Chair of Health Policy

About the role

The Chair of Health Policy ensures the growth and quality of the Department’s programs. Reporting directly to the Dean of the School of Public Health, the Chair serves as the primary administrator for the department and is responsible for implementing and enforcing the policies and procedures of the Department, School, and University. As a member of the School’s Executive Committee, the Chair collaborates with the Dean’s Office and other Department Chairs to coordinate activities and to promote the mission of the School throughout the University and the public health sector. The Chair is responsible for maintaining educational excellence in the department’s teaching programs and supporting faculty extramural research and scholarship. Additional responsibilities include growing enrollment, developing relationships with alumni, representatives, and key leaders of the public health industry, mentoring faculty development, and securing resources for future growth, including working with the Dean’s Office to foster philanthropic engagement and support.

Responsibilities

• Advancing the education and research training missions in the VCU School of Public Health, and the Department of Health Policy, promoting student success, and facilitating the training of the next generation of public health professionals.
• Defining and leading the Department’s research strategy by conducting, expanding, and promoting rigorous, policy-relevant, data-driven health policy and health services research in partnership with state agencies and community stakeholders. Additionally, leading philanthropic activities to support and expand Departmental research and training initiatives.
• Providing the vision and leadership to support superior academic and research programs, serving on School and University committees, grant study sections, academic societies, and serving as journal editor and/or on editorial boards. Setting the standard for commitment to the public and service within the community, helping to develop relationships with key community partners and stakeholders.
• Preparing, overseeing, and implementing the Health Policy departmental budget that encompasses all funding and cost sources, ensuring compliance with grant, legislative, and institutional guidelines. Managing available resources and minimizing unnecessary costs, promoting and modeling ethically and fiscally responsible best practices within the Department. Providing a strong and impassioned vision for building a culture of excellence in the Department.
• Fostering an atmosphere of support, collaboration, and innovation in the Department, building strong relationships with other health sciences and academic partners across VCU. Collaborating with state and local health agencies to build teaching, research, and practice-based relationships. Working with the Dean of the School of Public Health to foster philanthropic engagement and support.
• Mentoring both trainees and faculty, recruiting, hiring, developing, and retaining an outstanding faculty.

Requirements

• Unimpeachable integrity and personal ethics
• Demonstrated excellence in health policy research with an extramurally-funded grant portfolio appropriate to complement and expand existing expertise in the department
• Successful administrative and leadership experience with a public health or academic institution (ex: Department or Division Chair, Center or Program Director), especially with respect to building or growing a program, center, or department
• Experience and success in mentoring faculty, early-stage investigators, researchers, and/or graduate students
• Outstanding oral and written communication skills
• PhD in Health Policy, Health Services Research, or a field relevant to Public Health and Health Policy
• Academic rank of Associate Professor or Professor
• Demonstrated experience working in and fostering an environment of respect, professionalism, and civility with a population of faculty, staff, and students from all backgrounds and experiences, or a commitment to do so as a faculty member at VCU

Qualifications

• PhD in Health Policy, Health Services Research, or a field relevant to Public Health and Health Policy
• Academic rank of Associate Professor or Professor
• Unimpeachable integrity and personal ethics
• Demonstrated excellence in health policy research with an extramurally-funded grant portfolio appropriate to complement and expand existing expertise in the department
• Successful administrative and leadership experience with a public health or academic institution (ex: Department or Division Chair, Center or Program Director), especially with respect to building or growing a program, center, or department
• Experience and success in mentoring faculty, early-stage investigators, researchers, and/or graduate students
• Outstanding oral and written communication skills

Skills

• Strong leadership and administrative skills
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Ability to manage budgets and resources
• Experience in public health policy research
• Effective team-building and collaboration skills

Benefits

All full-time university staff are eligible for VCU’s robust benefits package that includes comprehensive health benefits, paid annual and holiday leave granted up front, generous tuition benefits, retirement planning and savings options, tax-deferred annuity and cash match programs, employee discounts, well-being resources, abundant opportunities for career development and advancement, and more.

Pay

Salary Range: Commensurate

Schedule

12 Months