Description

The Position

The Chair candidate should be eligible for a tenure rank.

Reporting to the Dean of the School of Health Professions, the Chair will have a full-time, twelve-month tenure appointment with responsibility for developing and implementing a robust strategic plan focused on establishing a world-class department. The Chair’s primary and central goal is to develop activities across all four components of the academic mission: educational excellence, research and scholarship, faculty practice and service. Supported by a well-qualified faculty, and administrative staff, the Chair will oversee all administrative, operational, research, and patient care functions of the department.  To this end, the Chair will be responsible for the following activities:

Strategic Planning and Relationship Building

• Work collaboratively across UT Health in further developing and implementing an innovative and robust strategic plan for growth in the DHS. This plan should address each of the core missions of the academic health center: teaching, research, service, and patient care.
• Conduct on-going assessment and evaluation of the DHS; proactively address and ameliorate any issues based on those assessments.
• Serve as the face of the DHS both internally and externally.  
  Curriculum/Program Development, Teaching and Clinical Practice
• Stay abreast of evolving changes and advancements in education to ensure educational program excellence.
• Teach and perform other instructional duties as required.
• In concert with the program directors, ensure accreditation requirements are exceeded.
• Participate in clinical education and practice as appropriate.
• Demonstrate outstanding student and graduate outcomes as evidenced by excellent faculty course evaluations, outstanding graduate satisfaction with the quality of the educational program, pass-rates on national board and certification examinations, graduate employment, employer satisfaction and graduate assumption of leadership roles within the profession. 
  Faculty Development
• Recruit, train and mentor existing and newly hired faculty.
• Develop faculty in a manner that instills professionalism and encourages innovation in teaching and mentoring.
• Ensure tenure-track faculty members are well-prepared for successful promotion and tenure within the school and university.
• Assist faculty in advancing their skills across the academic mission of the department (i.e. teaching, research, service and patient care).

Operational and Financial Management

• Oversee that appropriate processes and procedures are in place to ensure efficient day-to-day operations within the DHS.
• With support from the Dean’s office, ensure fiscal well-being of the DHS.
• Assist in developing and implementing strategies for growing enrollment and extramural funding. 
• Develop and implement a financially sound and cost-effective faculty practice plan.
• Ensure adequate student enrollment and success to include program marketing and student recruitment.

Program Direction

The chair may also assume the role of program director for the program within a specific professional area (i.e., imaging sciences or MLS) or they may choose to appoint a qualified program director within the department’s faculty.

Research and Scholarship

• Develop and promote departmental research and scholarship as evidenced by invited presentations based on original research, research publications, and production of other scholarly work.
• External grant submissions and success.
• Research awards and research expenditures.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Applicants should hold an earned doctorate (e.g. PhD, Ed.D.) in an area relevant to health professions education or practice.  
• Teaching and administrative experience at the college/university level, preferably in an accredited health sciences professional program.
• Evidence of scholarly achievement including published research within peer-reviewed professional journals; applicants must be eligible for faculty appointment at the rank of Associate Professor or Professor with tenure, depending on qualifications. 
• An emerging or established national or international leader in health sciences (e.g.  MLS, allied health, etc.).
• A clear vision for the future of the department which includes achieving national recognition of its programs as among the best in the U.S.
• Experience with national accreditation standards and requirements and state agency licensure regulations; prior experience with accreditation processes in a leadership role is preferred.
• Experience managing finances and budgets.
• Excellent communication skills and a leadership based on developing and sustaining a consensus-driven, collaborative and team-building culture.
• A strong, progressive and facilitative leadership style which is proactive and forward thinking.