Director Of The Center For Innovation In Social Work And Health, Office Of The Provost

The Director provides intellectual and administrative leadership of the endowed Center for Innovation in Social Work and Health and promotes excellence in all aspects of the Centers mission, including research, education, and practice goals. They will lead the Centers faculty and administrative staff, integrate Center activities with those of the School of Social Work, and effectively communicate the vision and goals to constituencies within Boston University, as well as nationally and internationally. The successful candidate will have demonstrated leadership and administrative experience bridging social work, health care, public health, and health economics all at the local, state, national and international level. The Director will be committed to excellence in teaching and professional training at the graduate level as well as to inter-professional and trans-disciplinary research, outcomes-oriented research, community partnerships, policy development, and education and training activities. The Director will be able to lead the Center in its mission to expand the impact and stature of social work in health, public health, and global health in order to reduce health costs, improve outcomes and the patient experience, and promote population health and health equity nationally and globally. The director will hold an endowed professorship the Paul Farmer Professorship in SSW.

Responsibilities:

• Articulate and implement the vision and goals of the Center in collaboration with core and affiliated Center faculty and in concert with the SSW Dean.
• Establish the Center as a major source of scientific advances and best practices in social work, health, public health, and health economics.
• Work to elevate the visibility and stature of the discipline of social work and social workers.
• Promote the highest quality practice-based research and education/training within the Center.
• Build and sustain transdisciplinary partnership to promote the Centers mission at the local, state, regional, national, and international levels.
• Effectively communicate with a wide audience of interdisciplinary faculty researchers, practitioners, administrators, policy makers, and community stakeholders.
• Lead an effective Center faculty and administrative team.
• Establish specific, measurable goals and performance expectations, and employ a systematic quality improvement process to ensure progress toward goals and objectives.
• Empower, support, and inspire faculty and staff to achieve performance goals and objectives; model professional excellence.
• Show strong commitment to global social work and global health.
• Establish appropriate mechanisms to recruit, hire, support and retain highly qualified diverse faculty and staff; act to ensure their professional success, maximizing their ability to contribute to the mission and goals of the Center, the School and the University.
• Motivate and facilitate trans-disciplinary and inter-professional collaboration in research and education by Center faculty with other Schools and Colleges within and outside of the University.
• Assist the Dean in fundraising for the Center to increase the endowment and operating funds.
• Act as a liaison between the advisory Board and the Center. Will lead Board relations, development, and recruitment in collaboration with the Board chair.
• Promote funded research activities under the Centers auspices.
• Oversee effective utilization of financial resources, human resources, and physical infrastructure.
• Create a positive, diverse and inclusive work environment in which faculty and staff are treated with dignity and respect.
• Establish and maintain effective relationships with other School and University leaders, especially the School of Public Health, the Center for Global Health and Development, the School of Medicine and the School of Dental Medicine. Organization The Center is administered by the School of Social Work at Boston University, and the Director will report to the Dean. To maximize its trans-disciplinary and inter-professional opportunities in health, the Center is located on BUs Medical Campus in close proximity to the Schools of Public Health, Medicine, and Dental Medicine and the Center for Global Health and Development. Center faculty will include the Director and two or more core faculty members (to be hired) whose primary affiliation will be at the School of Social Work, as well as affiliated faculty members with primary affiliations in other BU Schools and Colleges (e.g., Public Health, Medicine, Management, Arts & Sciences). Faculty from other institutions may become visiting faculty at the Center. Compensation Competitive compensation and benefits package appropriate for the position and experience of the successful candidate.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, beginning immediately, until the position is filled. A resume or CV and cover letter must be submitted for full consideration by the committee. 

The ideal candidate will have:

• A Bachelor's Degree and 5-8 years of experience, with 3+ years of management experience
• A strong track record of leadership in social work and other health-related field(s) that merit appointment as a full professor, possibly a Professor of the Practice, in the School of Social Work with possible joint appointments in other health-focused BU Schools/Colleges (e.g., public health, medicine, allied health professions, management, engineering, economics).
• A strong record of securing federal and/or foundation funding to support research and/or NGO- based program and policy work related to the Centers mission in fields appropriate for appointment as a full professor.
• Administrative experience, academic leadership, and a portfolio of professional successes indicating strong capabilities in strategic planning, financial management, human resource management, risk management, and related decision-making.
• Evidence of strong relationships with national professional health and social work organizations that will support the Centers mission and goals.
• Demonstrated proven ability to work collaboratively with leaders across social work and health- focused organizations, including exemplary interpersonal and written communication skills.
• Excellent leadership skills including integrity, sense of professionalism, and sound judgment.
• Ability to promote Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI)

Please note all newly hired staff and faculty will need to be in compliance with Boston University’s COVID-19 Vaccination and Booster Requirement within 30 days of date of hire. You must upload your vaccine documentation or request a medical or religious exemption (instructions). For further information on the University’s response to COVID-19, please visit the COVID-19 Resources site. 

We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, military service, pregnancy or pregnancy-related condition, or because of marital, parental, or veteran status. We are a VEVRAA Federal Contractor.