Associate Professor or Professor and Chair, Department of Health Policy and Management

Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health seeks an accomplished scholar, strategic leader, and collaborative partner to serve as the next Thomas Campbell Jackson and Pamela Brandt Jackson Chair of the Department of Health Policy and Management. The successful candidate will build upon the Department's longstanding reputation for excellence in research, education, and policy impact while helping shape its next chapter of growth and influence. This is an opportunity to lead one of the nation's premier departments of health policy and management at a moment when healthcare systems, public health institutions, and policymakers are confronting increasingly complex challenges that demand rigorous scholarship, innovative thinking, and practical solutions.

Reporting directly to the Dean and serving as a key member of the School's leadership team, the Chair will provide strategic, academic, and administrative leadership for the Department. Building on its historic strengths and national reputation, the Chair will articulate a compelling vision for the future, support and expand a distinguished faculty, foster innovative educational programs, and strengthen the Department's contributions to research, policy, and practice.

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH POLICY AND MANAGEMENT

The Department of Health Policy and Management (HPM) was founded in 1945, at a time when the nation was rapidly expanding and modernizing its hospital infrastructure. Since then, the Department has grown into one of the nation's leading departments of health policy and management, with 25 full-time faculty, approximately 63 affiliated faculty, and nearly 400 students.

The Department's mission is to advance better, fairer, and more effective approaches to protecting and improving health, grounded in the belief that policymakers must understand the implementation challenges facing health systems and that managers must be equipped to navigate an increasingly complex policy environment. Through a collaborative and collegial culture, a multidisciplinary faculty that includes many social scientists, and innovative educational programs, HPM seeks to generate prominent scholarship, develop future leaders, and inform policy and practice.

HPM is recognized for its leadership in health policy, health services research, health economics, health management, and public health systems. The Department's multidisciplinary faculty examines the structures, incentives, organizations, and policies that shape health and healthcare delivery while advancing practical solutions to complex challenges facing health systems and populations.

A defining characteristic of the Department is its longstanding connection to the world of policy and practice. Faculty research frequently informs public decision-making, and many faculty members have held leadership roles in government, chaired studies for the National Academy of Medicine, and participated in influential policy networks.

Education has been a defining strength of the Department of Health Policy and Management since its founding in 1945 and remains central to its mission. Today, the Department educates nearly 400 students across its Master of Public Health (MPH) and Master of Health Administration (MHA) programs, supported by 25 full-time faculty and approximately 63 affiliated faculty.

ROLE OF THE CHAIR

The Chair of the Department of Health Policy and Management serves as the Department's chief academic and administrative officer, providing strategic leadership across its research, educational, and service missions. Reporting directly to the Dean of the Mailman School of Public Health, the Chair is a key member of the School's leadership team and will be responsible for sustaining and advancing one of the nation's most respected departments of health policy and management. The Chair will articulate a compelling vision for the Department's future, building on its longstanding strengths while identifying new opportunities for growth, innovation, and impact in research, education, policy, and practice.

Working in close partnership with faculty, students, staff, and School leaders, the Chair will foster a collaborative and inclusive culture that supports scholarly excellence, mentorship, and professional development. The Chair will recruit, develop, and retain outstanding faculty, champion the success of principal investigators and research programs, and ensure that the Department remains an attractive home for leading scholars across the disciplines that shape health policy, health systems, management, and public health. The Chair will also oversee the Department's educational portfolio, strengthening its nationally recognized degree programs while encouraging innovation in teaching and training that prepares future leaders to address complex challenges across the healthcare and public health sectors.

The Chair will guide the Department's overall operations and financial stewardship, ensuring alignment of resources with strategic priorities and maintaining a strong foundation for continued growth. This includes overseeing budgeting, workforce planning, space and infrastructure needs, and the effective deployment of resources to support research and educational excellence.

KEY OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES FOR THE NEXT CHAIR

Shape the next chapter of a national leader in health policy and management

For nearly eight decades, HPM has been a leader in health policy and management scholarship, education, and public engagement. The next Chair will have the opportunity to articulate and execute a compelling agenda that connects scientific inquiry with real-world application while positioning the Department to address emerging challenges in healthcare delivery, health systems, management, financing, and population health.

Expand the Department's research enterprise and scholarly impact

HPM is home to a distinguished multidisciplinary faculty whose scholarship informs policy, management, and practice at local, national, and global levels. The next Chair will have the opportunity to strengthen and grow the Department's research enterprise by supporting faculty success, fostering interdisciplinary and interprofessional collaboration, advancing innovative areas of inquiry, and expanding extramural funding.

Recruit, develop, and support the next generation of faculty leaders

The Department's success is rooted in the strength of its faculty, staff, and culture. The next Chair will have the opportunity to recruit exceptional scholars and educators, strengthen mentorship and professional development efforts, and support faculty and staff across all career stages.

Enhance educational innovation and leadership development

Education is central to HPM's mission and impact. The next Chair will have the opportunity to build upon the Department's highly regarded MPH and MHA programs, experiential learning opportunities, and expanding portfolio of educational offerings.

The successful candidate for the Thomas Campbell Jackson and Pamela Brandt Jackson Chair of Health Policy and Management will possess:

• A PhD, MD-PhD, or equivalent terminal degree, with credentials and accomplishments commensurate with appointment as a tenured professor at Columbia University;
• A distinguished record of scholarly achievement and intellectual leadership in health policy, health systems, health economics, healthcare financing, health services research, healthcare management, public health, or a closely related field, with demonstrated contributions that have advanced the field through influential scholarship and national or international engagement;
• A demonstrated ability to foster a thriving research enterprise by leading an independent research program and/or securing external funding from federal or foundation sources.
• A compelling research vision that combines scholarly rigor with practical relevance, embraces a range of disciplinary perspectives and methodological approaches, and addresses both current and emerging challenges in health policy, healthcare delivery, management, and population health;
• A demonstrated commitment to educational excellence, including success as a teacher, mentor, and academic leader, and a passion for preparing future leaders in healthcare, public health, policy, and management;
• Significant leadership experience directing academic departments, centers, institutes, research programs, or other complex organizations;
• A record of fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and building productive partnerships across departments, schools, sectors, and external organizations;
• Demonstrated success recruiting, developing, mentoring, and retaining outstanding faculty and staff across career stages;
• Strong administrative and organizational leadership skills, including experience with strategic planning, budgeting, resource allocation, and stewardship of academic enterprises;
• A collaborative, transparent, and inclusive leadership style characterized by integrity, sound judgment, accountability, and the ability to build consensus in complex environments;
• Exceptional interpersonal, communication, and relationship-building skills, along with the political acumen and emotional intelligence to engage diverse stakeholders effectively; and
• A commitment to advancing the Department's mission and translating scholarship into meaningful impact on policy, practice, and population health.

Screening of complete applications will begin immediately and continue until the completion of the search process. Inquiries, nominations, referrals, and CVs with cover letters should be sent via the Isaacson, Miller website: https://www.imsearch.com/open-searches/columbia-university-mailman-school-public-health/department-chair-health-policy-and

Electronic submission of materials is strongly encouraged.

Stephanie Fidel, Partner

Jasmine Miller, Senior Associate

Maria Peña, Senior Search Coordinator

Isaacson, Miller