Department Head, Health Policy and Administration

Department Head, Health Policy and Administration

Job Description

The Department of Health Policy and Administration (HPA), located in the College of Health and Human Development (HHD) at The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State), University Park, invites applications for the position of Department Head.

Primary Job Responsibilities

Reporting to the Dean of the College, the Head of Health Policy and Administration provides strategic leadership for the department's academic, research, operational, and outreach missions. The Department Head is responsible for visioning and strategic planning; oversight of academic and research programs; management of departmental operations, finances, faculty, and staff affairs; cultivation of external partnerships; and fundraising in support of the department's priorities and aspirations.

The Head is expected to further strengthen a cohesive and multidisciplinary department that leverages the strengths of its diverse programs, advances diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, fosters interdisciplinary collaboration, and supports innovation and creativity across educational, research, and outreach activities. Additionally, the Head is responsible for recruiting, developing, and retaining outstanding faculty and staff, advocating for the department, enhancing its visibility and reputation, and promoting a culture that values well-being and work-life balance.

As a key academic leader within the College and University, the Department Head is expected to advance the strategic priorities of both institutions by fostering research productivity, teaching excellence, interdisciplinary scholarship, and external engagement. The Head will encourage and support faculty in securing external funding, expanding collaborative research initiatives, and translating scholarship into meaningful impact for health systems, communities, and policymakers.

The successful candidate will have administrative responsibility for all operational, fiscal, and procedural matters within the department, including oversight of fundraising and development activities. The Head will also be encouraged to maintain an active program of scholarship and mentor graduate student research. In addition, the position requires identifying and advancing new opportunities in undergraduate, graduate, and online education. The new Head will cultivate an environment in which innovation, creativity, and collaboration thrive, while fostering a positive and inclusive culture that inspires confidence and trust among students, faculty, and staff through strong interpersonal skills and a compassionate, community-oriented leadership style.

About the Department

The Department of Health Policy and Administration (HPA) in the Penn State College of Health and Human Development is a nationally recognized academic unit focused on improving health care delivery, health outcomes, public health, and health policy through excellence in teaching, research, and outreach. HPA offers more than 400 undergraduate and graduate students a comprehensive portfolio of academic programs, including the residential and online Bachelor of Science in Health Policy and Administration, the residential and online Master of Health Administration (M.H.A.) programs, and graduate programs leading to the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Health Policy and Administration.

In Fall 2026, the department added an undergraduate Bachelor of Science in Public Health to the curriculum.

The department is home to 13 tenured and tenure-track faculty members and 18 teaching and research faculty members who contribute to a vibrant culture of scholarship, student mentorship, and professional engagement. Faculty expertise spans health services research, health economics, health policy, population health, health care management, organizational leadership, and rural health. Academic leadership within the department includes oversight of undergraduate education, graduate education, online learning initiatives, research activities, and extensive community and professional partnerships.

The department is supported by a team of staff members and includes a robust network of adjunct faculty, preceptors, alumni, and health system partners who contribute to its educational and professional mission.

The department provides administrative oversight for the Pennsylvania Office of Rural Health (PORH), whose director reports directly to the Department Head. As…