Chairman and Associate Professor - Physician Assistant Studies

The University of North Texas Health Science Center in Fort Worth is seeking a visionary leader for the position of Physician Assistant Studies (PA) Department Chair. The department is housed within the School of Health Professions (SHP), which also includes the Doctor of Physical Therapy program and the Master of Science in Lifestyle Health Sciences and Coaching program. The PA department offers a Masters of Physician Assistant Studies and will soon offer a certificate in Genetics Counseling.

The Chair serves as the academic and operational leader of the PA department by providing effective leadership in the areas of accreditation, faculty development, student recruitment, quality improvement, and budget management. In this role, she/he/they will engage collaboratively with the faculty through curriculum development, research, service, and strategic planning. As a faculty member, the Chair will have the opportunity to teach and maintain her/his/their own research program. She/he/they will also engage in interprofessional activities across the institution’s other schools/colleges (Osteopathic Medicine, Allopathic Medicine, Public Health, Pharmacy, and Biomedical Sciences) and with external organizations. As an advocate for the Department, the chairperson collaborates with the administration in implementing the University’s mission to create solutions for a healthier community. The Chair must be knowledgeable about and responsible for:

- program organization,
- program administration,
- fiscal management of the program,
- continuous programmatic review and analysis,
- program planning,
- program development,
- completion of ARC-PA required documents, and
- adherence to the Standards and ARC-PA policies.

The candidate we are seeking is a senior faculty member who possesses strong leadership skills, teaching excellence and a vision consistent with emerging health care delivery who will build on the department’s accomplishments and contributions in education and scholarship. The candidate must also demonstrate effective leadership through exhibiting responsiveness to issues related to personnel, strong communication skills, and proactive problem solving. This is a full-time, 12-month appointment, non-tenure, tenure-track, or tenured position at the Associate/Professor level. Salary and rank are commensurate with qualifications and experience.

Core Responsibilities:
- Promote collaboration within and outside of the department/institution;
- Engage in respectful and candid communication;
- Maintain the highest standard of ethics and compliance with federal, state, and accrediting body standards and regulations;
- Provide superior customer service to internal and external customers;
- Use a values-based approach to coaching/development of departmental faculty and staff;
- Guide curriculum development to maintain currency and relevance to the future of the field;
- Develop effective strategies for recruitment and retention of exceptional faculty, staff, and students;
- Manage fiscal and administrative matters with transparency and integrity;
- Align departmental goals with institutional goals, in order to effectively advocate for resources.

Minimum Requirements:

- Licensed Physician Assistant
-A minimum of three years of full-time experience in a PA education program.
- Hold current or emeritus National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) certification status.
- Established record of excellence in teaching, with a defined area of professional content expertise.
- Established record of research/scholarly activity.
- Active involvement in the PA profession and understanding of key educational issues.
- Understanding of and experience with curriculum content, design, implementation, and evaluation.
- Strong written and oral communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to engage in flexible, collaborative decision-making.
- Strong interest in faculty development and mentoring.
- Innovative vision and effective leadership skills to inspire teams to reach goals.

Required License/Registration/Certification:
- Licensed Physician Assistant
- Hold current or emeritus NCCPA certification status

Preferred Requirements:

- A minimum of six years of full-time higher education experience.
- Previous higher education administrative experience as a leader/chair of an academic department, and/or academic program.
- Experience with management of personnel-related activities, such as recruitment, new hire recommendations, and performance evaluations; and overseeing departmental financial processes.
- Experience in strategic planning.
- Demonstrated record of success in recruiting and developing high-caliber faculty.
- Outstanding judgment and the capacity to set and communicate priorities.
- Administrative experience with professional accreditation standards and procedures.
- Appreciation of new teaching methods and educational technology.

The University of North Texas System and its component institutions are committed to equal opportunity and comply with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The University of North Texas System and its component institutions do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, religion, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or veteran status in its application and admission processes, educational programs and activities, and employment practices.