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Posted: 22-May-23
Location: Detroit, Michigan
Employment Type:
Organization Type:
STATUS: Full time
DIVISION: Undergraduate Studies
REPORTS TO: Chair of Liberal Arts
SUPERVISES: N/A
FLSA STATUS: Exempt
Position Description
The Liberal Arts Department at The College for Creative Studies invites applications for a full-time lecturer position, to teach Business Practices, Finance Essentials, Branding Essentials, or Structural Essentials, or some combination of these courses, starting in the Fall of 2023. We seek an outstanding teacher who can contribute in inventive ways to our business offerings and who has demonstrated pedagogical knowledge in the broad area of Business Studies. The ideal candidate will hold a PhD (preferred) or an MA in a relevant subject.
At least two years’ experience teaching business courses at the college or university level is absolutely essential. Suitable candidates will have a background advising undergraduate business majors. Experience with Canvas is very highly desirable. The candidate will be flexible in pedagogy and seek a balance between delivering content and ways to use in-class time (especially in the final 2 weeks of the semester) to identify and mentor students in need individually or in groups making time as needed. The post requires in-person teaching on campus.
The position requires a credit load of 12 credits each semester (4/4), for a total of 24 credit hours per academic year. This is a teaching position and serving on college committees and other forms of college service is not required. The ideal candidate will be an able administrator, prepared to take on administrative roles, and could be offered a course release each term depending on the needs of the department as defined by the Chair of Liberal Arts. This might involve work in support of the Chair and Program Manager, monitoring and improving Canvas use across the department, mentoring adjunct faculty, overseeing all business courses, rethinking existing courses, and developing new courses as part of the department’s reconsideration of the minor in creative entrepreneurship at CCS.
The successful candidate will support and carry out the mission of the college as well as demonstrate a commitment to developing and enhancing a culture of rigor, excellence, and achievement.
The course descriptions are as follows:
Business Practices
This course prepares students to function as professional artists and/or designers. It provides an introduction to contemporary business theories, trend analysis, and branding techniques and practices. Also, students learn and use basic project management principles, project costing models, and the elements of business plan design.
Branding Essentials
This course prepares students to connect their creative practice with prospective customers and clients through the study of contemporary marketing techniques. The course builds on knowledge gained in Business Practices to deepen student understanding of fundamental business concepts and methods. The primary concepts in the course include: 1) the development of a branded self to build a distinctive image and to establish the basis for the market value of creative work for use in an entrepreneurial or corporate environment and 2) an exploration of social media strategies to communicate that image and corresponding value proposition to potential customers. Understanding branding and image management is essential for professional artists and designers to effectively translate their talents into an economy where markets offer a wide variety of competing choices. Students in this course will complete a personal branding project and a marketing plan to incorporate into their overall business plan and career development strategy.
Finance Essentials
This course instructs students in principles of financial management specifically related to the needs of artists and designers. It builds on knowledge gained in Business Practices to deepen understanding of fundamental business concepts and methods. Through coursework and practice, students develop a set of skills and tools relevant to operating a small or growing start-up company, working in an independent freelance practice, or working in a corporate design studio or other creative environment. This course will examine such topics as: measuring cash flow; working with budgets and forecasts; evaluating financial performance; managing working capital; allocating resources; identifying sources of funding for entrepreneurial ventures; presenting business cases to investors and corporate managements; understanding business related taxes, including tax planning and legal considerations; selecting an accountant or other financial advisor using sound financial criteria; recognizing the advantages and disadvantages of ownership such as sole proprietor and LLC.
Structural Essentials
This course is offered for students enrolled in the CCS Minor in Creative Entrepreneurship. It is taught as a cohort and is followed by the final capstone business class. After successfully completing these two capstone courses, students are prepared as entrepreneurial thought and action leaders and have been trained to launch their own creative industry venture. Students are first introduced to different organizational structures including leadership, cultural, and behavioral options and select those most compatible with their mission and values. Using research, students evaluate their venture's competitive landscape, and then create and defend their strategic brand platform, brand name, product/service offerings, and core customer base. This leads to the creation of behaviorally motivating brand content, applied to an integrated set of customer attraction, conversion, retention and sales programs. Students also learn to refine their soft skills, including engaging, listening and selling. This course culminates with students' intensive interaction with actual business owners and creative industry experts in formal presentations.
Position Accountabilities and Essential Functions
This position is accountable to the Chair of Liberal Arts. Essential functions include:
- Teach and successfully deliver four courses per semester
- Mentor and support all faculty teaching business classes
- Prepare syllabus for the review of the Chair
- Complete training in Canvas and use it as required by the department and the College
- Attend all Liberal Arts Department meetings and at least one professional development training course per year.
- Deal promptly with all administrative responsibilities attached to this work
Qualifications and Experience
- At CCS, an MFA with specialty relative to the course being taught or other Master’s degree with at least 18 graduate credit hours relative to course content being taught is normally required. For this position, a PhD in a relevant field is preferred.
- Two years’ teaching experience in composition at the college- or graduate-level is required.
- Experience with Canvas is an advantage.
- An understanding of students undertaking the study of art and design is also an advantage.
- Successful candidates must be committed to working with diverse student and community populations.
