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Chair, Department of Population Health (East Africa)

Entity

Aga Khan University

Location

Nairobi, Kenya

Introduction

The Aga Khan University is a pioneering institution of higher education whose mission is to improve the quality of life in the developing world and beyond, through world-class teaching, research, and healthcare delivery. AKU educates students for local and global leadership from campuses and teaching hospitals in six countries, primarily in Asia and Africa. Aga Khan University generates new knowledge to solve problems that affect millions of people, especially the most vulnerable. The University is a private, not-for-profit institution and part of the Aga Khan Development Network (www.akdn.org).

Established in 2004, the Aga Khan University Medical College seeks to provide high quality education for health professional leaders who will then go on to become reputable specialists generating a positive and lasting impact in the lives of their patients and in the communities they serve. The Medical College’s goal is to produce health professional leaders through its unique training programmes, building strong research programmes, supporting best practice in the delivery of health services, and contributing to the broader community through strategic partnerships regionally and globally. The Medical College has 4-year Master of Medicine degrees in anaesthesia, family medicine, internal medicine, obstetrics & gynaecology, paediatrics, pathology, radiology, and 5-years for surgery. Currently, the University offers fellowship programmes in the following specialties: Cardiology, Infectious Diseases, Neonatology, Adult Neurology, Paediatric Neurology, Haematology, Oncology, Onco-Pathology and Nuclear Medicine. 
 
Job Summary

The Department Chair is primarily a faculty member in the department and is also the department’s chief academic and administrative officer responsible to both the faculty of the department and to the Aga Khan University. These dual roles require that the chair interpret University policies to the members of the department and ensure their effective execution and at the same time represent individual and group concerns of department members to the Medical College administration and to the University. The chair is expected to provide visionary leadership of the department and to oversee the departmental strategic planning to improve the quality of the educational and research programs. Such planning should be considered within the overall vision of the University and the Medical College.

Responsibilities


Administration
  • Lead the development and enhancement of departmental educational, and research activities, in accordance with the visions and plans of the University and the Medical College; 
  • Responsible for all aspects of departmental administration, including space, finances, support and mentoring of faculty and students and other activities; 
  • Serve as a role model for the department by demonstrating institutional citizenship through participation in governance and in committee activities of the department, the medical college, the University, and the profession at large;
  • Convene meetings of the department faculty, make committee assignments within the department and recommend faculty for committee assignments outside the department;
  • Administratively responsible for both faculty and non-faculty staff in the department; 
  • Develop long range strategic plans and directions which support the mission of the faculty and the University; 
  • Ensure all University and Faculty policies are followed within the department and that all the members of the department are familiar with those policies; 
  • Represent departmental interests and build strong partnerships and collaborations at all levels, including government, research institutes and centres, granting agencies, regulatory colleges, professional associations; 
  • Provide regular and ad-hoc reports including annual report to the Dean concerning the achievements and challenges of the department;
  • Responsible for annual departmental budget proposal for consideration by the University; shall ascertain the financial needs of the department, seek fiscal support and be responsible for the preparation of the annual budget. Be responsible for the expenditure of funds made available to the department.
Education
  • Development of academic plans for the faculty and present the plans to the Dean and ensure delivery of the same;
  • Responsible for the educational quality of the University affiliated students for which the department is home;
  • Provide leadership in relation to curriculum planning, development, and innovation at the undergraduate, postgraduate and continuing education levels; 
  • In conjunction with the relevant Associate Deans, establish, maintain and set standards for the training of residents, interns, fellows and other learners.
Human Resource 
  • Responsible for the performance of faculty in the principal areas of academic endeavours; 
  • Responsible for annual performance evaluation of all faculty and responsible for managing all faculty appointments, re-appointments, promotions and exits according to Aga Khan University’s Policies and Procedures;
  • Supervise procedures for recruiting, interviewing and appointing new faculty members and for the department’s adherence to the principles and process of Aga Khan University;
  • Supervise the non-academic staff, ensuring that career development guidance is available to them and maintaining overall departmental responsibility for Human Resources management.  
Research
  • Encourage a curiosity-driven research environment with the goals of knowledge creation, knowledge transfer, capacity building and the training, mentorship and career progression of graduate students, postgraduate students, postgraduate fellows and young investigators; 
  • In collaboration with the Associate Dean Research, support the application for and administration of peer reviewed research grants and industry sponsored research contracts; 
  • Oversee the safe and efficient conduct of research by faculty members within the department;
  • Ensure research undertaken by faculty members meet the ethical and professional standards set by the department and the University.
 

Requirements

  • Appointable as Assistant Professor or higher;
  • Be a PhD holder in Population Health, Public Health or equivalent Health Sciences
  • Shall be a recognized specialist in Population Health, Public Health or a related Health Science field
  • Experience as a successful administrative leader at an academic institution and should have served as a division chief, vice chair, or chair who has developed academic leaders, mentored and developed junior faculty, and identified and recruited diverse students, trainees, staff and faculty;
  • Understanding of the budgeting and budget implementation processes; 
  • Capable of defining the research vision for the entire Department, providing basic research and grant mentorship and experience leading a successful research program, either population-based basic science or data science with proven record of significant growth in funding, publications and national or international reputation. Maintain an understanding and be prepared to take advantage of research funding and development trends as they evolve;
  • Having a vision to recognize areas for growth and ability to lead and support faculty as they develop new opportunities a create a strong and impassioned vision for building excellence in all aspects of the academic mission; and
  • National reputation for personal academic accomplishments with a record of scholarly academic accomplishments as reflected in number and impact of publications, history of successful research funding, and service in national and international societies.
  • Supervised and/or supervising post graduate students including PhD students.

To Apply

​If you meet the criteria for this position, please email your application letter, a detailed Curriculum Vitae, and the contact information of three referees addressed to the to the Senior Manager Executive Search, Human Resources at Aga Khan University at hr.recruitment@aku.edu with the title of the position specified in the subject line. 

Only candidates who are shortlisted will be contacted.

Applications should be submitted latest by April 23, 2023