Associate Director, Academic Affairs

This position oversees the full lifecycle of endowed positions, including appointment, renewal, relinquishment, and program evaluation. The role works closely with Academic Affairs leadership, institutional finance, research administration, philanthropy, and academic departments to ensure endowed positions are managed with financial rigor, transparency, and operational efficiency. A key responsibility of this role is advancing the evolution of the endowed positions program to support institutional strategy and faculty excellence. This includes implementing structured and transparent pathways for awarding endowed positions, strengthening governance frameworks, and developing processes to ensure that endowed resources are deployed in ways that maximize impact across the academic mission. The position also leads the development of new infrastructure to support long-term stewardship and oversight of endowed positions. This includes the design and implementation of an integrated software platform that connects financial, stewardship, and operational data across Research Finance, the Office of Research Administration, Academic Affairs, Philanthropy, and academic departments, providing enhanced visibility into endowment utilization and performance. In addition, this role will create and coordinate a newly established three-year review framework for endowed position holders, conducted through the Endowed Positions Advisory Committee (EPAC). This review process will evaluate the impact of endowed positions across clinical, research, educational, and institutional domains and will require substantial coordination with faculty, department leadership, and institutional partners.

The ideal candidate will be a leader with strong expertise in academic affairs operations, financial stewardship, endowments, governance processes and policies, program design, and cross-functional collaboration in an academic healthcare environment.

MD Anderson offers employees:

• Paid employee medical benefits (zero premium) starting on first day for employees who work 30 or more hours per week.
• Group Dental, Vision, Life, AD&D and Disability coverage.
• Paid time off (PTO) and Extended Illness Bank (EIB) paid leave accruals.
• Paid institutional holidays, wellness leave, childcare leave, and other paid leave programs.
• Tuition Assistance Program after six months of service.
• Teachers Retirement System defined-benefit pension plan and two voluntary retirement plans.
• Employer paid life, AD&D and an illness-related reduced salary pay program.
• Extensive wellness, recognition, fitness, employee health programs and employee resource groups.
• Opportunities for professional growth through Career Development Center and Mentoring programs.
  
  

KEY FUNCTIONS:

Strategic Oversight of the Faculty Endowed Positions Program.

• Provide program leadership and operational oversight for the Faculty Endowed Positions Program at MD Anderson, supporting a portfolio of more than 190 endowed academic positions representing approximately $370 million in market value.
• Partner with the Executive Director, Academic Affairs and CAO leadership to ensure that endowed positions are strategically aligned with institutional priorities in patient care, research, education, and faculty leadership.
• Monitor trends in endowed position utilization and program outcomes, providing recommendations to leadership on opportunities to strengthen the program's impact on faculty recruitment, retention, and recognition.
• Contribute to long-range planning to ensure that endowed positions remain a sustainable and effective institutional resource as the portfolio continues to grow.
  
  

Endowment Portfolio Stewardship and Financial Coordination

• Oversee stewardship of the endowed positions portfolio, ensuring responsible financial management and alignment with donor intent and institutional policy.
• Coordinate closely with Research Finance, the Office of Research Administration, Philanthropy, and academic departments to monitor endowment utilization, payout allocation, and financial compliance.
• Support institutional forecasting and planning related to the growth and sustainability of endowed positions.
• Maintain visibility into the financial performance and utilization of endowed resources and provide regular reporting to Academic Affairs leadership.
  
  

Evolution of Endowed Position Selection Pathways

• Lead the implementation of a modernized framework for awarding endowed positions that promotes transparency, fairness, and alignment with institutional priorities.
• Coordinate three primary pathways for endowed position appointments, each requiring collaboration across Academic Affairs leadership, department chairs, division leadership, faculty governance groups, and Philanthropy. Request for Applications (RFA) Coordinate institution-wide nomination and application processes by gathering nominations from relevant stakeholders across departments, divisions, and faculty governance bodies. Facilitate communication, compile nomination materials, and support committee review processes. High-Impact Matching Work with institutional and academic leadership to identify faculty whose work demonstrates exceptional impact and alignment with institutional priorities. Maintain active engagement with department chairs and division leaders to ensure awareness of high-performing faculty across the institution. Strategic Recruitment Matching Partner directly with departments and divisions to align available endowed positions with recruitment priorities, supporting efforts to attract and retain distinguished faculty through the strategic use of endowed appointments.
• Across all pathways, maintain strong institutional networks and coordinate closely with academic leadership to ensure endowed positions are deployed strategically in support of faculty excellence and institutional priorities.
  
  

Endowed Position Impact Review and EPAC Coordination

• Coordinate and operationalize a three-year review framework for endowed position holders, conducted through the Endowed Positions Advisory Committee (EPAC).
• Manage the logistics and coordination required to review the impact of all endowed position holders on a recurring three-year cycle, with additional reviews conducted when warranted by initial review outcomes.
• Develop evaluation frameworks and supporting materials to assess faculty impact across clinical care, research, education, and institutional leadership domains.
• Partner with faculty, department chairs, and institutional leaders to ensure review outcomes support effective stewardship of endowed resources and continued alignment with institutional priorities.
• Provide day-to-day operational management for EPAC governance structures, including coordination of two EPAC committes: Distinguished University Chair (DUC) Committee - meets quarterly to review matters related to Distinguished University Chair appointments and impact. Distinguished Chair Committee - meets monthly to review appointments, renewals, and program oversight for all other endowed positions
• Oversee scheduling, agenda development, briefing materials, documentation, and follow-up actions for these committees to ensure effective governance and efficient decision-making.
  
  

Data Infrastructure and Program Systems Development

• Lead development of an integrated software solution supporting the lifecycle management of endowed positions.
• Coordinate integration of financial, stewardship, and operational data across Research Finance, the Office of Research Administration, Academic Affairs, Philanthropy, and academic departments.
• Establish reporting systems and dashboards that provide leadership with visibility into endowment utilization, program activity, and portfolio trends.
• Identify opportunities to improve data transparency, operational efficiency, and long-term stewardship of philanthropic academic resources.
  
  

Program Operations and Process Improvement

• Direct operational processes for the lifecycle of endowed positions, including appointment, renewal, relinquishment, and program administration.
• Develop and maintain policies, procedures, and operational guidance that support consistent management of endowed positions across the institution.
• Identify opportunities to streamline workflows and improve coordination across institutional offices involved in endowed position governance.
• Ensure that program operations comply with institutional policies and applicable governance standards.
  
  

Institutional Collaboration and Stakeholder Engagement

• Serve as a central operational partner within Academic Affairs for activities related to the endowed positions program.
• Work closely with Philanthropy, Finance, Research Administration, and departmental leadership to ensure alignment of endowed resources with institutional priorities.
• Facilitate communication among stakeholders involved in the governance and stewardship of endowed academic positions.
• Monitor best practices across peer institutions to inform program development and continuous improvement.
  
  

Other duties as assigned.

EDUCATION:

Required: Bachelor's degree related field.

Preferred: Master's degree related field.

EXPERIENCE:

Required: Six years progressively responsible experience in academic affairs, institutional administration, program leadership, section/department management, or complex project management. With master's degree, four years of experience. May substitute required education degree with additional years of equivalent experience on a one-to-one basis. Successful completion of the LEADing Self Accelerate and/or LEADing Self Discover programs may substitute for one year of required supervisory or management experience. Completion of both programs can be substituted for a maximum of two years of supervisory or management experience.

Preferred: Experience in academic affairs operations, financial stewardship, endowments, governance processes and policies, program design, and cross-functional collaboration in an academic healthcare environment.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS: Must pass pre-employment skills test as required and administered by Human Resources.

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center offers excellent benefits, including medical, dental, paid time off, retirement, tuition benefits, educational opportunities, and individual and team recognition.

This position may be responsible for maintaining the security and integrity of critical infrastructure, as defined in Section 113.001(2) of the Texas Business and Commerce Code and therefore may require routine reviews and screening. The ability to satisfy and maintain all requirements necessary to ensure the continued security and integrity of such infrastructure is a condition of hire and continued employment.

It is the policy of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center to provide equal employment opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or any other basis protected by institutional policy or by federal, state, or local laws unless such distinction is required by law.http://www.mdanderson.org/about-us/legal-and-policy/legal-statements/eeo-affirmative-action.html

Additional Information

• Requisition ID: 180798
• Employment Status: Full-Time
• Employee Status: Regular
• Work Week: Days
• Minimum Salary: US Dollar (USD) 123,000
• Midpoint Salary: US Dollar (USD) 154,000
• Maximum Salary : US Dollar (USD) 185,000
• FLSA: exempt and not eligible for overtime pay
• Fund Type: Hard
• Work Location: Remote (within Texas only)
• Pivotal Position: Yes
• Referral Bonus Available?: Yes
• Relocation Assistance Available?: No