The Conservatory of Performing Arts at Point Park University, located in the heart of downtown Pittsburgh, PA seeks an experienced and innovative leader to chair the Theatre Department in the newly restructured School of Theatre, Film and Animation beginning Fall 2025. We are seeking an individual with a current understanding of the industry and who is committed to the training and preparation of students as the next generation of theatre professionals. The position of Chair includes an appointment as a faculty member, with responsibilities for a reduced teaching load in addition to administrative Chair duties.
The Theatre Department offers six degrees including a BFA in Acting, BFA in Musical Theatre, BFA in Theatre Arts (Directing/Playwriting/Devising), and BFA in Theatre Production: Design, Technical Design & Management, and Stage Management. The Conservatory of Performing Arts produces over 18 productions a season, offering a wide range of professional development both on stage and behind the scenes. Theatre productions are created and performed in both the Pittsburgh Playhouse, an award-winning world-class facility, and the George Rowland White Performance Center for Dance.
An ideal candidate will be a highly accomplished professional with extensive performance, directing, design, or management credits in non-profit or commercial theatre, expansive leadership and administrative capabilities, demonstrated teaching experience in higher education, and a commitment to inclusive opportunities. The chair should be an exceptional collaborator with a desire to continue to advance the conservatory’s theatre department and its nationally recognized programs.
Essential skills include effective communication, collaboration, and management. The chair provides academic and artistic leadership in working with students, faculty, and staff. This role oversees departmental budgets, curricular development, interaction among programs, and recruitment and enrollment initiatives. The chair builds community throughout the university, developing local and global partnerships and growing alumni relationships. The chair would also be responsible for teaching courses within the department as part of their full-time faculty load.
Qualifications should include an MFA In Theatre or a terminal degree in a related field.
Candidates should provide a cover letter, CV, personal statement including philosophies on leadership, management, and teaching, as well as what strengths they would bring to this position, and 3 professional references.
Applications will open on February 18, 2025. Application deadline is April 4, 2025.
About Point Park University
At Point Park, Pittsburgh’s only Downtown university, you will engage in a more active, more real, more professional education. You will have professors who teach from their own real-world experience when you pursue a degree from among more than 100 undergraduate, master’s and doctoral programs that we offer.
You will have access to successful, working professionals within your field. You will have internship and job opportunities with leading companies and organizations. And you will have the limitless cultural and entertainment opportunities that only a world-class city can offer.
Our Downtown Pittsburgh neighborhood offers pristine parks, riverfront trails and hundreds of shops and restaurants. It is home to Fortune 500 companies, government agencies and nonprofit organizations.
It is a place where over 140,000 people come to work each day and over 7,000 people (including 1,000 Point Park students) live. It is a dynamic city center that makes a dynamic college experience possible.
Applicants must have authorization to work in the United States and not require employer sponsorship.
