Senior Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Development

School of Medicine Dean's Office

Position Title: Senior Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Development
Reports To: Dean, School of Medicine

The Opportunity: Why This Role Matters Now

The University of Missouri School of Medicine invites applications for a visionary, faculty-credentialed leader to serve as Senior Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Development. The School is at a pivotal moment, marked by leadership transition, a redesign of faculty affairs, expansion of the four-year Springfield Campus, and deeper integration across the academic health enterprise.

With nearly 800 faculty across clinical, research, teaching, and professional practice tracks on two campuses, MU SOM is building a faculty-centered model for the next era of academic medicine in Missouri. The Senior Associate Dean will define that model, shaping the systems, expectations, mentoring structures, promotion pathways, and culture that allow faculty to thrive at every career stage. The goal is a model that draws on best practices from leading academic medical centers while honoring the distinctive strengths and aspirations of MU School of Medicine.

Why MU School of Medicine

For a faculty leader who wants to shape an institution, not just serve in one, this role is a rare opportunity. The Senior Associate Dean will work in direct partnership with the Dean and senior leadership team, with visibility across departments, campuses, and mission areas, and the chance to leave a durable institutional legacy.

The School is backing this work with real investment: dedicated Faculty Affairs operations, established staff and governance partners, access to institutional data and systems, and engagement with campus and national partners. The successful candidate will not simply maintain current processes; they will design a faculty affairs office that is transparent, unbiased, data-informed, and nationally competitive.

Scope and Vision

As the School's principal faculty-facing leader, the Senior Associate Dean brings academic judgment, peer credibility, and strategic perspective to the full faculty lifecycle. The portfolio includes the new Center for Faculty Development, faculty governance; appointment, tenure, and promotion; faculty development and mentoring; awards and recognition; bylaws and committee coordination; and School-level policy stewardship.

This is a leadership role, not an administrative one. The Senior Associate Dean's distinctive contribution is academic: cultivating a promotion and tenure culture grounded in excellence and transparency, building mentoring and development programs that accelerate faculty growth, championing governance that gives faculty a meaningful voice, and serving as trusted counsel and a bridge between faculty and institutional leadership on high-impact matters.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership and Institutional Impact

• Provide strategic leadership and vision for the Office of Faculty Affairs and Development and the Center for Faculty Development shaping priorities that advance the School's mission, strategic plan, and culture of academic excellence
• Serve as the Dean's principal advisor on faculty career development, promotion culture, governance, retention, and well-being, bringing faculty perspective and academic judgment to the leadership table
• Represent the School of Medicine at the campus, UM System, and national levels on faculty affairs and development, including active engagement with AAMC and peer academic health center networks
• Champion innovation in Faculty Affairs operations, leveraging data, technology, and transparent processes to enhance accountability, accessibility, and the faculty experience

Appointment, Promotion, and Tenure

• Provide academic oversight of all faculty appointment, promotion, and tenure processes across all tracks and both campuses, fostering a culture where promotion standards are clear and well understood
• Advise and mentor department chairs and faculty on promotion readiness, track placement, dossier development, and alignment with School and UM System criteria, with a focus on empowering faculty to take ownership of their career trajectories
• Advance consistency and accountability in the application of promotion standards across departments, tracks, and campuses, with particular attention to creating clear, fair pathways for Springfield and community-based faculty, including the growing Education Partner population
• Coordinate with the Faculty Appointment, Promotion, and Tenure (FAPT) Committee as a liaison and resource, ensuring cases are thoughtfully framed and well documented before committee review
• Stay at the forefront of national promotion and tenure practices, AAMC guidance on faculty track structures, and UM System academic personnel policies, bringing best practices back to MU SOM

Faculty Governance and Shared Leadership

• Provide faculty-credential leadership and collaborative support to the Faculty Assembly, Faculty Affairs Council, and School standing committees, reinforcing the School's commitment to shared governance
• Oversee bylaws review and amendment processes, ensuring proposed changes are academically sound, consistent with the Collected Rules and Regulations, and reflect the School's evolving needs
• Ensure governance structures fully integrate the Springfield Clinical Campus, so that all faculty, regardless of location, have universal access to governance participation and representation
• Monitor governance vitality, participation, and representation across departments and campuses, bringing forward recommendations that strengthen the faculty voice

School-Level Policy Stewardship

• Provide academic input on School-level policy development and revision as it relates to governance, committee structures, faculty bylaws, and academic personnel matters
• Collaborate with the Director of Faculty Affairs to ensure policy development moves effectively through the School's Navex and Policy Coordination Committee framework
• Serve as a faculty-level resource when policy interpretation questions require academic judgment and institutional perspective

Faculty Development, Mentoring, and Recognition | Center for Faculty Development

• Lead the design and implementation of a comprehensive, career-spanning faculty development strategy that supports early-career faculty, mid-career faculty preparing for advancement, and senior faculty stepping into leadership and mentoring roles
• Build and oversee mentoring programs, leadership development pathways, and a faculty recognition and awards culture that celebrates contributions across all mission areas
• Collaborate with the Director of Faculty Affairs and departmental leadership to create a welcoming, high-quality onboarding experience that connects new faculty to promotion pathways, governance opportunities, and development resources from day one
• Partner with campus leaders and national organizations (e.g., AAMC, ELAM) to bring world-class development opportunities to MU SOM faculty

Compliance, Delegation of Authority, and Accreditation

• Uphold the School's Delegation of Authority structure, including Dean-level approval workflows for faculty personnel actions, with clarity and consistency
• Ensure Faculty Affairs processes meet or exceed applicable Collected Rules and Regulations, LCME accreditation standards, and institutional policies
• Identify cases that require Provost's Office involvement or other actions beyond Dean-level authority, and coordinate seamless handoff with the Director of Faculty Affairs

Multi-Campus Excellence

• Serve as an engaged and visible faculty leader in Springfield Campus governance and faculty affairs, partnering with the Springfield Campus Faculty Affairs Subcommittee to build a fully integrated, two-campus faculty community
• Ensure Springfield faculty are meaningfully included in governance, enjoy clear and promotion pathways, and have full access to development and recognition opportunities
• Provide academic oversight of the evolving promotion guidelines for adjunct and Education Partner faculty, ensuring these pathways reflect the School's standards of fairness and academic rigor

Collaboration and Communication

• Work in close, ongoing partnership with the Director of Faculty Affairs on operational planning, staff development, and continuous improvement
• Collaborate across the Dean's leadership team, department chairs, HR, and institutional partners to advance a faculty-centered culture of excellence
• Communicate proactively and transparently with faculty, department leadership, and governance bodies, building trust through openness and follow-through

What We're Looking For

• A collaborative leader who earns trust across research, clinical, and basic science disciplines, and who leads through influence, partnership, and shared purpose
• A strategic thinker who can translate institutional aspirations into practical, sustainable programs that make a visible difference in the faculty experience
• Sound judgment on sensitive faculty matters, grounded in fairness, empathy, and institutional awareness
• A communicator who is transparent, accessible, and energized by the work of building community across departments and campuses
• A commitment to ensuring every faculty member feels valued and supported, recognizing that well-being is foundational to academic excellence
• An innovative mindset, with genuine curiosity about how leading academic health enterprises are reimagining faculty support for the future

Appointment Terms

This is a partial administrative appointment. The Senior Associate Dean will also hold clinical, and/or research, and/or teaching responsibilities consistent with their discipline and as negotiated. Administrative effort is anticipated at approximately 50 to 60 percent, with the balance dedicated to the appointee's academic portfolio. Compensation will include a base faculty salary and an administrative supplement commensurate with the scope and significance of the role. Specific terms, including effort allocation, teaching or clinical adjustments, and duration, will be discussed during the recruitment process.

Inquiries, nominations, and applications may be directed to:
Chandrika Collins (cccg3c@umsystem.edu) and/or Marcus Glover (glovermw@umsystem.edu)
University of Missouri School of Medicine

Minimum Qualifications:

• Terminal degree (MD, DO, PhD, or equivalent) in a field relevant to the academic, clinical, research, or educational missions of the School of Medicine

Candidates will be Evaluated On:

• MD or DO with board certification and active or recent clinical practice
• Current or eligible for a faculty appointment at the rank of Associate Professor or Professor within the University of Missouri School of Medicine
• Minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience in academic medicine, including demonstrated leadership in faculty affairs, faculty development, governance, promotion and tenure, or a related area within an academic health center
• Experience at the Associate Dean level or higher within a school of medicine or academic health center
• Demonstrated success in designing or leading faculty development, mentoring, or recognition programs that measurably enhance faculty satisfaction and career growth
• National-level engagement through AAMC, professional societies, or peer academic health center networks on faculty affairs or development topics
• Demonstrated understanding of faculty appointment, evaluation, promotion, and tenure processes across multiple faculty tracks
• Working knowledge of accreditation standards (LCME), university governance structures, and the regulatory and policy environment of academic medical centers

Interested candidates should submit a current curriculum vitae and a letter of interest that addresses qualifications, leadership philosophy, and vision for Faculty Affairs and Development at the University of Missouri School of Medicine.

Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.

Employment visa sponsorship may be available for candidates currently in the United States in H-1B status or other work-authorized status.

This position is eligible for University benefits. As part of your total compensation, the University offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental and vision plans, retirement, and educational fee discounts for all four UM System campuses. For additional information on University benefits, please visit the Faculty & Staff Benefits website at https://www.umsystem.edu/departments-staff/human-resources/benefits-retirement

Equal Employment Opportunity

The University of Missouri is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

To request ADA accommodations, please call the Director of Accessibility and ADA at 573-884-7278.