Harris Search Associates Seeks Department Chairs for University of Buffalo Pharmacy and Dental Schools

February 27, 2020 – Harris Search Associates has been chosen to find new department chairs within both the schools of pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences and dental medicine at the University of Buffalo, which is part of the State University of New York system.

In the former assignment, the university seeks a chair for the department of pharmacy practice.

The chair, who reports to the dean, is the academic and administrative leader of the department, said Harris Search Associates. The role’s primary duties include recruitment, development and supervision of faculty and staff, equitable assignment of faculty and staff duties, and preparation and oversight of the department’s budget. Additionally, the chair will be a member of the executive committee, which is responsible for the oversight of the school’s missions in the areas of teaching, research and scholarship, service and outreach. The chair will be expected to work closely with the curriculum, assessment and clinical affairs committees.

The chair of pharmacy practice is expected to support a strong culture of academic excellence, research and scholarship, and professional and community engagement, said the search firm. The University of Buffalo wants a candidate who will ensure the high quality of experiential sites through active involvement with clinical partners, and who works effectively with faculty and staff throughout the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences to ensure a high quality of educational programs.

Required Background

The university seeks a candidate with a strong record of teaching, research and scholarship, clinical practice and has demonstrated experience in academic administration and leadership. The successful candidate must have a doctorate of pharmacy degree or ancillary qualifications (i.e. Ph.D., MPH, MBA) if the pharmacy degree is at the bachelor’s level. Candidates should hold the academic rank of professor or advance associate professor eligible for promotion to professor.

Harris Search Associates’ second assignment for the University of Buffalo is to find a chair for the School of Dental Medicine’s department of oral and maxillofacial surgery.

The university wants an entrepreneurial leader with a strong record of excellence in academic leadership and scholarly activity including peer-reviewed extramurally-funded research and enthusiasm to grow the department’s academic and research programs, said Harris Search Associates.

The next chair of oral and maxillofacial surgery will have a history of dedication to strong educational programming, an excellent record of clinical service, and a demonstrated commitment to diversity and inclusion, said the search firm. The chair will be expected to be a departmental leader who will collaborate with members of the School of Dental Medicine faculty, the university community and the teaching hospital’s staff.

Job Responsibilities

The individual will be charged with advocating and fostering high quality academic, patient care and research programs, said the search firm. He or she must also encourage and value community outreach in dental care, support faculty success, build strong relationships with constituents, grow philanthropy and participate in the well-established clinical practice plan.

The department’s next chair must possess superior communication skills, political adeptness, entrepreneurial energy, and an ability to represent the school externally to local, national, and international constituencies. The successful candidate will be responsible for managing all aspects of department programs, including education, program accreditation, high-caliber, diverse faculty recruitment and retention, clinical practice development and outreach, and development of educational and clinically relevant research programs.

The successful candidate will have a DDS or DMD degree; having an MD or doctorate is preferred. Other desired qualifications include: board certification and significant clinical experience in oral and maxillofacial surgery; academic credentials that qualify the applicant for tenure and appointment at the rank of associate or full professor; a record in teaching and educational or clinical research, as well as experience with academic/clinical partnerships; and a commitment to promote an inclusive environment and diversity, among other qualifications.

Academic/Health Sciences Veterans

One of 12 schools comprising the University at Buffalo, the largest and most comprehensive research-intensive campus, the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences has been a national leader in education and research, playing a major role in transforming pharmacy from a professional practice to a major field of clinical research since 1886.

Established in 1892, the School of Dental Medicine educates general practitioners, specialists and biomedical scientists in the art and science of oral health through its comprehensive accredited programs. One of seven departments in the School of Dental Medicine, the oral and maxillofacial surgery department is charged with providing education and training to pre-doctoral dental students and is responsible for a residency program as well as providing instruction as needed to other clinical specialty programs.

Harris Search Associates, an IIC Partners member firm, is a global executive search and board advisory consulting firm with 50 offices in 33 countries. Its practice is focused on identifying and attracting leaders to support the growth of clients in the research, science, engineering, academic medicine and commercial enterprises. Its clients include the foremost universities, research parks, institutes, academic medical centers and commercial organizations driving global innovation and discovery.

Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor  – Hunt Scanlon Media