Faculty.Professor.Professor - Full-Time

The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine (Pitt) and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) seek an accomplished and visionary leader of high emotional intelligence and operational excellence to serve as the Chair of the Department of Neurological Surgery. This is a consequential leadership opportunity to lead one of the nation’s most storied neurosurgery programs through a pivotal chapter of renewal and growth, supported by one of the country's most respected Schools of Medicine and one of its largest and most accomplished health systems.

This leader will report directly to the Dean of the School of Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh and to the President of UPMC Physician Services for their clinical role, navigating the institution's structure with sophistication and integrity. They will bring both strong surgical credentials to earn the respect of a department known for clinical excellence and the managerial and interpersonal acumen to build trust across a complex, multi-site, multi-stakeholder environment. The Department's size, the scale of UPMC's enterprise, and the depth of opportunity make this among the most significant leadership roles in academic neurosurgery today.

The University of Pittsburgh has retained Isaacson, Miller, a national executive search firm, to assist with this recruitment. Inquiries, nominations, and applications should be directed to the firm as indicated at the end of this document.

ROLE OF THE CHAIR

The Chair of the Department of Neurological Surgery reports directly to the Dean of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and to the President of UPMC Physician Services for their clinical role. The Chair is responsible for the strategic direction, operational management, and cultural stewardship of the Department across its tripartite mission of clinical care, research, and education, providing oversight of faculty, advanced practice providers, and trainees while navigating a sophisticated, matrixed environment that spans academic and health system priorities.

The Chair's direct responsibilities encompass faculty recruitment, retention, appointment, and development; oversight of clinical program strategy; leadership of the Department's research agenda in partnership with Pitt's neuroscience community; stewardship and development of the residency and fellowship training programs and their respective program directors; and financial and administrative management of the Department in coordination with UPMC's University of Pittsburgh Physicians (UPP) practice plan and School of Medicine leadership. The Chair also serves as a co-director of the broader Neurological Service Line in partnership with the Chair of the Department of Neurology, providing joint oversight of neurosciences strategy across the UPMC network. In addition to a close relationship with the Department of Neurology, the Chair is expected to interface with other departmental and institute leaders across the University of Pittsburgh and UPMC on the programmatic vision for shared programs, such as with the UPMC Hillman Cancer Center in neuro-oncology, the Department of Otolaryngology in the Skull Base program, and interdisciplinary Spine Care programs with the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery.

The scope of the role is expansive. The Chair must be credible and present across more than a dozen hospital sites, navigating the distinct cultures, leadership structures, and operational priorities of each while maintaining a coherent departmental identity and direction. The role requires a leader who manifests the clinical excellence for which the department is known, the intellectual gravitas to lead a world-class academic program, and the emotional intelligence and management skill to build trust and unity across a diverse and geographically distributed enterprise.

To ensure the continued success and impact of the Department of Neurological Surgery, the next Chair must address several key opportunities and challenges that will shape the Department’s future.

QUALIFICATIONS AND CHARACTERISTICS

The successful candidate must possess an MD, MD/PhD, or equivalent clinical doctoral degree, with board certification in Neurological Surgery and an academic record meriting appointment at the rank of Professor with tenure at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. This position requires a physician-leader of exceptional clinical stature, management capability, and interpersonal skill. While no single individual will embody every quality listed below, Pitt and UPMC seek the following in the next Chair of Neurological Surgery:

• Surgical credibility sufficient to lead a department known for clinical excellence; candidates must be recognized as a skilled operating surgeon in their subspecialty of focus;

• A collaborative orientation toward interdisciplinary neuroscience, with a willingness to engage meaningfully with neurology, psychiatry, physical medicine and rehabilitation, oncology, bioengineering, and basic science colleagues;

• Demonstrated leadership experience at scale with a proven record of managing complex organizations, distributed teams, and competing institutional priorities;

• Exceptional emotional intelligence and interpersonal acumen, with a demonstrated ability to build trust, de-escalate conflict, and bring constituencies into shared purpose through transparent communication and consistent follow-through;

• Experience navigating complex, matrixed academic health systems and building productive relationships with health system, university, and hospital leadership across organizational lines;

• A record of faculty recruitment, mentorship, retention, and development, including experience building departmental culture and retaining high-performing individuals at every career stage;

• A commitment to research excellence, with a credible personal research record, an expansive view of the neurosciences, and the ability to support and grow an externally funded, interdisciplinary research enterprise;

• Familiarity with the financial, operational, and strategic dimensions of academic department management, including experience with clinical practice plans, compensation models, and budget oversight;

• Commitment to excellence in graduate medical education, trainee well-being, and the mentorship of the next generation of neurosurgeons;

• The highest standards of professional ethics, transparency, and integrity; a deep commitment to fostering cultures where all faculty, trainees, and staff feel valued, heard, and supported in their professional development;

• Outstanding communication skills, with the ability to represent the Department's mission and accomplishments to faculty, patients, donors, and the public.

APPLICATIONS, INQUIRIES, AND NOMINATIONS

Screening of complete applications will begin immediately and continue until the completion of the search process. Inquiries, nominations, referrals, and CVs with cover letters should be sent via the Isaacson, Miller website: https://www.imsearch.com/open-searches/university-pittsburgh-school-medicine/chair-department-neurosurgery

Ariannah Mirick, Managing Partner

Katie White, Senior Associate

Madeleine Ruth, Managing Search Coordinator

Isaacson, Miller

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