Director of Faculty Development and Retention

Alice L. Walton School of Medicine (AWSOM) is seeking experienced, motivated, and dedicated leaders and educators to participate in the design and delivery of an innovative four-year medical school curriculum that engages medical students in active and novel learning.

Job Description:

Job Title: Director of Faculty Development and Retention

Reports to: Senior Associate Dean, Faculty Affairs and Development

FLSA Classification: Exempt

Location: Bentonville, Arkansas (On-site)

Who We Are

Founded in 2021, Alice L. Walton School of Medicine (AWSOM) is a nonprofit, four-year MD program that will enhance traditional medical education with the arts, humanities, and whole health principles. The school’s culture embraces self-care to empower students to care for their own well-being as well as their patients’. The school’s state-of-the-art medical education facility is in Bentonville, Arkansas on the Crystal Bridges campus, home to Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art and Heartland Whole Health Institute. The school has been granted preliminary accreditation status by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education.

About The Position

The Director of Faculty Development and Retention oversees a comprehensive development program for AWSOM faculty, focusing on wellness, engagement, and retention. Responsibilities include implementing professional development activities, peer mentoring, and faculty awards programs, assessing development needs, tracking participation, and supporting accreditation efforts. The Director also manages the Clinical Affiliate Faculty Development Liaison. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and oversee a comprehensive faculty development program for all full-time and part-time faculty, ensuring alignment with institutional goals and accreditation standards.
• Develop and lead a faculty wellness initiative that promotes well-being, resilience, and work-life integration.
• Create and manage programs and initiatives that foster faculty engagement, satisfaction, and long-term retention.
• Establish and direct a structured faculty mentoring program to support career advancement, scholarly growth, and leadership development.
• Conduct regular assessments of faculty professional development needs and use data to inform programming and resource allocation.
• Administer a faculty awards and recognition program to celebrate excellence in teaching, research, service, and leadership.
• Monitor and report faculty participation in development activities, using data to evaluate impact and guide continuous improvement.
• Promote a culture of innovation and continuous improvement in teaching, learning, and academic leadership.
• Supervise and support the Clinical Affiliate Faculty Development Liaison to ensure consistent engagement and development across clinical sites.
• Contribute to accreditation-related activities, including documentation, reporting, and implementation of faculty development standards.
• Serve as a liaison for Continuing Medical Education (CME) solutions, collaborating with internal and external stakeholders to support lifelong learning.
• Collaborate with academic leadership to support the recruitment, onboarding, and integration of new faculty members into the institution.
• Other duties as assigned.

People Leadership

• Lead, coach, and develop direct reports, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and high performance.
• Conduct regular one-on-one meetings and performance evaluations, providing feedback and professional development opportunities.
• Monitor and manage team performance, addressing attendance, conduct, or productivity issues promptly and professionally.

Qualifications and Requirements

• Master's degree in education, humanities, social sciences, or related field required.
• Doctorate degree in education, humanities, social sciences, or related field, preferred.
• Minimum 5 years experience managing programs that support faculty (e.g., faculty development, mentoring, coaching).
• Experience in process improvement and project management
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Excellent time management skills with a proven ability to meet deadlines
• Strong problem-solving skills
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, Zoom, and ability to learn new software applications
• Experience developing or delivering programs designed to specifically support medical school faculty
• Demonstrate strong judgment, intellectual agility, and flexibility regarding overall priorities and day-to-day tasks  

Physical Demands and Work Environment

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those required by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these functions.

Physical Demands: In the work environment described, position requires sitting at a desk and utilizing a computer and a telephone for prolonged periods of time and good eye/hand coordination, bending and stretching, and physical stamina to lift and transport a minimum of 10 pounds. Visual acuity to review written materials is required for this job.

Work Environment: Work is performed full-time (Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.) in a professional, climate-controlled office environment with standard office equipment, including computers, printers, and telephones. This role requires working in an open setting near colleagues. The noise level is typically low to moderate. The role also requires interaction with both the public and internal team members in a professional and courteous manner. Some local travel will be required, and a flexible schedule may be necessary to accommodate business needs, including occasional evening and weekend work hours.

Alice L. Walton School of Medicine is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment.

All offers of employment are contingent on your successful completion (where permitted by state law) of a confidentiality agreement and background check. In addition, you will need to provide proper identification verifying your eligibility to work in the United States.