Chair, Translational Molecular Pathology

SUMMARY

The primary purpose of the Chair is to work in coordination with the Division Head to provide leadership and assume full responsibility for all areas of the academic department, including, but not limited to, basic, translational, and clinical research within the department; faculty development and evaluation; integration of educational programs; finance and budgeting; and departmental strategic planning. The Chair will provide career development opportunities and mentorship for department faculty and trainees, and foster their growth in clinical, research, academic, and professional areas. The Chair will also represent the department, as required, in local, regional, state, and national matters.
 

JOB SPECIFIC COMPETENCIES

• Research
  •  Leads development and periodic refinement of a departmental strategic plan that is aligned with divisional and institutional strategy.
  •  Obtains and continuously allocates resources to encourage and facilitate novel, high impact research.
  •  Prioritizes and supports investigator-initiated research.
  •  Promotes and participates in exemplary high-quality research that is recognized, published, and presented in impactful national and international forums.
  •  Promotes clinical trials and translational research to ensure optimal enrollment and completion of studies and projects.
  •  Promotes and monitors compliance with institutional, national, and international research regulations.
  •  Participates in strategic prioritization for research in the institution and division. 
  •  Shapes and promotes an environment that values the development, facilitation, and sharing of scholarly activity.

• Clinical
  •  Participates in Pathology & Laboratory Medicine subspecialty services, as appropriate
  •  Engages in mentoring physician-scientists and clinical-scientists as related to the department and across the Division
  •  Works in collaboration with Anatomic Pathology, Laboratory Medicine, and Hematopathology Departments to ensure appropriate stewardship of clinical materials utilized for translational research purposes
  •  Works in collaboration with the Division Head to support research and development (R&D) of novel diagnostic tests in Pathology & Laboratory Medicine
  •  Supports and provides input to College of American Pathology-accredited programs based in the Department
  •  Develops and integrate departmental strategies supporting clinical and translational research at Main Campus and Houston Area Locations, in collaboration with the Division.
  •  Advances quality, safety and value-based care initiatives, optimizing the quality of patient care.
• Administration (Departmental)
  •  Establishes mission, vision and strategic plans for the department in alignment with divisional and institutional goals and communicates these effectively to the department.
  •  Aligns departmental initiatives and resources around the institutional strategic themes of Reach, Breakthroughs and Value; responsible for driving strategy forward.
  •  Delegates key responsibilities that expand leadership capabilities across the department’s mission areas to faculty team, Deputy Chair, and other leaders, as appropriate.
  •  Develops and implements talent succession plans for long-term departmental success. 
  •  Acquires, prioritizes, and allocates department and program wide resources based on clearly defined and transparent guidelines across basic, translational, and clinical research, as well as education mission areas.
  •  Participates in development of and effective communication regarding institutional and divisional priorities and strategies, and effectively communicate concerns to senior leadership.
  •  Serves on institutional committees, providing appropriate input into committee activities 
  •  Maintains a culture that fosters empowerment, teamwork, adaptability, transparency, accountability and psychological safety
  •  Supports Departmental team efforts and helps design and implement team associated performance and accountability measures.
  •  Exhibits and implements a culture of professionalism, developing the psychological safety of all workforce members and advocating for relationships that provide trust, honesty and mutual respect.
  •  Promotes and supports the well-being of employees; communicate wellness information, champion wellness efforts and create a culture of wellness.
  •  Communicates effectively and regularly with faculty regarding institutional initiatives, departmental priorities, and regulatory requirements.
  •  Applies departmental policies and metrics justly and equitably across all faculty.
  •  Attracts, recruits and retains faculty talent, overseeing orientation, mentoring, sponsorship, and career development of individual faculty in all phases of career life cycle.
  •  Develops individual mentoring plans for each new faculty member with ongoing review of developmental and educational needs.
  •  Provides primary annual appraisals for department faculty, recognizing and rewarding performance, and developing strategies to address when expectations are not met.
  •  Initiates and oversees mid-tenure and mid-cycle reviews, providing developmental and advisory recommendations to faculty to enhance career success, in collaboration with the divisional promotion and tenure committee.
  •  Initiates promotion, tenure, multi-year award, and terminal appointment activities for department faculty.
  •  Develops, reviews and approves the annual operating and capital budgets and associated research activity in collaboration with the Department Administrator.
  •  Oversees the use of departmental funds, reducing reliance on internal funds, in collaboration with the Department Administrator. 
  •  Demonstrates operational excellence and leads initiatives to improve operational excellence. 
  •  Monitors scholarly productivity of individual faculty, and accounting of research accounts, grants, and contracts.

• Education
  •  Leads creation and implementation of educational programs for faculty and staff, trainees, and staff.
  •  Supports training across the continuum of career stages, with a special focus on developing trainees as the future generation of researchers and physician-scientists in pathology and laboratory medicine.
  •  Obtains and allocates resources to support defined educational effort by faculty and staff.
  •  Oversees departmental educational conferences.
  •  Defines expectations and allocation of effort for educational activity for each faculty.
  •  Supports institution-wide opportunities for development of educators.
  •  Actively participates in divisional grand rounds activities