Chair/Program Director Doctor of Physical Therapy Program

Job Title: Chair/Program Director Doctor of Physical Therapy Program
Department: Physical Therapy
FLSA: Exempt
Location: Suwanee, Georgia

Position Summary
Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM), a graduate health professions university with a century-old tradition of educational excellence and a focus on wellness-oriented, whole-person care, seeks an established, visionary leader to serve as the Chair/Program Director of its accredited Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program. This full-time faculty and administrative position is a critical leadership role within the School of Health Professions and Sciences, reporting to the Dean and Chief Academic Officer. This leader is responsible for guiding the DPT program's strategic direction, ensuring its academic quality, and fostering an environment of collaborative learning, professional development, and scholarly activity. The program is committed to preparing evidence-based movement experts who emphasize a "whole-person" approach to patient management.

ESSENTIAL SUTIES AND RESPONSIBLITIES
• Program Leadership and Accreditation Compliance
o  Provide strategic leadership and comprehensive administrative oversight for all aspects of the DPT program, ensuring alignment with the mission and values of PCOM and the School of Health Professions and Sciences.
o Ensure and maintain program accreditation through the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) by ensuring ongoing compliance with all standards and preparing for reporting and site visits. The Chair/Program Director is directly responsible for compliance with accreditation policies and procedures, including timely submission of reports, fees, and notification of substantive changes.
o Lead the program's strategic planning process, incorporating continuous program assessment, changes in higher education, and contemporary physical therapy practice to guide future development and improvement.
o Maintain a teaching load for the program, providing instruction in courses consistent with the individual’s contemporary expertise and serving as a model for core faculty in teaching effectiveness.
o Foster and maintain effective communication with internal stakeholders (e.g., admissions, registrar’s, library, etc.) and external stakeholders (e.g., advisory board, clinical faculty, clinical affiliate sites, etc.) involved with the program.

• Academic and Faculty Management
o Ensure the academic quality, integrity, and innovation of the DPT curriculum, emphasizing critical thinking, evidence-based practice, and a "whole-person" approach to patient management.
o Oversee the continuous assessment and evaluation of the curriculum and student learning outcomes, implementing improvements as necessary, and drawing conclusions to meet program mission and goals.
o Recruit, manage, mentor, and formally evaluate a team of core and associated faculty and staff, ensuring evaluations address teaching, scholarly activity, and service, resulting in organized professional development plans.
o Maintain and leverage expertise in curriculum content, design, and evaluation, educational theory, instructional design, and outcome assessment.
o Uphold the professional and academic judgment of the core faculty regarding academic regulations, professional behavior expectations of students, and decisions on student progression through the program.

• Scholarship/Research
o Lead the department in developing and supporting a high-quality scholarly agenda that reflects contributions to the profession and is aligned with the mission of the institution.
o Mentor and facilitate core faculty in fulfilling their scholarly responsibilities, including engaging in collaborative research, grant writing, publications, and presentations.
o Ensure core faculty have access to sufficient space and equipment to fulfill their scholarly agendas.
o Promote and integrate the process of scholarly inquiry and evidence-informed practice throughout the DPT curriculum.

• Service/Community Engagement
o Establish and maintain a record of institutional and/or professional service that is consistent with the institution's and program's mission and expectations.
o Actively engage in institutional governance by serving on key College and School committees.
o Promote service and leadership skills and abilities in students through learning experiences focused on community collaboration, legislative/political advocacy, and health care disparity.
o Encourage faculty and students to participate in community engagement activities that reflect the program's commitment to community well-being.

• Financial and Resource Administration
o Provide effective fiscal planning and allocation of resources, including long-term planning, and maintain appropriate decision-making authority over the financial/budgetary resources necessary for the program’s continuing viability.
o Maintain optimum program enrollment.
o Ensure adequate program resources (financial, staff, space, equipment, technology, and learning materials) are met for current and projected program needs.

POSITION REQUIREMENTS
Education
• Academic Doctoral Degree (e.g., PhD, EdD) or previous CAPTE-granted exemption. Note: A DPT alone does not meet the academic doctoral degree requirement
• A Physical Therapist who holds an active, unencumbered PT license in any United States jurisdiction and is in compliance with the practice act in the jurisdiction where the program is located.

Experience
• A minimum of six years of full-time higher education experience, with a minimum of three years of full-time experience as a core faculty member in a CAPTE-accredited entry-level physical therapist education program.
• Demonstrated experience or formal training in administration, management, and leadership.
• Demonstrated experience in fiscal management and active service in institutional governance.

Required Skills
• Experience directing an accredited Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program.
• Proven effectiveness in leading teams to meet program outcomes for graduation rate, licensure pass rate, and employment rate.
• Experience with Interprofessional Education (IPE) and collaborating with other health professions programs.