Executive Director, Center Health Social Sciences; CHeSS

Department BSD MED - Center for Health and the Social Sciences

About the Department The Center for Health and the Social Sciences (CHeSS) provides the infrastructure to advance interdisciplinary research and training in health and social sciences at the University of Chicago. Housed under the Dean of the Biological Sciences Division's office, the Center attracts participation from across the University, including the Biological Sciences Division and Institute for Translational Medicine (ITM), the Center for Healthcare Delivery Science and Innovation (HDSI) at UChicago Medicine, Social Sciences Division, Physical Sciences Division, Business School, Harris School of Public Policy, Law School, Social Science Administration, National Opinion Research Center (NORC), and Argonne National Labs.

The Center houses the Center for Health Statistics, the Center on Healthy Aging Behaviors and Longitudinal Investigations (CHABLIS) and the Methods Core, a unit within CHeSS that offers general quantitative and qualitative research and consulting services and expertise in data identification, capture and analytical techniques. CHeSS supports and promotes innovation and collaboration as well as excellence in research, scholarship and training.

With more than 130 faculty associates from virtually all schools and divisions of the University, CHeSS serves as an incubator of ideas and supporter of research in health and the social sciences, sponsors seminars and workshops on campus, invites nationally-known scholars and policymakers to speak on a variety of topics, supports the writing and submission of grant applications and fundraising proposals, coordinates new research initiatives and projects, manages several training programs and provides expert research methods consultation during formative and operational phases of investigations.

The Center for Health and the Social Sciences (CHeSS) is seeking an experienced administrator to serve as executive director, reporting directly to the Faculty Director, providing leadership for the many ongoing initiatives underway in the Centers currently and forging strategic goals for future growth. CHeSS comprises four functional areas: grants and administration, the Methods Core, training and communications and research program areas such as the P30 CHABLIS center and the Program in Oral and Systemic Health and Well-Being.

The Executive Director oversees all functional areas, provides leadership to managers and professional staff and develops new collaborations across the division and University.

• Leads all areas of CHeSS, including meeting all organizational programmatic, fiduciary and reporting responsibilities.
• Represents the Center divisionally and within the University.
• Oversees all hiring and appointments, management of financial, IT, strategic and other planning to accomplish overall entity goals.
• Leads CHeSS Methods Core, including hiring and training of staff and negotiating of Methods Core contracts.
• Teaches content in educational programs.
• Conceives and builds new content, training and programmatic areas for CHeSS; develops new partnerships, and expands specialties as relevant.
• Builds an effective team of leaders.
• Manages employees by establishing annual performance goals, allocating resources, assessing annual performance, and determining individual merit, incentive and/or promotional increases.
• Manages the dissemination, interpretation and application of program policies and recommends or makes exceptions.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Education:

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 7+ years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Certifications:

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Education:

Masters in public policy, health services research, or a related field.

Experience:

Background in health services research or university administration.

Content and analytic expertise in health services research, health policy, health outcomes. Collaborating on NIH funded projects. Managing a recharge center.

• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal are essential.
• Facilitate group decision-making processes and foster an environment of health team debate and collaboration.
• Communicate effectively with stakeholders from various disciplines and knowledge bases.
• Prioritize multiple projects and center priorities.
• Demonstrated ability to provide senior mentorship to highly talented and motivated staff and trainees.
• Excellent interpersonal and management skills.
• Work independently and as part of a team.
• Motivated to explore and apply new technologies to problems.
• Work simultaneously with multiple investigators, to prioritize competing objectives, and to identify opportunities to more efficiently accomplish programming tasks through appropriate division of labor with other programmers.