UC Global Health Institute Search for Director

The UC Global Health Institute (UCGHI) is an institute spanning across 10 UC campuses that stimulates, nurtures, and promotes global health research, education, and collaboration to advance health in California and worldwide. UCGHI advances the mission of the University of California to improve the lives of people in California and around the world through our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). UCGHI is currently led by Director Thomas J. Coates, PhD (UCLA), Co-Directors Craig Cohen, MD MPH (UCSF) and Ndola Prata, MD MSc (UC Berkeley), and Deputy Director Sun Yu Cotter, MPH (UCSF), who provide executive leadership by managing UCGHI's strategy, operations, and finances. The core administration is headquartered in the University of California Health Division within the Office of the UC President. Established in 2009 by the Founding Director Emeritus, Haile Debas, MD, UCGHI has built a dynamic, interdisciplinary, and collaborative systemwide academic global health program that leverages the global health expertise of all 10 UC campuses in collaboration with our domestic and international partners. For more information on UCGHI, please refer to the 2020-21 Annual Report.

Dr. Coates will be stepping down from the role of Director in June 2022. In preparation for this transition, UCGHI is seeking candidates for the Director position. It is strongly preferred that the new UCGHI Director be a current or former UC faculty or staff member, appointed at approximately 30 to 35 percent appointment level, although the exact appointment level (and associated compensation) is subject to negotiation. UCGHI seeks a Director who will provide decisive, strategic, consensus-based leadership and has demonstrated a deep commitment to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion and decolonizing global health. UCGHI encourages Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, those from other underrepresented groups, and diverse disciplinary backgrounds to apply. UCGHI also encourages those from all academic ranks to apply.

The core operations of UCGHI are supported by the University of California Health Division in the Office of the President, with project-specific operations supported by extramural grants and contracts. The new Director will work with the Co-Director and Deputy Director, core administrative staff, cross-campus faculty leadership, and various partners to expand UCGHI's reach and impact. The Director is responsible for ensuring that UCGHI fulfills its mission while developing new initiatives and securing funds to sustain and grow the Institute.

The UCGHI Director reports to the Vice President for Health Sciences at the University of California Health Division, UC Office of the President and serves a three-year term, renewable a maximum of one time as approved by the Vice President for Health Sciences at UC Health.

Qualities & Characteristics

The successful candidate will be a dynamic leader who will bring vision, strategy, collaboration skills, and a track record of promoting organizational growth. They will have effective management skills to move the Institute forward, which are ever more critical in the current landscape of the COVID-19 pandemic, globalization, widening health disparities, and the urgent need for attention and action regarding racial, social, environmental, and gender justice. The new Director will have an empowering leadership style that is inclusive.

The Director will be committed to diversifying the global health workforce and inspiring and cultivating the next generation of global health scholars and change agents. They will provide strategic and intellectual leadership to the Institute, while embracing the complex institutional environment of a systemwide initiative. The successful candidate will have excellent interpersonal and communication skills and a strong track record of consensus-building leadership. The Director will be expected to maintain existing – and develop new – strategic partnerships, leveraging resources from across the 10 UC campuses; identify sources of and secure funding, specifically through research proposals and philanthropy; and engage various stakeholders of the Institute in its current operations and future plans. The Director will be tasked to lead the institute in developing a 5-year strategic plan in addition to other organizational transitions. As such, the Director should have experience building strategic plans and managing execution of complex multi-stakeholder strategies. The Director will lead by example, demonstrating self-awareness and embodying ongoing education in DEI, anti-racism, and social justice issues.

We seek a candidate with:

  • Demonstrated record of research, training, and practice of global health, with a deep understanding of the interdisciplinary nature of global health and decolonization of global health
  • Track record in leading and managing a large program with multiple stakeholders (e.g., faculty, researchers, staff, practitioners, and students)
  • Experience building strategic plans and managing execution of complex multi-stakeholder strategies
  • Experience working within a strong culture of shared governance, especially with UC faculty, staff, and trainees
  • An inclusive organizational leadership style that values collaboration and partnership with a diversity of local/global partners and community members
  • Demonstrated experience serving as an influential and inclusive voice for issues surrounding justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI), anti-racism, systemic racism, decolonization of global health, and social and environmental justice
  • A commitment to self-reflection and education on issues pertaining to JEDI, anti-racism, social justice issues, and decolonizing global health
  • Interest and experience in program assessment, evaluation, and accountability
  • Strong interpersonal and communication skills
  • Demonstrated background in community and stakeholder engagement
  • Experience in fundraising and managing marketing, communications, and events

Qualifications:

  • Organizational leadership and management experience, preferably with demonstrated success in health programs at or with a University of California campus
  • Demonstrated commitment to justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion and allyship for Black, Indigenous, People of Color and other marginalized groups
  • An excellent track record of innovation and program building, with evidence of having organized and led strong, successful team(s), particularly during the growth of organizations
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills
  • Demonstrated experience or potential for success in fundraising/development
  • Dedication to identifying and exploring forward-thinking approaches to public health/global health issues, including decolonization of global health

Preferred Qualifications:

  • A doctoral degree (Ph.D., MD, DVM, or JD) or equivalent education and experience in global health or an allied discipline
  • Knowledge of UC administrative, governance, and operational processes and systems
  • Experience with strategic planning and organizational restructuring
  • A track record of developing and maintaining local and global research, educational, and service collaborations and projects

Location:

The position can be based at any University California campus. There is an expectation of limited travel within California for in-person meetings at other UC campuses as needed.

Applications, Inquiries, and Nominations

Inquires, nominations, and application are invited. Applicants must submit an application via Qualtrics with a cover letter, CV, one-page DEI statement demonstrating their commitment to JEDI, and names of three references. Materials should be received by March 27th, 2022 (11:59 PT) for full consideration.

For confidential nominations and any inquiries, please contact the Deputy Director, Ms. Sun Yu Cotter, MPH (sun.cotter@ucsf.edu).