"Department Chair, Ophthalmology"

Job Summary

The Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University invites applications for the position of Chair, Department of Ophthalmology. This position is responsible for the growth and development of clinical, research, and teaching excellence within the department. The Chair reports to the Dean and serves as the departments academic and administrative leader, providing direction in educational programs, faculty recruitment, retention and development, budget management and oversight, and strategic planning, as well as maintaining strong collaborative ties with basic science faculty as a key partner in the Vision Discovery Institute, a robust hub for interdisciplinary vision research.

Responsibilities

The new Chair must demonstrate a leadership style centered on faculty success across all missions: clinical, research, and education. This includes a strong commitment to both departmental and institutional leadership, and the ability to think strategically while executing tactically to achieve departmental goals. The new Chair will be skilled at building consensus and leading transformative change. As a trusted steward and advocate for the department, the Chair will guide its continued growth, innovation, and impact.

This leader will be an energetic and visionary communicator, capable of articulating the department's potential and inspiring others to follow. They must embody transparency, professionalism, and an unwavering ethical compass, while fostering a culture of inclusivity and interdisciplinary collaboration. The new Chair must be deeply committed to mentoring and developing faculty and fellows, as well as supporting multidisciplinary efforts that strengthen relationships and align diverse stakeholders.

With a focus on patient satisfaction, quality, and safety, the Chair will also ensure the department meets the clinical service needs of Wellstar MCG Health while advancing the academic and research missions of the medical school. In partnership with institutional leadership, the Chair will work to expand access and capture market share by extending services to new and existing communities across the care continuum.

Key Goals/Objectives

• Responsible for education, clinical, and research missions of the department.
• Lead efforts in building cross-disciplinary programs.
• Support and develop departmental education and research programs.
• Oversight of recruitment, retention and professional development of departmental faculty.
• Cultivate relationships locally, statewide and nationally.
• Oversight of departmental administrative and budgetary operations.

Required Qualifications

Candidates must hold an MD, DO, MD/PhD, or DO/PhD degree, possess current board certification by the American Board of Ophthalmology, be eligible for licensure in the state of Georgia, and have academic accomplishments that merit appointment at the rank of professor.

Professor- Senior level career faculty member with at least five years at the rank of Associate Professor or comparable training, background, and experience.

The ideal candidate will be an academic ophthalmologist with a distinguished record of clinical care, research, and teaching with national stature. The successful candidate will have demonstrated success as a leader in a department or division of ophthalmology, an interdisciplinary institute, or an academic entity of comparable size and scope. In addition, the successful candidate will have:

• A national reputation as an academic leader with a strong commitment to research.
• Experience in the development and successful implementation of new clinical programs and services.
• A successful track record of recruitment and development of faculty, trainees, and students.
• A record of solid performance as a skilled manager with the ability to grow revenues, meet budgets, measure and improve productivity and outcomes.
• A strong commitment to mentoring and faculty development.
• A proven track record of working collaboratively across clinical disciplines as well as with senior management within an academic setting.
• Ability to drive philanthropic activities.
• Appreciation of the need to be involved in the greater Augusta community, especially related to promoting Ophthalmologic care.
• A commitment to advancing the research initiatives within the department, including fellowship programs and collaborations with basic scientists.

Preferred Qualifications

A commitment to advancing the research initiatives within the department, including fellowship programs and collaborations with basic scientists

Shift/Salary/Benefits

This position is fiscal year based and works year-round.

The intended work commitment or full-time equivalent (FTE) for this position is 1.0 and considered full-time.

Professor- Senior level career faculty member with at least five years at the rank of Associate Professor or comparable training, background, and experience.

Comprehensive benefits include medical, dental, vision, 13 paid holidays, vacation leave, sick leave, generous retirement plans, tuition waiver, wellness options, and much more!

Also, our full-time employees who have been employed with us successfully for more than 6 months can be considered for the Tuition Assistance Program.

Rank and salary are determined at the time of hire and are based on a variety of factors including but not limited to experience, education, credentials, specialty, training, etc. while also considering internal equity and market data.

Advancement through the faculty ranks at Augusta University is only through the annual Promotion and Tenure process in which faculty may apply if eligible (typically five-year increments). For more information on ranks, please review the Augusta University Promotion and Tenure Guidelines

College/Department Information

The Medical College of Georgia (MCG) is one of the nation's largest medical schools by class size, with 304 students per class. The MCG educational experience is anchored by the main campus in Augusta, with regional clinical campuses for third- and fourth-year students across the state, and two four-year campuses located in Athens (in partnership with the University of Georgia) and in Savannah (in partnership with Georgia Southern University). MCG's expanding partnerships with physicians and hospitals across Georgia currently provide more than 350 sites where students can experience the full spectrum of medicine, from complex care hospitals to small-town solo practices. MCG and its teaching hospitals also provide postgraduate education to approximately 575 residents and fellows in 50 different Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-approved programs. Our researchers and clinicians focus on what most impacts the health of Georgia's and America's children and adults, including cardiovascular biology and disease, cancer, neurosciences and behavioral sciences, public and preventive health, regenerative and reparative medicine, personalized medicine and genomics. Our physician faculty also share their expertise with physicians and patients at about 100 clinics and hospitals statewide.