Grand Canyon University – Dean College of Law
Christian Legal Society, Phoenix, AZ, United States
Job or Position Title
Dean College of Law
Company or Organization
Grand Canyon University
Location
3300 W. Camelback Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85017
Job Description
Grand Canyon University! One of Arizona’s leading institutions of higher learning. Located in the Valley of the Sun in the heart of Phoenix, Arizona. GCU is an institutionally accredited, private, nondenominational Christian University.
Grand Canyon University (GCU) is seeking a dynamic Christian leader to become the inaugural Dean of the Grand Canyon University College of Law. This servant leader is responsible for providing vision, strategic direction, and operational excellence across all aspects of the college, including but not limited to achieving accreditation, academic planning, faculty recruitment, performance assessment, research and scholarly development, and program review. You will be joining a strong, seasoned team of academic leaders as you collaborate and partner to add an 11th college at GCU and continue growth of the largest Private, Christian university in the country.
GCU’s Mission
GCU is a missional, Christ-centered university with an innovative and adaptive spirit that addresses the world’s deep needs by cultivating compassionate Christian community, empowering free and virtuous action and serving others in ways that promote human flourishing.
Through academic excellence, the university equips students with knowledge of the Christian worldview, instilling in them a sense of purpose and vocational calling that enables them to be innovative thinkers, effective communicators, global contributors and transformative leaders who change their communities by placing the interests of others before their own.
This leader must possess a strong combination of real-world legal experience, a passion for teaching and mentoring, and an operational mindset to effectively scale programs and maximize the impact of law school graduates grounded in a Christian worldview. This role integrates the practice of law, Christian faith, free market principles, and academic excellence.
What you will do
Christ-Centered Leadership & Community
Promote and model a Christ-centered worldview in all aspects of leadership, decision-making, and academic and faculty engagement within the College of Law
Foster a strong sense of community, professionalism, and shared purpose among faculty, staff, and law students
Support the development of Christian character, ethical leadership, and professional responsibility within the legal profession
Encourage intentional integration of faith and learning, emphasizing justice, integrity, and service in legal education in accordance with the Judeo-Christian western legal tradition
Strategic Leadership, Innovation & Growth
Provide vision and strategic direction for the College of Law, including program development, expansion, and long-term growth
Lead initiatives that enhance the impact of law graduates grounded in Christian faith
Identify opportunities to scale programs effectively while maintaining academic rigor and operational excellence leading to high Bar Exam pass rates
Drive innovation in legal education, including experiential learning, partnerships, and workforce alignment
Academic Excellence & Accreditation
Ensure the integrity, rigor, and consistency of all law programs
Lead and oversee all efforts to achieve and maintain ABA accreditation, serving as the primary liaison for accreditation processes
Provide executive oversight of curriculum design, instruction, and assessment
Ensure systems are in place to support student retention, progression, and graduation
Establish and promote a strong culture of Bar Exam preparation, including structured coaching and accountability
Promote a culture of continuous improvement, using assessment data to strengthen learning outcomes and student success
Support scholarly activity, research, and institutional recognition within the legal and academic community
Monitor key performance indicators, including Bar passage rates, retention, academic performance, and engagement
Foster an environment where students feel supported, challenged, and prepared for legal practice
Leadership & Organizational Effectiveness
Establish clear ownership, accountability, and performance expectations
Ensure alignment between curriculum, faculty delivery, operations, and student outcomes
Build systems that promote efficiency, transparency, and scalability in a matrixed university environment
Collaborate with university partners (e.g., Faculty Services, Faculty Development, Curriculum Design, Admissions, Marketing) to leverage best practices and drive results
Provide oversight of college operations, budgeting, and resource allocation in alignment with university expectations
Ensure responsible stewardship of resources to support program growth and sustainability
Integrate into a matrix organization of centralized shared-services model, sharing all resources and collaborating on operations and execution with service providers
Faculty Leadership & Development
Lead and support faculty in achieving excellence in teaching, service, and scholarship
Promote instructional excellence and innovation in legal education
Support faculty in integrating faith, ethics, and professional preparation into the classroom
Foster a culture of mentorship, accountability, and continuous professional growth
External Relations & Institutional Alignment
Serve as the primary representative of the College of Law to university leadership, accrediting bodies (ABA), and external partners
Lead and engage the College of Law Advisory Board, collaborating with legal and business leaders
Partner with Marketing, Enrollment, and Admissions to recruit and enroll high-quality students in collaboration with service providers in a centralized, shared-service model
Support Advancement office efforts to fundraise for scholarships and program initiatives
Build strategic partnerships to enhance pipeline development, experiential opportunities, and community impact
Additional responsibilities as assigned by the Provost or President.
What you need
Juris Doctor (J.D.) Degree from an ABA-accredited institution
Experience in higher education teaching, law practice, scholarship, and/or administration
Significant (10+ years desired), documented, legal experience and/or leadership roles
Ability and experience leading at operational and strategic levels
Passion to share your Christian faith as a leader and educator
Provide a positive example to students by supporting the University’s Doctrinal Statement, Ethical Position Statement and Mission of Grand Canyon University.
Bonus
Experience leading large, multi-program academic units
Experience with online and hybrid program delivery
Background in law program development
Experience collaborating with external service providers or OPM partners
Evidence of scholarly or professional contributions
Why work at GCU
Exceptional workplace benefits include medical, dental, vision, life and disability insurance, flexible spending accounts, a 401K savings plan
Generous time off plan and 11 paid holidays
Paid time off to volunteer in the community or at GCU sponsored events
Free covered parking
We also offer full-time employees, their spouses, and dependent children an Education Tuition Discount Program
#J-18808-Ljbffr
Dean College of Law
Company or Organization
Grand Canyon University
Location
3300 W. Camelback Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85017
Job Description
Grand Canyon University! One of Arizona’s leading institutions of higher learning. Located in the Valley of the Sun in the heart of Phoenix, Arizona. GCU is an institutionally accredited, private, nondenominational Christian University.
Grand Canyon University (GCU) is seeking a dynamic Christian leader to become the inaugural Dean of the Grand Canyon University College of Law. This servant leader is responsible for providing vision, strategic direction, and operational excellence across all aspects of the college, including but not limited to achieving accreditation, academic planning, faculty recruitment, performance assessment, research and scholarly development, and program review. You will be joining a strong, seasoned team of academic leaders as you collaborate and partner to add an 11th college at GCU and continue growth of the largest Private, Christian university in the country.
GCU’s Mission
GCU is a missional, Christ-centered university with an innovative and adaptive spirit that addresses the world’s deep needs by cultivating compassionate Christian community, empowering free and virtuous action and serving others in ways that promote human flourishing.
Through academic excellence, the university equips students with knowledge of the Christian worldview, instilling in them a sense of purpose and vocational calling that enables them to be innovative thinkers, effective communicators, global contributors and transformative leaders who change their communities by placing the interests of others before their own.
This leader must possess a strong combination of real-world legal experience, a passion for teaching and mentoring, and an operational mindset to effectively scale programs and maximize the impact of law school graduates grounded in a Christian worldview. This role integrates the practice of law, Christian faith, free market principles, and academic excellence.
What you will do
Christ-Centered Leadership & Community
Promote and model a Christ-centered worldview in all aspects of leadership, decision-making, and academic and faculty engagement within the College of Law
Foster a strong sense of community, professionalism, and shared purpose among faculty, staff, and law students
Support the development of Christian character, ethical leadership, and professional responsibility within the legal profession
Encourage intentional integration of faith and learning, emphasizing justice, integrity, and service in legal education in accordance with the Judeo-Christian western legal tradition
Strategic Leadership, Innovation & Growth
Provide vision and strategic direction for the College of Law, including program development, expansion, and long-term growth
Lead initiatives that enhance the impact of law graduates grounded in Christian faith
Identify opportunities to scale programs effectively while maintaining academic rigor and operational excellence leading to high Bar Exam pass rates
Drive innovation in legal education, including experiential learning, partnerships, and workforce alignment
Academic Excellence & Accreditation
Ensure the integrity, rigor, and consistency of all law programs
Lead and oversee all efforts to achieve and maintain ABA accreditation, serving as the primary liaison for accreditation processes
Provide executive oversight of curriculum design, instruction, and assessment
Ensure systems are in place to support student retention, progression, and graduation
Establish and promote a strong culture of Bar Exam preparation, including structured coaching and accountability
Promote a culture of continuous improvement, using assessment data to strengthen learning outcomes and student success
Support scholarly activity, research, and institutional recognition within the legal and academic community
Monitor key performance indicators, including Bar passage rates, retention, academic performance, and engagement
Foster an environment where students feel supported, challenged, and prepared for legal practice
Leadership & Organizational Effectiveness
Establish clear ownership, accountability, and performance expectations
Ensure alignment between curriculum, faculty delivery, operations, and student outcomes
Build systems that promote efficiency, transparency, and scalability in a matrixed university environment
Collaborate with university partners (e.g., Faculty Services, Faculty Development, Curriculum Design, Admissions, Marketing) to leverage best practices and drive results
Provide oversight of college operations, budgeting, and resource allocation in alignment with university expectations
Ensure responsible stewardship of resources to support program growth and sustainability
Integrate into a matrix organization of centralized shared-services model, sharing all resources and collaborating on operations and execution with service providers
Faculty Leadership & Development
Lead and support faculty in achieving excellence in teaching, service, and scholarship
Promote instructional excellence and innovation in legal education
Support faculty in integrating faith, ethics, and professional preparation into the classroom
Foster a culture of mentorship, accountability, and continuous professional growth
External Relations & Institutional Alignment
Serve as the primary representative of the College of Law to university leadership, accrediting bodies (ABA), and external partners
Lead and engage the College of Law Advisory Board, collaborating with legal and business leaders
Partner with Marketing, Enrollment, and Admissions to recruit and enroll high-quality students in collaboration with service providers in a centralized, shared-service model
Support Advancement office efforts to fundraise for scholarships and program initiatives
Build strategic partnerships to enhance pipeline development, experiential opportunities, and community impact
Additional responsibilities as assigned by the Provost or President.
What you need
Juris Doctor (J.D.) Degree from an ABA-accredited institution
Experience in higher education teaching, law practice, scholarship, and/or administration
Significant (10+ years desired), documented, legal experience and/or leadership roles
Ability and experience leading at operational and strategic levels
Passion to share your Christian faith as a leader and educator
Provide a positive example to students by supporting the University’s Doctrinal Statement, Ethical Position Statement and Mission of Grand Canyon University.
Bonus
Experience leading large, multi-program academic units
Experience with online and hybrid program delivery
Background in law program development
Experience collaborating with external service providers or OPM partners
Evidence of scholarly or professional contributions
Why work at GCU
Exceptional workplace benefits include medical, dental, vision, life and disability insurance, flexible spending accounts, a 401K savings plan
Generous time off plan and 11 paid holidays
Paid time off to volunteer in the community or at GCU sponsored events
Free covered parking
We also offer full-time employees, their spouses, and dependent children an Education Tuition Discount Program
#J-18808-Ljbffr