Director, Practicum Education

About Fordham

Founded in 1841, Fordham is the Jesuit University of New York, offering an exceptional education distinguished by the Jesuit tradition to more than 16,000 students in its nine colleges and schools. It has residential campuses in the Bronx and Manhattan, a campus in West Harrison, N.Y., the Louis Calder Center Biological Field Station in Armonk, N.Y., and the London Centre in the United Kingdom. Successful candidates should have a knowledge of and commitment to the goals of Jesuit Education.

Position Summary

Reporting to the Dean and Associate Dean, the Director of Practicum Education provides leadership, subject-matter expertise, administrative oversight, and supervision of Practicum Education staff and operations. The Director ensures compliance with required accreditation for the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) professional practice competencies, standards and procedures. This role is responsible for the design, development and implementation of the Practicum Education curriculum, policies, and requirements for undergraduate and graduate social work programs. The position requires periodic travel and occasional evening and weekend work.

Essential Functions

• Provides subject-matter expertise and administrative leadership for undergraduate and graduate Practicum Education operations.
• Establishes department best practices to ensure consistent application of practicum curriculum, policies, and procedures.
• Collaborates with GSS faculty and administration to align practicum experiences with student learning outcomes.
• Ensures strict adherence to CSWE accreditation, GSS, University, and NYSED requirements.
• Develops and maintains department procedures, data, manuals, and official accreditation materials.
• Guarantees data accuracy and integrity across university systems in strict accordance with FERPA regulations.
• Utilizes department data to evaluate operational effectiveness, staff performance, and the student educational experience.
• Applies critical analysis and ethical judgment to resolve complex student and agency issues.
• Develops policies for the recruitment, training, and assessment of placement sites, practicum instructors, and advisors.
• Manages workflows to ensure timely completion and submission of student evaluations and grades each semester.
• Partners with University administrators to resolve and document the student Administrative Review process.
• Collaborates on the development and implementation of scholarship and stipend-based practicum partnerships.
• Models and fosters respect for diversity, equity, and inclusion across all relationships and operations.
• Develops clear, effective, and diplomatic communication with internal and external stakeholders.
• Represents the Practicum Education function within the University and to external stakeholders, including national organizations and local community partners, to enhance institutional visibility.

Management Responsibilities

• Supervises individual contributors (admin, clerical, maintenance) and, based on scope, occasionally other managers.
• Handles hiring, training, development, performance management, and corrective action, with significant input on compensation decisions.

Required Qualifications

• Master's Degree in Social Work.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in Practicum Education, Social Work Education, and/or social work administration/leadership.
• Proficiency with Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards.
• Excellent analytic, organizational, and time management capabilities with a high level of attention to detail.
• Ethical, sound judgment, detail-oriented, with strong organizational and time management skills.
• Leadership and initiative in effective problem resolution.
• Ability to adapt and help staff adapt to changing priorities in a complex environment.
• Exceptional interpersonal and relational skills with a customer-service orientation.
• Strong diplomatic communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to navigate complex stakeholder relationships.
• Ability to function independently and as part of a team.
• Demonstrated technical proficiency with university data systems (e.g., Banner) and specialized educational platforms.

Benefits

The University offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, and vision insurance; flexible spending accounts; retirement plans; life insurance; short and long-term disability; employee assistance program (EAP); tuition remission; and generous time off.