Job Description

Department

Coggin College of Business, Dean

Compensation

Negotiable

General Description / Primary Purpose

The Coggin College of Business at the University of North Florida invites applications for the position of Chair of the Department of Accounting & Finance. This is a full-time faculty administrator position with appointment at the rank of Associate Professor or Professor, with tenure eligibility subject to university policies and applicable procedures.

The College seeks an accomplished scholar, educator, and collaborative academic leader to guide a department with strong undergraduate and graduate programs, engaged faculty, and significant connections to the accounting, finance, financial planning, and FinTech communities.

Reporting to the Dean of the Coggin College of Business, the Chair serves as the Department’s academic and administrative leader, working collaboratively with faculty, staff, College and University leadership, students, alumni, and external partners to advance the Department’s mission and strategic priorities.

Responsibilities

UNF department chairs are 12-month administrative appointments, receive a stipend, and are expected to teach two courses each year. The initial appointment is for four years and is renewable following a comprehensive review.

The Chair provides academic and administrative leadership for the Department and is responsible for:

• providing strategic leadership for the Department’s academic programs and faculty;
• supporting faculty excellence in teaching, research, and service;
• overseeing faculty recruitment, mentoring, evaluation, and development in accordance with University policies and the applicable UNF–UFF Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA);
• fostering a collegial and collaborative environment that supports shared governance and faculty participation in departmental decision-making;
• managing departmental staff and supporting effective Department operations;
• developing course schedules and coordinating faculty teaching assignments;
• overseeing departmental budgets and other resources;
• supporting enrollment, retention, graduation, and student success;
• advancing undergraduate and graduate programs and identifying opportunities for innovation and strategic growth;
• supporting AACSB accreditation and continuous-improvement processes, including requirements associated with accounting accreditation;
• strengthening relationships with alumni, advisory councils, employers, professional organizations, and other external partners;
• supporting student organizations, professional chapters, career events, internships, and experiential learning opportunities;
• collaborating with College leadership on fundraising, development, community engagement, and strategic initiatives; and
• representing the Department within the College, University, profession, and broader community.

Required Qualifications

Candidates must possess:

• an earned doctorate or terminal degree in Accounting, Finance, Financial Planning, or a closely related discipline from an accredited institution;
• a record of teaching, scholarship, and service sufficient for appointment at the rank of Associate Professor or Professor and consideration for tenure in the Coggin College of Business;
• demonstrated commitment to academic excellence and student success;
• evidence of effective leadership, collaboration, and communication; and
• qualifications consistent with the standards and expectations of an AACSB-accredited college of business.

Preferred Qualifications

Preference may be given to candidates who demonstrate:

• successful academic administrative or leadership experience;
• experience working effectively within a shared-governance and collective-bargaining environment;
• experience with AACSB accreditation and continuous improvement processes;
• experience developing, leading, or supporting undergraduate and graduate programs;
• experience with faculty recruitment, mentoring, evaluation, and development;
• experience with budgeting, scheduling, and resource allocation;
• a record of building productive relationships with industry, alumni, advisory boards, and professional organizations; and
• a collaborative and transparent leadership approach.

To be eligible for appointment at the rank of Associate Professor upon hire: The selected candidate must meet minimum qualifications shown above; must earned rank of Associate Professor.

To be eligible for appointment at the rank of Professor upon hire: The selected candidate must meet minimum qualifications shown; must have earned rank of Professor.

About the University of North Florida and Coggin College of Business

The University of North Florida (UNF) is a public university with Carnegie R2 status located in Jacksonville, Florida. Charged with a mission to grow, the University currently enrolls over 18,500 students and recently welcomed its largest incoming class for the second consecutive year.

The Coggin College of Business is an AACSB-accredited college serving approximately 3,500 undergraduate and graduate students and is committed to academic excellence, student success, experiential learning, innovation, global engagement, and meaningful partnerships with the business community.

Coggin offers a broad portfolio of undergraduate and graduate programs with opportunities for experiential learning through internships, mentorships, study abroad, and industry partnerships. The College continues to expand in areas of growing importance to business, including FinTech, data analytics, transportation and logistics, and international business.

In August 2026, Coggin opened a new building expansion, providing additional space and resources for students, faculty, academic programs, collaboration, and engagement with the business community.

Located in one of Florida’s fastest growing cities and a leading center of economic activity, Coggin benefits from Jacksonville’s significant presence in financial services, accounting, technology, transportation and logistics, and other industries, creating significant opportunities for academic and industry engagement.

Learn more about the College, its programs, centers, faculty, and strategic initiatives on the Coggin College of Business website.

About the Department

The Department of Accounting & Finance is one of four academic departments within the Coggin College of Business and is home to undergraduate programs in Accounting, Finance, and Financial Planning. The department also offers the Master of Accountancy, the M.S. in Accounting Data Analytics, and the M.S. in FinTech, and it contributes related courses across other Coggin graduate programs.

The Accounting program holds special AACSB Accounting accreditation in addition to the College’s AACSB Business accreditation. The Department maintains strong relationships with the accounting, financial services, FinTech, and broader business communities in Jacksonville and Northeast Florida. Faculty and students benefit from professional and student organizations, advisory relationships, career and networking events, internships, and engagement with employers and alumni.

The Chair of the Department of Accounting & Finance has primary administrative responsibility for the operation of the Department including oversight of approximately 25 full-time faculty and staff. The Chair provides strategic, academic, fiscal, and operational leadership to advance the mission and goals of the Department, College, and University. Learn more about the Department of Accounting & Finance faculty.

Application Materials

Applicants should submit:

• a letter of interest describing their qualifications and leadership experience;
• a current curriculum vitae;
• contact information for at least three professional references.

Additional materials, including official transcripts, may be requested at a later stage of the search.

Review of applications will begin 15 November and continue until the position is filled.

How to Apply

Applicants must submit an online application that includes all required documents and reference information at the UNF Jobs website.

Questions regarding the position may be directed to Elise Fellows, Office Manager, Department of Accounting & Finance, at (904) 620-2633 or elise.fellows@unf.edu.

Statement(s) of Understanding

This position requires a background check. In conjunction with the University's policy, this position may also require a credit check.

The holder of this position is designated as a “Responsible Employee” pursuant to their role under Title IX. Therefore, the incumbent must promptly report allegations of sexual misconduct, sexual violence, and child sexual abuse by or against any student, employee, contractor, or visitor to the University’s Title IX Administrator or any divisional Title IX Coordinator

Pursuant to Florida Statute 1010.35, this position requires additional information from all applicants seeking research or research-related positions prior to an interview or offer of employment. Applicants MUST fully complete the Foreign Influence Review section of their application. Additional documents (e.g., passport) may be required based on form responses.

Equal Opportunity

The University of North Florida (UNF) is committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all who interact in our community. In building this environment, we strive to attract students, faculty and staff from a variety of cultures, backgrounds and life experiences. The University of North Florida does not commit or permit discrimination or harassment on the basis of genetic information, race, color, religion, age, sex, disability, marital status, national origin, or veteran status in any educational, employment, social, recreational program or activity that it offers. In addition, UNF will not commit or permit retaliation against an individual who reports discrimination or harassment or an individual who cooperates in an investigation of an alleged violation of university regulation.

Carnegie

UNF is a Carnegie Community Engaged Institution. This designation celebrates the University’s collaboration with community partners from the local to the global level. It reflects UNF’s mission to contribute to the public good and prepare educated, engaged citizens.