Chair, Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health (F63870)

Mission or Goal of Unit: The mission of the Department of Epidemiology - in the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Public Health - is to provide outstanding epidemiology and public health training, conduct innovative research, and engage in impactful service. The Department couples research and public health service programs with a strong focus on education and training, offering a fully accredited Master of Public Health (MPH) program, dual programs with medicine (MD), social work (MSW), and pharmacy (PharmD), and a PHD in Epidemiology. In concert with this drive for training excellence, the department aims to maintain continued growth and accomplishments in research and scholarship in public health and community engagement.

Chief Purpose of this position: The VCU School of Public Health is seeking candidates for the Department Chair of Epidemiology: a senior-level faculty position with a key leadership role in the School. The Chair will oversee and direct the Department’s missions, faculty and resources, and will provide leadership across all Departmental endeavors, including academics and research, as well as collaborations with other public health departments, the Center for Society and Health, and other community partners.

Duties & Responsibilities:

Teaching
The Chair will advance the education and research training missions in the VCU School of Public Health, promoting student success, and facilitating the training of the next generation of public health professionals.

Research
The Chair will define and lead the Department’s research strategy by conducting and expanding translational and community engaged research in public health, and will support principal investigators and public health investigators throughout the school in efforts to secure extramural support for research, training and center grants. Additionally, they will lead philanthropic activities to support and expand Departmental research and training initiatives.

Service
The Chair will provide the vision and leadership to support superior academic and research programs, will serve on School and University committees, grant study sections, academic societies, and serve as journal editor and/or on editorial boards. The Chair will set the standard for commitment to the public and service within the community, helping to develop relationships with key community partners and stakeholders.

Administrative
Financial Management: The Chair will prepare, oversee and implement the Epidemiology departmental budget that encompasses all funding and cost sources, and ensure compliance with grant, legislative and institutional guidelines. The Chair will effectively manage available resources and minimize unnecessary costs, promoting and modelling ethically and fiscally responsible best practices within the Department. The Chair will be a highly visible and collaborative leader in supporting the VCU School of Public Health strategic direction in partnership with School and University leadership.

Leadership: The Chair will provide a strong and impassioned vision for building excellence in the Department. The Chair will prepare for current and future trends in Epidemiological science and practice, and will help develop a vision for the rigorous research and innovative experiential training needed to create the next generation of public health researchers and professionals.

Relationship Building: The Chair will foster an atmosphere of inclusivity, support, collaboration and innovation in the Department, and will build strong relationships with other health science researchers across VCU. The Chair will collaborate with the Virginia Department of Health to build teaching, research and practice-based relationships. The Chair will also work with the Dean of the School of Population Health to encourage philanthropic engagement and support.

Mentorship: The Chair will mentor both trainees and faculty, will commit to and actively participate in the Departmental training mission, and will recruit, hire, develop and retain an outstanding and diverse faculty.

Required Qualifications:

• Unimpeachable integrity and personal ethics
• Internationally recognized excellence in epidemiological research, education and service, with an extramurally-funded grant portfolio
• Successful administrative and leadership experience at an academic institution (ex: Department or Division Chair, Center or Program Director), especially with respect to building or growing a program, center or department
• Experiential learning through lived experiences and/or professional service that inform worldviews and/or perspectives about minority group status, to include race, age, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, religion, and disability
• Experience and success mentoring academic faculty, early-stage investigators, and graduate students
• Outstanding oral and written communication skills
• PhD in Epidemiology or a field relevant to Public Health
• Academic rank of Professor