Tenure Track - 527974

The University of Alabama•Alabama, NY

32d

About The Position

The University of Alabama invites applications and nominations for the Founding Program Director of its new Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program. Pending approval by The Board of Trustees of The University of Alabama, the OTD program will fill a distinct need for care and tap into a pipeline of interested and qualified students. We seek an entrepreneurial and visionary student-centered leader, practitioner, and scholar to build a nationally distinctive program aligned with CCHS' founding mission that expands access to high-quality occupational therapy for areas of need, including rural communities across Alabama and the Southeast. The Founding Program Director will build the program from the ground up, leading all aspects of program development, accreditation, operations, and strategic growth, and providing input on facilities. CCHS is vibrant and growing with academic program offerings in Rural Community Health, Population Health Sciences, Translational Science and Medicine, and several programs on the horizon. CCHS is home to a nationally renowned Sports Medicine Clinic and Sports Medicine Fellowship for Family Medicine Physicians. CCHS also houses Family Medicine and Psychiatry Residency Programs and Family Medicine Residency Fellowships in Geriatrics, Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Psychiatry, and Emergency Medicine. The University Medical Center (UMC) within CCHS is a network of multidisciplinary clinics and hospitalists serving communities across West Alabama with approximately 300,000 patient encounters annually. Appointments to the faculty of The University of Alabama are based on the personnel requirements of the University's academic programs and on the goal of achieving and maintaining excellence in its teaching, research, and service/academic citizenship activities. Detailed Position Information Founding Program Director, Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) - Associate or Full Professor (tenure-track/tenured or clinical track), commensurate with qualifications or exceptional candidates at advanced Assistant Professor rank.

Requirements

Initially certified occupational therapist with an active, unencumbered OT license in a U.S. jurisdiction and eligibility for Alabama licensure.
Doctoral Degree from a US Department of Education recognized institution (OTD, PhD, or equivalent).
Minimum eight (8) years of OT experience that must include:
o Clinical practice
o Academic administrative experience (e.g., program planning and implementation, personnel management, evaluation, and budgeting)
o Scholarship of application or teaching and learning
o Understanding the role of the occupational therapy assistant
o Four (4) years of experience as a faculty member with teaching, responsibilities at the postbaccalaureate level.
Qualifications commensurate with Associate or Full Professor (tenure-track/tenured or clinical track), or exceptional candidates at advanced Assistant Professor rank.

Nice To Haves

Sustained leadership in rural health, community-engaged practice, or service with rural populations (e.g., building rural clinical partnerships, rural pathway programs, or distributed clinical education). • Success leading teams through initial ACOTE accreditation or substantial accreditation milestones. • Experience creating, launching, or scaling new academic programs (faculty hiring, facilities planning, simulation, technology infrastructure). • Documented professional development/education in educational theory and methodology, instructional design, student evaluation, and program/outcome assessment. • Experience with program evaluation, curriculum development, and accreditation processes; working knowledge of ACOTE expectations and timelines. • Evidence of interprofessional education/practice and collaborative partnerships with health systems and community organizations. • Experience with grant writing, external funding, and/or practice-based research; familiarity with value-based and population-health models relevant to rural care. • Active engagement in AOTA or related professional organizations. • Mission-driven leadership. • Strategic thinker who is organized, collaborative, and outcomes-oriented, with excellent communication skills. • Relationship-builder who can galvanize clinical partners statewide to expand rural training sites and graduate a workforce responsive to Alabama's needs.

Responsibilities

Establish and articulate the OTD program's mission, goals, and strategic plan with a strong focus on areas of need in the state, including rural regions.
Recruit, hire, mentor, and evaluate core and associated faculty and staff; foster a collaborative and innovative culture of excellence in teaching, practice, research, and service.
Oversee budget planning and fiscal management; allocate resources to support academic quality and student success.
Ensure effective internal and external communication with UA leadership, faculty, students, clinical partners, alumni, and community stakeholders.
Direct supervisory responsibilities for faculty and staff in the unit.
Oversee student recruitment, retention, and success efforts.
Lead all activities to achieve and maintain ACOTE accreditation (self-study, assessment system, outcomes reporting, site-visit preparation, and continuous quality improvement).
Ensure ongoing compliance with ACOTE Standards and Required Elements, institutional policies, and applicable state regulations.
Design and implement a competency-based OTD curriculum that integrates rural/community-based clinical education and interprofessional practice.
Build and sustain a robust clinical education network, with emphasis on areas of need, including rural settings across Alabama.
Implement program evaluation and outcomes assessment (student learning, licensure, graduation, employment) and use results for continuous improvement.
Cultivate partnerships with healthcare systems, community clinics, and rural providers to support clinical placements, service-learning, and pathway initiatives.
Support faculty and student scholarship and seek extramural funding where appropriate.
Represent the program at state, regional, and national meetings; advance the visibility and reputation of UA's OTD program.