Part-time Academic Director, Health Administration

Job Details

Description

Position Description

The Wake Forest University School of Professional Studies (SPS) is seeking an exceptional and dynamic faculty leader to serve as the Academic Director of the Health Administration program, starting January 1, 2027. This part-time position is based in Charlotte, North Carolina.

About the School of Professional Studies

The mission of the SPS is to accelerate the professional growth of adult learners across their careers and support the talent development needs of organizations. We believe this is best achieved through the strategic partnership of industry expertise and academic excellence, embodying principles of accessibility, flexibility, and a strong market orientation. All of our programs are designed for professionals who can apply acquired skills directly to their careers and reflect best and emerging practices from the field combined with rigorous, research-based knowledge from academia.

The School of Professional Studies is uniquely situated within The Pearl, Charlotte’s first-of-its-kind health innovation district. As the home of Wake Forest University’s Charlotte expansion and the North American headquarters of the global surgical training institute IRCAD, The Pearl serves as a vibrant ecosystem where world-class research, clinical translation, and corporate innovation collide. Our location within the district—and our strategic partnership with Advocate Health, one of the nation's largest health systems—can provide our faculty and students with unparalleled access to a network of health tech pioneers and research leaders. For an Academic Director, this means the opportunity to lead a program at the 'technological frontier,' where academic excellence is directly integrated into the blueprint for healthcare transformation.

About the Program

The Master of Health Administration program is dedicated to developing transformative visionary leaders prepared to navigate the future of how consumers interact with health systems. The curriculum has been designed to align with American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) competencies. We emphasize an interdisciplinary approach that balances rigorous business management—including healthcare finance, human resources, and strategic planning—with the adaptive application of leadership skills. Our curriculum is distinguished by its focus on population health and health equity, equipping graduates to address the social determinants of health and biases that impact care delivery. By integrating AI-enabled processes and consumer-centric strategies, the program empowers professionals to move beyond passive service delivery to active health empowerment. Students graduate not only with organizational acumen but with a commitment to a "Pro Humanitate" management style, positioned to be strategic visionaries for the evolving healthcare landscape.

The Academic Director's Role

This is a unique opportunity to join an innovative school that's shaping the future of professional education, built on the quality and excellence of our university. As an influential, market-connected leader and key subject-matter expert, the Academic Director will be responsible for providing academic oversight and strategic direction for our graduate Health Administration degree program. The director will be joining a creative, mission-centered, and highly collaborative team of faculty and staff who support this program and its students.

The director will nurture a culture of innovation and collaboration that centers on the success of our students and community partners. The director will be expected to guide the program's strategic positioning, guarantee its market leadership, and continuously enhance its impact by ensuring the quality and relevance of the program curriculum, monitoring outcomes and seeking input from students, faculty, advisors, and other stakeholders.

As the leader of a team of practitioner-scholars, the academic director will engage with program faculty and nurture close connections with industry leaders, leveraging a deep understanding of emerging trends and best practices. This includes leading a Program Advisory Board to advance the program and provide mentorship to students, as well as engaging deeply with health leaders and professionals in the Charlotte region to advance program goals, enhance student success, and positively impact our community.

The candidate will be ranked as a professor of the practice (non-tenure track) and may also teach courses in the health administration program.

Qualifications

• A Master’s degree or higher in health administration or a closely related field.
• Significant leadership experience in healthcare administration or a related sector.
• Prior experience teaching online at the graduate level is required, with evidence of teaching effectiveness.
• Prior academic leadership or business managerial experience is preferred.

Note: This position is one of two academic leadership searches within our Health cluster (Health Administration and Health Informatics). The School remains open to a joint full-time leadership role for a candidate possessing the necessary expertise to oversee both programs concurrently. This combined leadership position offers a unique opportunity to build synergies between health operations and data-driven innovation. If you possess the qualifications for both roles, we encourage you to express your interest in a combined leadership position within your application.

Equal Opportunity Statement

The University is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all qualified candidates to apply without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, genetic information, disability and military or veteran status.

Accommodations for Applicants

If you are an individual with a disability and need an accommodation to participate in the application or interview process, please contact AskHR@wfu.edu or (336) 758-4700.