Job Details

Western Carolina University continues to rank high on Forbes 'Best Employers' lists each year. Including:
* 2025 -- Ranked 1st in the top 100 employers in North Carolina in Forbes 'America's Best Employers by State' list.
* 2024 -- Ranking in the top 8.5% on Forbes 'America's Best Midsize Employers' list, WCU was ranked 34 out of the top 400 employers across all industries.
* 2023 -- Ranked in the top 20% on Forbes 'America's Best Midsize Employers' list, WCU was ranked 97 out of the top 500 employers across all industries.
* 2022 -- Ranked 14th in the top 100 employers in North Carolina in Forbes 'America's Best Employers by State' list.
Western Carolina University is the UNC system's westernmost campus and has been consistently ranked as one of the top 15 public regional institutions in the South.
Employees of WCU are provided a comprehensive benefits package as well as other resources, policies and programs to ensure a happy and healthy work/life balance. Benefit eligible employees have access to dental, vision and health insurance plans -- eligibility begins on the first of the month following date of hire. Retirement plan contributions begin on the eligibility date following election and include employer contributions for either a defined contribution or a defined benefit plan. Optional disability plans are also available.
Eligible employees have access to tuition waivers for up to three courses per academic year; employee may enroll at any of the constituent UNC System campuses. Also offered are free group exercise classes multiple times per week, a discounted membership to the campus recreation center, free vaccine and booster shots offered on campus, pretax flexible spending accounts, 12 paid holidays and 24 hours of paid community service leave each year. Leave earning employees (staff and 12-month faculty) who work at least half of the working days of their first month of employment will begin accruing vacation and sick leave immediately. Paid parental leave after 12 months of continuous service.
WCU offers an abundance of training and development programs, certifications, workshops and conferences -- many of which are offered free of charge.

The primary location of this position is on the main Cullowhee, NC campus.

The School of Economics, Management, and Project Management, one of the three schools in the College of Business, invites applications for a 9-month, tenure-track Assistant Professor position in Management, beginning in August 2027.

The successful candidate will bring areas of teaching and research that complement and integrate with those of existing faculty.Teaching responsibilities will include residential and/or distance undergraduate and graduate courses in Strategic Management and may include other Management courses based on the candidate's expertise and program needs. The successful candidate will demonstrate the ability to contribute to the College's mission of providing students with the skills needed to address the challenges of contemporary business. Responsibilities include teaching three courses (face-to-face and/or online format) per semester, scholarship, advising, and service activities as designated by the school director. Moreover, although faculty are typically assigned to teach 2 or 3 days per week, teaching and service duties may require a campus presence on non-teaching days. The successful candidate is expected to maintain an active research agenda leading to peer-reviewed scholarly publications and other intellectual contributions consistent with College and University expectations for tenure and promotion. Candidates should have a strong record or show strong promise to contribute to the intellectual and practical lives of students and other stakeholders of the School, College, University, and business community. The successful candidate must meet the standards for qualification per the College's Policy on Classification of Qualified Faculty. The AACSB requirements for academic qualification mandate a minimum level of relevant research and publication to remain current in the field of teaching.

A Ph.D. or ABD in management or an appropriate business field from an AACSB-accredited institution is required. Applicants who are ABD, with a dissertation defense date, and who complete all degree requirements on or before August 31, 2027, will be considered. The applicant must have completed 18 graduate credit hours in management from an AACSB-accredited institution.

A demonstrated potential for a productive research agenda in Strategic Management or a related area. Teaching experience at the graduate level.

Application materials must be submitted online. Please do not email application materials. Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until a candidate has been selected for hire.

Please include the following: letter of application, current CV, list of three professional references with complete contact information, and unofficial transcripts showing degree conferral dates for all degrees at the master's degree level and higher*.

For questions or additional information please contact Dr. Steve Ha at iha@wcu.edu or 828-227-3008

*All applicants are required to submit an unofficial transcript of their highest attained degree, showing all completed coursework and the date the degree was conferred. The transcript must state Degree Awarded, Degree Conferred or a similar phrase. For candidates who are ABD, please submit your most recent doctoral program transcript along with your master's degree transcript, if you hold such a degree. The master's degree transcript must have a notation such as Degree Awarded, Degree Conferred or similar phrase, to verify it as your highest completed degree.