culture, including shared governance
• A curiosity that extends across the full scope of disciplines comprising the School and University
• An understanding of the trends that will affect the future of higher education broadly and collegiate music education more specifically, including the impact of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and social media, along with the ability to adapt to a changing environment while sustaining high-level artistic, academic, and professional programs
• A nationally or internationally recognized record of musical, professional, or scholarly accomplishment
• Credentials that merit appointment at the rank of full professor at the University of Miami

Application Information

Screening of complete applications will begin immediately and continue until the completion of the search process. Applications (including CV and cover letter), inquiries, and nominations should be submitted in confidence to Ben Tobin, Katie Rockman, Keith Mason, and Alaine Small via the Isaacson, Miller website: https://www.imsearch.com/open-searches/university-miami-frost-school-music/dean. It is the policy of the University to provide equal opportunity to all applicants and employees. The University prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion/creed, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, national origin (including shared ancestry and shared characteristics), age, disability, marital status, familial status, citizenship status, or other protected classification. This prohibition includes harassment based upon any of the aforementioned protected classifications, including sexual harassment. The University also prohibits retaliation against anyone who files a complaint of discrimination; anyone against whom such a complaint is filed; or anyone who participates in an investigation of such a complaint.