The Staley School of Leadership at Kansas State University invites applications for a nine-month tenure-track professor (open rank) position in Leadership Studies. We seek a scholar whose research and teaching engage leadership education and development, civic leadership, and leading change—broadly conceived. The successful candidate will bring a forward-looking research agenda and teaching portfolio that advances innovative ways to develop and practice leadership, mobilizing people, organizations, and communities to make change on the world's critical challenges. We are especially interested in candidates whose scholarship intersects with one or more of the following: higher education leadership education (i.e, curriculum development, pedagogy, assessment of leadership programs); student leadership development; adaptive leadership; complexity and systems leadership; collective, processual, and practice-based leadership; critical, cultural, and global perspectives of leadership; and community-engaged approaches to organizational and societal change. Across these areas, we especially value candidates who build capacity for pedagogical innovation (in person and online), co-curricular learning activities, applied learning, community partnerships, participatory research, and public scholarship. The successful candidate will contribute to a culture of shared accountability and a growth mindset and demonstrate the potential to advance the university’s Next-Gen K-State goals.
What is expected:
The Mary Lynn and Warren Staley School of Leadership at Kansas State University is a values-centered learning community that provides academic, co-curricular, and applied learning experiences to students across the university with the purpose of developing bold, curious, and connected learners to address our world’s most complex challenges.
The Staley School brings together leadership studies, leadership and service programs, scholar development and undergraduate research, university honors, and applied learning faculty and staff committed to building and sustaining a positive, thriving organizational culture.
The Leadership Studies unit seeks to advance the study, practice, and development of leadership that supports the well-being and progress of people, organizations, and communities in a complex and changing world. Students can earn undergraduate certificates in Leadership Studies and Non-Profit Leadership; a secondary major in Global Food Systems Leadership; a graduate certificate in Non-Profit Leadership or Leading Change; a for-credit graduate micro-credential in Leadership Coaching; or engage in other non-credit micro-credentials designed to prepare learners to exercise leadership in professional careers. We are also host to the interdisciplinary Leadership Communication doctoral program.
Our faculty is deeply committed to Kansas State’s land-grant mission, as outlined in the Next-Gen K-State strategic plan. As the home of Third Floor Research partnership, Leading Change Institutes, and K-State’s Applied Learning initiative, the School actively encourages and rewards public-facing, community-engaged scholarship in our tenure and promotion process. For more information, visit https://www.k-state.edu/leadership/
Kansas State University: The University was founded in 1863 as the first operational land-grant university. K-State is located in Manhattan, Kansas, about 120 miles west of Kansas City. The student population totals over 20,000. K-State leads the nation among state-supported schools in Rhodes, Truman, Marshall, and Goldwater scholarships. The university’s athletic teams compete in the Big 12 Conference.
Kansas State University’s Accompanying Partner service assists candidates with information on area employment and community resources for family members; the website is http://www.manhattancvb.org
Manhattan: The city has a permanent population of more than 56,000. Manhattan is the county seat for Riley County and the retail center for a three-county region. Manhattan is in the middle of the scenic Flint Hills of northeast Kansas. The city boasts a remarkably high quality of life, including a variety of arts programs, an abundance of parks and walking trails, many sports and recreation facilities, shopping opportunities, and the KSU-focused Aggieville business district. The public school system is considered one of the best in the state. See the websites www.manhattan.org and www.themercury.com/Community for more information.
This position is ON-SITE.
All employees must reside in the United States when they begin working to comply with state law. K-State is unable to provide remote or hybrid work opportunities for residents of the state of Idaho.
Minimum Qualifications:
The degree requirement is necessary for accreditation purposes and to ensure candidates possess the specialized knowledge, skills, and abilities that can only be attained through a formal educational program at this level.
Preferred Qualifications:
Sponsorship eligibility:
Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. on an ongoing basis without sponsorship
Please submit the following documents:
Applications close on: September 21st, 2026
The appointment begins in January or August 2027.
Salary is competitive and commensurate with rank and experience.
For more information, contact the search committee chair: Dr. Andrew Wefald, at wefald@ksu.edu.
Kansas State University offers a supportive and inclusive community, dedicated to your professional growth. While specific benefits may vary by position, many roles come with comprehensive packages that support your well-being and work-life balance, including health and life insurance, retirement plans, and generous paid time off. To learn more about benefits that are available for various positions, visit our benefits overview page.
Employees must be authorized to work in the United States at the time of employment. International candidates who require employer-sponsored work authorization are welcome to apply. Eligibility for visa sponsorship depends on several factors, including but not limited to, the job’s occupational requirements, specific duties, wage level, the candidate’s qualifications (such as degree field) and available departmental resources. As a result, not all positions or applicants will be eligible for sponsorship.
Kansas State University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, age, national origin, disability or status as a protected veteran.
Some positions are eligible for remote or hybrid working arrangements. An employee who is working in a remote or hybrid capacity for K-State must reside within the United States in order to comply with all federal and state laws, filings, or tax requirements. Remote and hybrid work arrangements are not available for anyone who resides in the state of Idaho.
Kansas participates in the MakeMyMove program, which connects eligible newcomers with participating communities offering financial incentives, housing support, and local perks to help make your move easier and more rewarding. If relocating from outside of Kansas you can visit the site to apply online for the program incentives.
Upon acceptance of a contingent offer of employment, a candidate may be subject to a background check per K-State’s background check policy.
Kansas State University honors interview preferences for qualified applicants who are veterans or individuals with disabilities. Eligible applicants who meet the minimum qualifications, submit all required application materials, and submit required preference documentation by the closing date on the job advertisement will be granted a first-level interview.
The disability and veteran interview preferences do not apply to student employment positions, temporary positions, athletics positions, academic and administrative department heads*, positions that require licensure as a physician, and positions that require that the employee be admitted to practice law in Kansas.
*Heads of Departments refers to any individual holding a primary leadership role responsible for the overall strategic direction, management and operational oversight of a recognized academic or administrative unit within the university.
To learn more about interview preferences at K-State, please visit our interview preferences page.
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