Executive Director, Center for Health and the Social Sciences (CHeSS)

University of Chicago; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 130,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

The Center for Health and the Social Sciences (CHeSS) at the University of Chicago seeks an experienced administrator to serve as executive director, reporting to the Faculty Director. The role provides leadership for ongoing initiatives and for future growth across four functional areas: grants, Methods Core, training, and research programs.

The Executive Director oversees managers and professional staff, forges collaborations, and guides strategic planning with the division and University

Qualifications

• Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.
• 7+ years of work experience in a related job discipline.
• Experience in university administration or health/science sector preferred.

Responsibilities

• Leads all areas of CHeSS, meeting programmatic, fiduciary and reporting responsibilities.
• Represents the Center within the University.
• Oversees hiring, finances, IT, and strategic planning to achieve goals.
• Leads the Methods Core, including staff training and contract negotiations.
• Teaches content in educational programs.
• Develops partnerships and expands program areas.
• Builds an effective leadership team.
• Manages performance and resource allocation.

Skills

Executive leadership

Strategic planning

Communication

Team management

Education

Masters in related field

Tools

Budgeting

Grants management

Job description

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.

Job Summary

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.

Responsibilities

• 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.

Minimum Qualifications

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:

—

Preferred Qualifications

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.

Preferred Competencies

• 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.

Application Documents

• Resume/CV (required)
• Cover Letter (required)

The University of Chicago uses AI-assisted tools to streamline and augment some recruitment processes; however, AI is not used to make hiring decisions.

Job Family

Administration & Management

Role Impact

People Manager

Scheduled Weekly Hours

40

Drug Test Required

No

Health Screen Required

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required

No

Pay Rate Type

Salary

FLSA Status

Exempt

Pay Range

$130,000.00 - $170,000.00

The included pay rate or range represents the University’s good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting.

Benefits Eligible

Yes

The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook.

Posting Statement

The University of Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or expression, national or ethnic origin, shared ancestry, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University’s Notice of Nondiscrimination.

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history. A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment. Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

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