Department Head, Health Policy and Administration

Department Head, Health Policy and Administration

Job Description

The Department of Health Policy and Administration (HPA), located in the College of Health and Human Development (HHD) at The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State), University Park, invites applications for the position of Department Head.

Primary Job Responsibilities

Reporting to the Dean of the College, the Head of Health Policy and Administration provides strategic leadership for the department's academic, research, operational, and outreach missions. The Department Head is responsible for visioning and strategic planning; oversight of academic and research programs; management of departmental operations, finances, faculty, and staff affairs; cultivation of external partnerships; and fundraising in support of the department's priorities and aspirations. The Head is expected to further strengthen a cohesive and multidisciplinary department that leverages the strengths of its diverse programs, advances diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, fosters interdisciplinary collaboration, and supports innovation and creativity across educational, research, and outreach activities. Additionally, the Head is responsible for recruiting, developing, and retaining outstanding faculty and staff, advocating for the department, enhancing its visibility and reputation, and promoting a culture that values well-being and work-life balance.

As a key academic leader within the College and University, the Department Head is expected to advance the strategic priorities of both institutions by fostering research productivity, teaching excellence, interdisciplinary scholarship, and external engagement. The Head will encourage and support faculty in securing external funding, expanding collaborative research initiatives, and translating scholarship into meaningful impact for health systems, communities, and policymakers.

The successful candidate will have administrative responsibility for all operational, fiscal, and procedural matters within the department, including oversight of fundraising and development activities. The Head will also be encouraged to maintain an active program of scholarship and mentor graduate student research. In addition, the position requires identifying and advancing new opportunities in undergraduate, graduate, and online education. The new Head will cultivate an environment in which innovation, creativity, and collaboration thrive, while fostering a positive and inclusive culture that inspires confidence and trust among students, faculty, and staff through strong interpersonal skills and a compassionate, community-oriented leadership style.

About the Department

The Department of Health Policy and Administration (HPA) in the Penn State College of Health and Human Development is a nationally recognized academic unit focused on improving health care delivery, health outcomes, public health, and health policy through excellence in teaching, research, and outreach. HPA offers more than 400 undergraduate and graduate students a comprehensive portfolio of academic programs, including the residential and online Bachelor of Science in Health Policy and Administration, the residential and online Master of Health Administration (M.H.A.) programs, and graduate programs leading to the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Health Policy and Administration. In Fall 2026, the department added an undergraduate Bachelor of Science in Public Health to the curriculum.

The department is home to 13 tenured and tenure-track faculty members and 18 teaching and research faculty members who contribute to a vibrant culture of scholarship, student mentorship, and professional engagement. Faculty expertise spans health services research, health economics, health policy, population health, health care management, organizational leadership, and rural health. Academic leadership within the department includes oversight of undergraduate education, graduate education, online learning initiatives, research activities, and extensive community and professional partnerships. The department is supported by a team of staff members and includes a robust network of adjunct faculty, preceptors, alumni, and health system partners who contribute to its educational and professional mission.

The department provides administrative oversight for the Pennsylvania Office of Rural Health (PORH), whose director reports directly to the Department Head. As Pennsylvania's designated state office of rural health, PORH is recognized nationally for its leadership in advancing rural health through research, education, technical assistance, workforce development, policy initiatives, and community partnerships.

The Department Head also provides oversight for Penn State's emerging undergraduate public health initiative, which includes the new undergraduate degree in public health and reflects the University's commitment to addressing evolving population health challenges and workforce needs, and offers substantial opportunity for collaboration with the Department of Public Health Sciences in the College of Medicine and the Demography program in the College of Liberal Arts, including through a dual doctoral degree option.

Qualifications

Candidates must possess an earned doctorate, evidence of an active and focused program of research in health services research, health administration/management, population health or a related field, and previous teaching experience. The successful candidate must also possess the scholarly credentials necessary to merit appointment with tenure at the rank of Associate Professor or Professor in the College of Health and Human Development.

Candidates should possess the vision, energy, and leadership ability to advance and grow this nationally and internationally recognized department, promoting excellence across the teaching, research, outreach, and service missions of a comprehensive, land-grant, and research-intensive university. The next Department Head must be a collaborative, transparent, and inclusive leader with strong strategic thinking skills and an innovative spirit to advance the department's vision and goals.

Successful candidates will demonstrate:

• Experience with undergraduate and graduate education programs, including significant exposure to degree programs in health policy and administration and public health.
• Experience and aptitude for building relationships and partnerships with key constituencies both within and beyond the University, including faculty colleagues, Penn State Health, other health systems, organizations engaged in public health practice, community partners, and alumni.
• Commitment to fostering a positive organizational culture that emphasizes inclusivity, transparency, collaboration, and engagement among faculty, staff, and students.
• Recognition of the importance of both undergraduate and graduate education and a willingness to support innovation and continuous improvement across educational programs and delivery modalities.
• An established record of scholarly excellence and success in developing, sustaining, and managing a robust, externally visible research program.
• Demonstrated administrative and leadership experience in an academic, research, outreach, or similarly complex organizational setting, including responsibility for strategic planning, personnel management, budgeting, program development, and resource stewardship.
• The ability to articulate and advance a compelling vision for the department's future thatleverages its strengths across research, education, outreach, partnerships, and emerging opportunities.
• Strong interpersonal, communication, and consensus-building skills, with a demonstrated ability to build support among diverse stakeholders and enhance the department's visibility, reputation, and external partnerships.
• Experience working effectively within a large, complex university environment is desirable; experience with performance-based budgeting or similar resource-allocation models is preferred but not required.

Please direct nominations and inquiries to the Search Committee Chair, Dennis Shea, via e-mail at [email protected]. To receive full consideration, https://apptrkr.com/9940037 the following by November 15th, 2026, for priority review:

• A cover letter (up to 3 pages) detailing the applicant's interest in the position. Please highlight relevant experiences in leadership positions, a leadership vision, and a description of personal leadership style and values, including how they resonate with https://universityethics.psu.edu/penn-state-values Please also describe your vision for teaching and scholarship and your approach to integrating the teaching, research and service priorities of the department.
• Curriculum vitae.
• Names and contact information for 5 individuals willing to serve as references (to be contacted only prior to invitations for on-campus interviews).

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