Position: Dean
Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH)
Location: Boston, Massachusetts
Position Summary:
The Dean serves as academic, intellectual, and administrative leader of the School of Public Health and is responsible for fostering an environment of excellence in research, teaching, service, and practice. This role requires spearheading and strengthening the School’s strategic direction, creating and championing a vision for public health and establishing ambitious goals that align with and enhance the University’s overarching mission. The School of Public Health is a top-ranked school with six academic departments. The Dean must be a compelling communicator, conveying the School’s objectives and achievements to various public health stakeholders, including our 303 faculty, 250 staff, 1,400 students, and over 10,000 alumni, as well as practitioners, policymakers, community partners, and domestic, international and global health organizations. In addition, the Dean is responsible for cultivating partnerships, securing resources, and promoting a culture of inclusivity, integrity, and academic rigor within the School of Public Health and across the university.
The successful candidate will be internationally recognized, with a proven academic and administrative management record. They will possess visibility within the research community as well as across disciplines in public health and related fields, contributing expertise, credibility, and influence at the local, state, national and international levels. The Dean must have a clear vision of public health’s current and future roles to be ready to meet the rapidly evolving landscape of public health. The Dean will be strongly committed to advancing excellence in research, public health communications, innovative teaching, service, and practice as well as a passion for addressing health disparities and improving health outcomes for disadvantaged and underserved populations.
Required Skills
Responsibilities
The Dean’s role focuses on strategic and operational academic leadership. In collaboration with students, alumni, staff, faculty and university leadership, the activities include:
Lead and engage in strategic planning from inception to implementation; establish specific, measurable goals and other performance expectations; and employ a systematic review of progress toward goals and objectives. This includes:
Create, articulate, and implement a vision for BUSPH, building on the existing strategic plan.
Advocate for and direct strategies to achieve the School's mission and vision.
Provide leadership in advancing the missions of improving the health of local, national and international populations, especially the most vulnerable.
Strengthening the School of Public Health’s role as a highly regarded source of scientific advances, academic student success and best practices in public health, now and into the future.
Assess the institutional and external environments and evaluate support for initiatives, from institutional leaders, students, alumni, staff, and philanthropic partners.
Strengthen internal and external relationships to BU with local, national international, and global health organizations to facilitate educational, research, and public health practice initiatives.
Communicate effectively with a broad audience of students, faculty, University administrators, alumni, community members, potential donors, and national and international stakeholders including policymakers, and public health leaders.
Oversee the operations of the School including six departments, educational in-person and online programs, and academic activities within the School, coordination of curriculum, evaluation of teaching, promotion of pedagogical excellence, and encouragement and enhancement of research as well as public health practice. This includes:
Support and ensure an environment for staff and faculty of diverse backgrounds to choose and thrive at BUSPH as a place of employment and professional growth, through empowering and supporting them to achieve performance goals and objectives; inspire accomplishment of goals and objectives; model professional excellence and maximize their ability to contribute to public health education, research, and practice.
Sustain a positive, diverse, and inclusive work environment; ensure all students, staff, and faculty are welcomed and treated with dignity and respect.
Oversee development and effective utilization of financial resources, workforce support and resources, and physical infrastructure, carefully stewarding SPH assets.
Develop and cultivate philanthropic partnerships through outreach as part of the Schools and the University’s ongoing fundraising activities and goals
Required Experience
Required Qualifications/Core Competencies
The ideal candidate will have:
A track record of responsible administrative and academic leadership, and a diverse portfolio of professional successes.
Extensive experience in complex organizational management including strategic planning, financial stewardship, budget creation, resource allocation, workforce management, and related decision-making.
Evidence of distinguished scholarly accomplishment and a strong commitment to research, teaching and service in a field appropriate for appointment as a full professor in one or more of the six departments in the School of Public Health.
A demonstrated ability to cultivate and support multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary collaboration, integrating diverse fields of expertise to address complex public health challenges and advance innovative solutions.
Success in fundraising from philanthropic, governmental, and for-profit sectors, as well as creativity and initiative in developing new sources of revenue.
A ability to work collaboratively with leaders across local, domestic international, and global organizations.
Experience building and maintaining inclusive teams and promoting a culture where individuals from diverse backgrounds feel respected, valued, and empowered.
Exemplary interpersonal and communication skills.
Impeccable integrity, sense of professionalism, and sound judgment.
Boston University School of Public Health – A Leadership Opportunity to Make a Difference:
Founded in 1976, the Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH) has earned its place as a leader in public health education and research, ranked 7th among graduate schools of public health by U.S. News & World Report. BUSPH offers a range of master’s and doctoral programs, distinguished by their unique integration of foundational learning and practical training, preparing graduates to make meaningful impacts in public health locally, nationally, and globally.
A Mission to Transform Health and Equity: At the heart of BUSPH is its mission: “To improve the health and well-being of populations worldwide, particularly the underserved, through excellence and innovation in education, research, and practice.” Over the past decade, the School has deepened its commitment to innovation, conducting consequential research while embracing inclusive, adaptive teaching practices. Its science-driven curricula prepare the next generation of public health practitioners, scholars, and advocates to address the evolving challenges in population health with equity and inclusivity at the forefront.
A Community of Excellence: The School is home to a vibrant and diverse community of 303 faculty members, 227 staff, and 1,240 students, supported by an alumni network of over 11,000 public health professionals worldwide. Organized into six departments—Biostatistics; Community Health Sciences; Environmental Health; Epidemiology; Global Health; and Health Law, Policy, and Management—BUSPH secures approximately $70 million annually in research grants, underscoring its leadership in advancing public health science.
Guided by Core Values: BUSPH’s values mirror those of Boston University, emphasizing respect, collaboration, diversity, and inclusion. The School is committed to justice, human rights, and equity within and across the communities it serves. This ethos drives BUSPH’s efforts to ignite and sustain positive change, making it a trusted partner in improving health outcomes globally.
Located in Boston: The School is situated in the heart of Boston University’s Medical Campus in the Historic South End of Boston, Massachusetts, which includes BU Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine, and the Boston Medical Center. BUSPH benefits from unparalleled proximity to leading medical, academic, and research institutions. This location fosters interdisciplinary collaboration, including strong partnerships with the School of Medicine and other university entities, to tackle complex health challenges and advance solutions that matter.
Extraordinary Opportunity: This is an exceptional opportunity for a visionary leader to guide a School at the forefront of public health innovation and impact. As Dean, the person will shape the future of public health education and research, joining a dynamic community dedicated to creating healthier, more equitable communities worldwide.
Boston University: An Overview
Boston University, a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), is one of the leading private research and teaching institutions in the world, with the Charles River and the Medical campuses in the heart of Boston and programs around the globe. Chartered in 1869, BU emerged in the twentieth century as a Boston-area institution. Until the early 1970s, the University was mainly nonresidential, with a modest research profile and limited on-campus housing. The University today enrolls more than 36,000 students, including over 17,000 undergraduates, and employs more than 4,000 faculty members across 17 schools and colleges offering more than 300 programs of study. Its current annual operating budget is approximately $3.0 billion. Melissa L. Gilliam, MD, MPH became the 11th President of BU on July 1, 2024. Moody’s Investors Service recently affirmed BU’s ranking of Aa3, reflective of the University’s increasing financial strength, growing donor support, and effective governance and leadership.
BU is one of the largest private research universities in the United States and one of the Boston area’s largest employers. BU’s students come from all 50 states and more than 180 countries. Students pursue studies on the Charles River and Medical Campuses as well as more than 75 study abroad and internship programs in over 25 cities around the world.
Today, BU is committed to a vibrant academic experience and research that matters. We place a strong emphasis on collaborative research efforts of both faculty and students, with major initiatives in emerging areas such as neuroscience, systems biology, photonics, engineering biology, data science, urban health, global health and development, and emerging infectious diseases.
BU is also committed to being a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive institution and to cultivating diverse communities where individuals can learn, grow, and engage across a large, urban campus and around the world. From its earliest days, BU has opened its doors to women and scholars from under-represented communities. Today BU is home to community centers such as the Howard Thurman Center for Common Ground, the Newbury Center for First-Generation Students, and the LGBTQIA+ Center for Faculty and Staff.
In the early 1970s, BU leaders made a conscious decision to raise the University’s standing and quality by marshaling resources to build an infrastructure for basic and applied research and to improve the campus by adding residential facilities. These facilities now include: the Faculty of Computing & Data Sciences building, BU and Boston’s greenest building to-date with a geothermal energy system and striking views of the city skyline from its public spaces, and state-of-the-art laboratories; College of Fine Arts Booth Theatre; the preservation award-winning renovation of BU School of Law; residential high-rises that anchor the John Hancock Student Village; and a Fenway Campus based at the site of the former Wheelock College.
Contact
Nominations and expressions of interest should be addressed to the search firm, Isaacson Miller who is assisting Boston University with this search: https://www.imsearch.com/open-searches/boston-university-school-public-health/dean
Prospective candidates should include a letter expressing interest and a current curriculum vitae. Candidates will be asked to provide references after preliminary review and screening.
Confidentiality will be maintained by all faculty and staff involved in the search process; references will be contacted only with the express consent of the applicant.
While nominations and applications will be accepted until a new Dean is selected, interested parties are encouraged to submit their materials by February 3rd, 2024, to ensure full consideration.
Compensation
Boston University offers a competitive compensation and benefits package commensurate with the scope, stature, and responsibilities of this leadership role.
_We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, natural or protective hairstyle, 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. _
Responsibilities
The Dean’s role focuses on strategic and operational academic leadership. In collaboration with students, alumni, staff, faculty and university leadership, the activities include:
Lead and engage in strategic planning from inception to implementation; establish specific, measurable goals and other performance expectations; and employ a systematic review of progress toward goals and objectives. This includes:
Create, articulate, and implement a vision for BUSPH, building on the existing strategic plan.
Advocate for and direct strategies to achieve the School's mission and vision.
Provide leadership in advancing the missions of improving the health of local, national and international populations, especially the most vulnerable.
Strengthening the School of Public Health’s role as a highly regarded source of scientific advances, academic student success and best practices in public health, now and into the future.
Assess the institutional and external environments and evaluate support for initiatives, from institutional leaders, students, alumni, staff, and philanthropic partners.
Strengthen internal and external relationships to BU with local, national international, and global health organizations to facilitate educational, research, and public health practice initiatives.
Communicate effectively with a broad audience of students, faculty, University administrators, alumni, community members, potential donors, and national and international stakeholders including policymakers, and public health leaders.
Oversee the operations of the School including six departments, educational in-person and online programs, and academic activities within the School, coordination of curriculum, evaluation of teaching, promotion of pedagogical excellence, and encouragement and enhancement of research as well as public health practice. This includes:
Support and ensure an environment for staff and faculty of diverse backgrounds to choose and thrive at BUSPH as a place of employment and professional growth, through empowering and supporting them to achieve performance goals and objectives; inspire accomplishment of goals and objectives; model professional excellence and maximize their ability to contribute to public health education, research, and practice.
Sustain a positive, diverse, and inclusive work environment; ensure all students, staff, and faculty are welcomed and treated with dignity and respect.
Oversee development and effective utilization of financial resources, workforce support and resources, and physical infrastructure, carefully stewarding SPH assets.
Develop and cultivate philanthropic partnerships through outreach as part of the Schools and the University’s ongoing fundraising activities and goals