Executive Director, CHAS

Department

Crown Center for Health Administration Studies

About the Department

As one of the first schools of social work in the United States, the Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice has shaped the field for more than 100 years. As part of the University of Chicago, the Crown Family School shares the University's core values and distinctive intellectual culture. Crown Family School faculty, staff and students focus on identifying solutions to complex problems through the integration of research, training, and direct community engagement. Guided by an interdisciplinary tradition, Crown Family School scholars conduct innovative research to address interconnected social challenges such as educational inequality, health disparities, crime and violence, poverty, and child and family welfare—working at multiple scales, from individual to policy-level interventions. More than 8,000 Crown Family School graduates in the US and globally hold leadership positions in academia, at nonprofits, and at governmental agencies The Crown Family School is the home of several academic centers. These include the Susan and Richard Kiphart Center for Global Health and Social Development, the Urban Education Institute (UEI), , the Center for Health Administration Studies, the Smart Decarceration Project, and the Employment Instability, Family Well-being, and Social Policy Network (EINet). More information may be found at https://crownschool.uchicago.edu/.

The University of Chicago Crown Family School is the academic home to the Center for Health Administration Studies (CHAS), a leading health policy and services research center with a mission that all people should have equal access to health services. This vision inspires all aspects of the work of CHAS in programs supporting faculty research, promoting interdisciplinary inquiry, disseminating research, and promoting student learning. CHAS is undergoing a new strategic direction with a focus on Climate and Health. Under this new focus, CHAS directed research would focus on the relationship between climate change and physical and mental health, and consider key moderating factors, such as housing disruption and human mobility, that impact health.

Job Summary

Reporting to the Faculty Director, the Executive Director (ED) plays a pivotal role in advancing the mission and new strategic direction of CHAS. The ED will help to develop key collaborations across the University and the City of Chicago around Climate and Health, build grant funding with foundations and government agencies, and implement new programming around climate and health. The ED will work closely with local, state and national healthcare leaders, community partners, non-profits, media, and funders. In partnership with the Faculty Director and other leaders, the ED will work to advance strategic priorities and ensure continuity of funding. The ED will also handle all aspects of the Center’s administrative functions.

This leadership role will partner with the CHAS Faculty Director to conceptualize a strategic vision that encapsulates CHAS’s new Climate and Health objectives. The ED will advance the development of and implement strategic plans that ensure projects and activities are executed in alignment with the vision and long-range objectives.

The ideal candidate will be innovative, intellectually curious, and a collaborative leader with substantive expertise in climate change initiatives and ideally substantive knowledge related to climate and health. Strong candidates will have deep familiarity with securing grant funding, and working with climate and health-focused leaders working in the foundation, non-profit sector and/or in policy and practice research. Contacts within the philanthropic community, and familiarity with higher education institutions is strongly desired. The ideal candidate will have experience disseminating the results of research to various audiences.

Specific job responsibilities are outlined below.

Responsibilities

• In collaboration with the Faculty Director, articulate the vision for the center on Climate, Health and Society and undertake actions that advance the strategic plan.

• In collaboration with the Faculty Director, plans and develops program objectives and/or content. Researches and identifies trends and needs and establishes program directions accordingly.

• In collaboration with the Faculty Director, establish an advisory board for CHAS, and plan meetings and communication as appropriate.

• Leverage substantive expertise and knowledge in climate change initiatives to secure grant funding, and build relationships with climate and health-focused leaders working in the foundation, non-profit sector and/or in policy and practice research.

• Make key collaborati