The University of California San Diego School of Medicine (SOM) is committed to academic excellence, and to enhancing access, inclusion, and success of our diverse faculty, staff, and students and is dedicated to serving its communities and creating a healthier world by becoming the pre-eminent destination for transformative, innovative and impactful research, medical education and clinical care. As the only medical school in the region and the largest school at UC San Diego, SOM is home to nearly 1,800 faculty, 900 medical and graduate students and 1000+ residents and post-doctoral fellows across 20 academic departments. SOM is housed within UC San Diego Health Sciences, which is comprises three professional schools, more than 70 research institutes and a growing clinical practice at UC San Diego Health, the top ranked health system in the region. In fiscal year 2024, SOM secured more than $750 million in extramural funding, accounting for 78% of the research dollars within Health Sciences.

The Dean leads SOM's overall strategic vision; developing and implementing initiatives that enhance teaching, research, and clinical care across its multiple departments; and establishing collaborative partnerships across campus and the community to advance its mission. Beginning in 2025, the Dean's responsibilities will expand to include those of an Associate Vice Chancellor, charged with expanding the depth and breadth of SOM's innovative educational programs, pushing the boundaries of scientific discovery through greater partnerships between academia and industry, and fostering an outstanding clinical trials environment to develop novel therapies that will transform the lives of patients locally and nationally.

The Associate Dean, School of Medicine Strategic Initiatives and Operations will serve as a key strategic advisor to the Associate Vice Chancellor and Dean of Medicine (AVC and Dean). The Associate Dean will play a central role in developing the infrastructure related to the AVC portfolio, developing short- and long-range initiatives that leverage the collective strengths of SOM, UC San Diego Health, and the broader UC San Diego community.

Reporting to the AVC and Dean, the Associate Dean provides high-level professional support in the planning, analysis, and implementation of new programs that fall under the AVC portfolio, serving as the primary point of contact related to organizational design, infrastructure needs, finance and personnel management, change management, etc. The incumbent exercises judgment in selecting the most effective methods, techniques, and approaches to obtain results for these activities, working independently or collaborating with senior leaders to accomplish these goals.

The Associate Dean is a member of the SOM senior management team, representing the AVC and Dean to the UC San Diego community (i.e. faculty, students and trainees, administrative leaders, and staff members) as well as system-wide and external constituencies. The Associate Dean represents the AVC and Dean in discussions with the senior management team, UC San Diego Health executive leadership, deans and department chairs, campus senior leadership, and other leaders regarding policies, initiatives, and operational issues pertaining to growth and expansion of SOM. The incumbent has the authority to negotiate administrative and financial agreements and make decisions/commitments on strategic projects that align with the long-term goals of the AVC and Dean.

In addition, the Associate Dean will be responsible for driving the overarching strategic planning process for SOM, aligning the existing plans in education and clinical care, as well as those of the Health Sciences and broader UC San Diego, to create a cohesive and concrete vision for the AVC and Dean. As part of this effort, the Associate Dean will be the AVC and Dean's primary liaison to the campus communications and advancement offices to ensure the AVC and Dean's vision is articulated to both internal and external constituencies.

The Associate Dean handles sensitive issues on behalf of the AVC and Dean on a day-to-day basis, as well as emergent priority issues with little or no precedence, that require a high degree of diplomacy and discretion. The incumbent maintains confidentiality of privileged information and performs a wide range of duties that require tact, sensitivity, independent judgment, diplomacy, discretion, and flexibility. The incumbent will be expected to manage administrative support units that report to the AVC, with responsibility for all matters regarding its financial planning and analysis, including resource allocations, budget development, and personnel management.

This position requires a solid understanding of health care training, research, and clinical practice supporting a demanding, academic medical center environment. The successful incumbent will have tested and proven experience with university system administration, strategy development, business and financial planning, and administrative operations, with a solid understanding of navigating a complex, matrixed organization.

Serves as lead strategist and has broad level authority to represent the organization with constituencies such as faculty, senate committee chairs, senior administrators, other UC locations, Office of the President, public agencies and the community.

Advisor to senior executive who is responsible for a highly complex or diverse and broad organization, and/or over functions that are mission-critical in nature. Incumbent may hold unique high-level responsibility such as representing the university as a board officer.

Provides direct policy and communications expertise, collaborating with senior executives on short- and long-range planning.

Participates on committees, task forces responding to a variety of issues and handling sensitive negotiations with little or no precedence, requiring expedient and diplomatic action.

Applies breadth and depth of institutional knowledge to develop sound long and short term strategic plans and build relationships with key constituencies and stakeholders. Identifies, formulates and advises on policy development and implementation.

Exercises judgment in selecting methods, techniques and evaluation criteria for obtaining results. Internal and external contacts often pertain to organizational plans and objectives.

Is considered a subject matter expert within the organization and often recognized as an expert externally in the industry.

• Eleven or more years of combined related experience, education and training, OR a Bachelor's degree in related area plus seven or more years of related experience.

• Expert knowledge of organizational processes, protocols and procedures.

• Working knowledge of organization and system-wide organizational reporting structure, as well as an understanding of the interactive roles of management throughout the organization.

• Demonstrates advanced strategic thinking and consulting skills in guiding the organization toward workable strategies and solutions.

• Knowledge of the organizational environment of higher education and large research universities to understand client priorities, issues, motivations and constraints.

• Advanced consulting, relationship building, and strategic thinking skills.

• Advanced analytical, problem-solving, project planning and implementation skills.

• Knowledge of the legal constraints and opportunities for higher education in the State of California and through Federal programs and regulations.

• Skills to effectively lead highly significant engagements from inception to conclusion.

• Highly-skilled in navigating complex organizations.

• Advanced written, verbal and presentation skills for influencing and facilitating sustained change.

• Demonstrated background and expertise in communication theory, organizational communication, mass communication, or other technical communications field. Expert written, verbal, and presentation skills for influencing and facilitating sustained change

• Knowledge of the organizational environment of higher education and large research universities to understand client priorities, issues, motivations and constraints.

• Working knowledge of organization and system-wide organizational reporting structure, as well as an understanding of the interactive roles of management throughout the organization.

• Proven ability to work with diverse populations at all levels of the organization.

• Advanced or Master's degree in business, health administration or related field.

• Eight or more years of progressive leadership experience in academic medicine/graduate education administration.

• Ability to effectively anticipate and respond to elements that drive competitive advantage under dynamic conditions, such as changes to national research funding priorities, changes to health sciences training methodologies, health care industry changes, competitor actions, legal/regulatory changes and technological trends.

• Employment is subject to a criminal background check.