Co-Chairperson - School of Health Professions (Occupational Therapy)

University of Kansas Medical Center•Kansas City, MO

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Co-Chairperson of the Occupational Therapy Department provides strategic, academic, and administrative leadership to advance the department’s mission in education, research, and service. This role is responsible for ensuring high-quality academic programming, faculty development, student success, and alignment with accreditation standards and university goals.

Requirements

Doctoral degree in Occupational Therapy or related field (PhD, EdD, OTD).
Experience with teaching, scholarship, and service.
Leadership and administrative experience in higher education.
Experience with accreditation standards and occupational therapy education trends.

Nice To Haves

Progressive leadership experience in higher education, such as program director, associate chair, or similar administrative roles.
Experience with accreditation processes, particularly ACOTE or other relevant accrediting bodies.

Responsibilities

Align the department’s mission and goals with those of the institution and provide effective leadership in support of those goals.
Oversee daily operations, including budgeting, scheduling, and resource allocation.
Facilitate faculty meetings and promote a collaborative, inclusive environment.
Represent the department within the university, professional organizations, and community partnerships.
Prioritize departmental goals and activities across all degree programs.
Provide effective stewardship of the department’s budget and financial resources.
Ensure the quality and continuous improvement of occupational therapy curricula.
Review and revise roles, teaching assignments, and professional development plans.
Maintain compliance with accreditation standards (e.g., ACOTE or relevant governing bodies).
Support innovative teaching practices and curriculum development.
Build positive and productive relationships between faculty, staff, and students within the department.
Recruit, mentor, evaluate, and support faculty and staff.
Promote professional development, scholarship, and research productivity.
Oversee workload assignments and performance reviews.
Promote student recruitment, retention, and graduation.
Address student concerns and ensure a supportive learning environment.
Encourage student engagement in research, clinical practice, service learning, capstone, and community engagement.
Promote research initiatives and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Support grant development and scholarly dissemination within the department.

Benefits

Health insurance
Dental insurance
Vision insurance
Health expense accounts with generous employer contributions
Employer-paid life insurance
Long-term disability insurance
Various additional voluntary insurance plans
Paid time off, including vacation and sick
Ten paid holidays
One paid discretionary day after six months of employment
Paid time off for bereavement, jury duty, military service, and parental leave after 12 months of employment
Retirement program with a generous employer contribution
Additional voluntary retirement programs (457 or 403b)