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Assistant Department Chair

University of North Carolina- Chapel Hill

NC-Chapel-Hill, NC · HybridJobSeen todaySeen in employer's feed today

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At a glance

Compensation
No compensation found
Location
NC-Chapel-Hill, NCHybrid
Work Authorization
Not specified

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Job overview

The Assistant Department Chair serves on the Health Policy and Management leadership team, managing the department’s budget, financial planning, and reporting while participating in strategic planning. The role oversees administrative staff and services, including IT, student services support, and space management, ensures compliance with University and external policies, and liaises with School and University business units. A hybrid arrangement may be available, subject to policy and commuting-distance requirements.

Skills & qualifications

RequiredNice to have

Skills

Financial ManagementFinancial AnalysisAcademic Research AdministrationLeadershipTeam LeadershipOrganizational PlanningInterpersonal SkillsCustomer ServiceContinuous ImprovementGrant RegulationsPre-Award ProcessesPost-Award ProcessesGrant AdministrationFund ManagementInformation SystemsDiscretionStaff SupervisionAcademic Fiscal AdministrationGrant ComplianceContract AdministrationWritten CommunicationVerbal CommunicationProblem SolvingPeopleSoft

Qualifications

Extensive Management BackgroundThree Years Grant AdministrationCertified Research AdministratorCertified Financial Research AdministratorCertified Pre-Award Research Administrator

Full job description

Employment Type: Permanent Staff (EHRA NF)

Vacancy ID: NF0010159

Salary Range: Commensurate with Experience

Position Summary/Description:

This position may be eligible for a hybrid work arrangement that may include a partially remote work location, consistent with System Office policy. UNC Chapel Hill employees are generally required to reside within a reasonable commuting distance of their assigned duty station.

The Department of Health Policy and Management ( HPM ) is one of eight departments in the School of Public Health whose mission is to improve the health and well-being of the population through the interaction of teaching, research, and service. It has an annual operating budget exceeding $10M and over 50 faculty and staff. HPM offers five graduate degrees (Ph.D., DrPH, MHA , MSPH , MPH ), one undergraduate degree ( BSPH ), and two certificates, with a total of 432 enrolled students in a combination of residential and executive/distance education programs. The department collaborates with a number of units on campus including the Schools of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Dentistry, the Kenan-Flagler School of Business, the Sheps Center for Health Services Research, the Carolina Population Center, and the Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center.

The Assistant Department Chair reports to the Associate Dean for Finance and Business, with a dotted reporting line to the Chair of Health Policy and Management and serves as a key member of the HPM leadership team. This position is responsible for managing the department’s overall budget, planning, and reporting on financial issues, and participating in strategic planning activities with the Chair and senior faculty members. The position is responsible for ensuring compliance with relevant external and University policies related to business practices, research practices, and human resources. The position is responsible for oversight of departmental administrative staff and services including IT, student services support, and space management. The position also serves as a liaison with School and University business units.

Education and Experience:

  • Extensive management background in a large organization; solid, demonstrated leadership capability; superior financial management and analytical skills; comprehensive knowledge and understanding of academic research administration and outstanding, effective written and verbal communication skills with a range of internal and external stakeholders.

  • Skills and knowledge include: capability to lead a team and produce results; proficiency in setting organizational priorities and goals for the business office; interpersonal skills to be used in working relationships with a range of internal and external stakeholders; strong focus on customer service and experience with continuous improvement; experience in short- and long-term planning; working knowledge of Federal, State, and University regulatory requirements governing grants; demonstrated proficiency in pre- and post-award processes; strong financial skills with a variety of fund types including state, F&A, trust, and grants; adaptive and effective utilization of information systems; ability to handle sensitive situations with discretion; and experience with effective management and supervision of staff.

  • Certified Research Administrator ( CRA ), Certified Financial Research Administrator ( CFRA ), or Certified Pre-Award Research Administrator ( CPRA ) preferred.

Essential Skills:

  • Comprehensive knowledge and understanding of academic fiscal administration.

  • Experience in short- and long-term planning.

  • In-depth knowledge of Federal, State, and University regulatory requirements governing grants and contracts

  • Demonstrated proficiency in pre- and post-award processes.

  • Experience coordinating and managing administration and compliance of grant-funded projects.

  • Experience administering service contracts, technical assistance agreements, or continuing education funding mechanisms with state/local governments, non-profit organizations, or other public health partners

  • Prior supervisory experience.

  • Proficiency in setting organizational priorities and goals for the business office.

  • Effective written and verbal communication skills.

The individual must also demonstrate excellent oral communication skills, strong interpersonal skills, leadership qualities, flexibility, and a problem-solving attitude. At least three years of experience processing and administering grants and contracts, particularly from the National Institutes of Health, is desired. Experience interfacing with students around research and training grants is desired. Experience with PeopleSoft systems is desired.

AA/EEO Statement:

The University is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all to apply without regard to age, color, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

How this job compares

Set against the 524 open Financial Management jobs on Olive Jobs, counted November 4, 2026.

Pay
  • This postingNot listed
  • US median$100–152K/yr345 salary ranges
Openings
Olive Jobs lists 524 open Financial Management jobs across the US. 2% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
Hiring the most across the US
Experience
Financial Management postings that state a minimum ask for 5 years of experience at the median; the middle half ask for 2 to 7 years (406 postings).
Education
218 of the 524 open Financial Management jobs (42%) ask for a bachelor's degree or higher.

Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on November 4, 2026. Pay medians are the middle values of the low ends and of the high ends of postings that list both ends of a range in the same cadence (a yearly salary or an hourly rate); a range's midpoint is halfway between its ends. Pay and experience figures resting on fewer than 20 postings are left out.

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