BROWN UNIVERSITY DIVISION OF BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE Search for an THE SEARCH Brown University s Division of Biology and Medicine (the Division), comprising the University s Program in Biology and the Alpert Medical School, seeks a respected and experienced administrative and financial leader to serve as its Executive Dean for Administration (Executive Dean). This is an exciting time for a seasoned healthcare executive to join the Brown Division of Biology and Medicine, a growing, national leader in biology education, medical education and biological/biomedical research as it continues to respond strategically to changes in higher education and healthcare. This individual will partner with the Dean of the Division of Biology and Medicine to implement new strategic initiatives, expand research, maintain a culture of service and accomplishment, and strengthen and align clinical partnerships. The Executive Dean will lead an administrative and financial infrastructure that is comprised of a highly valued staff of seven direct reports and a total division staff of approximately 300 providing financial services, human resource management, computing information services, communications, research administration, and facilities and space management to the division. The successful candidate will bring significant fiscal and administrative experience in complex academic medical settings, in-depth knowledge of the business of medicine, strong financial management skills, familiarity with sponsored research, and collaborative problem-solving ability. The new Executive Dean will have a proven record of success in navigating highly complex environments, working with physician practice plans and clinical partners, as well as excellent interpersonal and communication skills with individuals at all levels of an organization., a Boston-based executive search firm, has been retained to conduct this important search. This position profile was developed based on conversations with faculty and staff at Brown s Division of Biology and Medicine and from their materials. It will be shared with key sources and candidates in the course of the search process. The position profile describes s understanding of the current state of the Division of Biology and Medicine, the major challenges to be faced by the Executive Dean, and the personal and professional qualifications of an ideal candidate. For more information, please visit http://biomed.brown.edu/.
Page 2 of 8 BROWN UNIVERSITY AND THE DIVISION OF BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE Brown University has emerged in the last generation as one of the most competitive universities in the nation. It has a long tradition of providing excellent education for undergraduate, graduate and medical students and of supporting outstanding faculty, who are researchers, clinicians and teachers. Brown's unique undergraduate curriculum, its integrated graduate biology and medical programs, and its commitment to the ideals of liberal education and diversity have attracted a world class student body, and a faculty composed of leading teachers and researchers. Currently, through a major strategic planning effort and a comprehensive capital campaign, Brown University is making significant new investments in faculty, student support and research facilities. A significant component of these university-wide efforts is directed toward strengthening the Division of Biology and Medicine. The Division of Biology and Medicine, a growing $127M enterprise, includes the Alpert Medical School and the Program in Biology, a comprehensive unit of both undergraduate and graduate programs. Its academic enterprise comprises roughly 735 campus- and hospital-based faculty; 1,350 community-based faculty; 870 residents and fellows-in-training; 1,000 graduate, postdoctoral, and medical students; and 600 undergraduate concentrators. The Division operates with a $127M operating budget (FY 2015) and approximately 300 staff. The Program in Biology component of the Division employs 121 faculty. All told, this environment creates significant opportunities for crossdisciplinary research and for the integration of basic and translational research. Brown's Division of Biology and Medicine is dedicated to the highest standards of excellence in education, research and health care. The Division takes a distinctive approach to its tripartite mission: O Education: The Division is responsible for all academic programs in biological and medical sciences and assumes responsibility for a continuum of education that encompasses undergraduate, graduate and medical curricula. The Program in Biology comprises five basic life science departments: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry; Molecular Microbiology and Immunology; Molecular Pharmacology, Physiology and Biotechnology; and Neuroscience. The Medical School boasts 14 clinical departments: Dermatology, Diagnostic Imaging, Emergency Medicine, Family Medicine, Medicine, Neurology, Neurosurgery, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Orthopedics, Pediatrics, Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Radiation Oncology, and Surgery, located primarily at its affiliated teaching hospitals. In addition, one department - Pathology and Laboratory Medicine - is a hybrid department and includes both campus and hospital-based faculty. Uniquely, Brown is distinguished by faculty in the Division of Biology and Medicine who teach and mentor students at multiple levels: undergraduates, graduates, medical students, residents, and fellows. Brown's Program in Liberal Medical Education (PLME) is an eight-year, highly selective program accepting 60 outstanding undergraduate applicants each year. After earning their undergraduate degree from the University, students advance to the Medical School. The PLME is designed to develop humanistic, socially conscious and scientifically superb physicians. PLME students comprise approximately 35% of the first year medical class. Traditional recent graduates comprise 55% of the class and more mature postbaccalaureates who bring real life experiences comprise 10% of the class. The Medical
Page 3 of 8 School recently implemented a new Primary Care/Population Medicine track that brought the total class size of the medical school to its present level of 144 students. O Research: The research interests of the Division faculty are broad - embracing basic, translational, and biological sciences. Faculty from the Division of Biology and Medicine enjoy strong external funding, primarily from the NSF and the NIH. Brown ranks approximately 39th amongst U.S. medical schools in total NIH grant support when campus-based and hospital-based grants are combined. In FY 14, research expenditures for the Division and its Affiliated Teaching Hospital Partners were $150M. Research funding has increased by approximately 53% over the last two years. The establishment of the Brown Institute of Translational Sciences (BITS) this past year reinforces Brown s commitment to understanding the processes that underlie disease pathogenesis. Division undergraduate students are afforded ample opportunities to participate in research activities, opportunities that are generally unavailable to undergraduate students in comparable institutions. In addition to intra-divisional collaborations, faculty from the Division of Biology and Medicine collaborate with colleagues in the physical sciences, engineering, applied math, and the School of Public Health, as well as with faculty from the social sciences. Under the University's Building on Distinction strategic plan, the Division will be increasing the size of its faculty over the next several years. Active planning is underway for a new research structure to accommodate growth. O Clinical: Clinical training is provided through Brown's affiliation with seven hospital partners - six private, non-profit hospitals in the greater Providence area, and the Providence Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Brown's clinical faculty members are typically compensated either by departmentally-based foundations or by the hospitals in which they practice and teach. Several of the affiliated teaching hospital partners are members of the Lifespan and Care New England health care systems. The Lifespan system includes Rhode Island Hospital, a 719-bed general acute care hospital designated as a Level I trauma center, The Miriam Hospital, a 247-bed general acute care hospital, the Hasbro Children s Hospital and the Emma Pendleton Bradley Hospital, the nation's first psychiatric hospital devoted exclusively to children and adolescents. The Care New England health care system includes Women and Infants Hospital, one of the premier health care facilities for women and neonates in the United States wherein almost 9,000 babies are born annually, Butler Hospital, an adult psychiatric and substance abuse hospital, and Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island, a Pawtucket-based 294-bed community hospital. The Veterans Affairs Medical Center, a 230-bed facility, provides acute in-patient and ambulatory care to veterans, bringing additional strength to an already rich clinical and educational scene. Brown s relationship with its partner hospitals provides multiple benefits to the school, the hospitals, and the people they serve. Together, over the past 30 years, this health care universe has transformed health care in Rhode Island. In FY12, the grand opening of the Alpert Medical School building was held (August 15, 2011), with a very generous gift from the Warren Alpert Foundation. The Medical School was moved into a state of the art facility located in the Jewelry District and in the immediate vicinity of the partner hospitals. This has created the opportunity for shared interdisciplinary endeavors and the critical mass of a powerful academic medical center.
Page 4 of 8 The combination of Brown s constantly improving reputation, with large tertiary hospitals that dominate the market, follows the trajectory of some of the finest medical centers in the nation, and promises to considerably enhance all the institutions involved. The Alpert Medical School (AMS), a prominent medical school housed in one of the finest facilities of its kind in the country, is renowned for the quality of progressive, student-focused medical education it provides. As Rhode Island s only medical school, approximately 43% of the state s physicians are affiliated with AMS and 48% of physicians who complete both the medical school and residency program in Rhode Island stay in the state. In September, 2013, Jack Elias was named Dean of the Division of Biology and Medicine and the Frank L. Day Professor of Biology and Medicine. Dr. Elias was recruited to the Division after a 23-year career at the Yale School of Medicine. He began his career in medicine at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, where he rose through the ranks from Assistant Professor of Medicine to Acting Chief of Pulmonary before moving to the Yale School of Medicine where, since 2006, Dr. Elias had served as the Waldemar Von Zedtwitz Professor and Chair of Internal Medicine. Over the last several years, under Dr. Elias leadership, the Division has increased research funding by 53% and improved organizational effectiveness. During Dr. Elias tenure the Division has developed a comprehensive space policy, revamped the compensation plan and incentive structure, strengthened the culture of service, and implemented a transparent budgeting process. Additionally, a structural operating deficit of $6M was eliminated. This was achieved through a variety of measures including streamlining administrative costs, diversifying revenue streams, and negotiating advantageous contractual arrangements. Today, the Division has an operating budget of $127M, and an endowment of $333M. Brown s Operational Plan for Building Brown s Excellence Realizing the Goals of Building on Distinction: A New Plan for Brown (Building on Distinction), serves as the strategic roadmap for the Division. The creation of the Brown Institute for Translational Science (BITS) provides an infrastructure that capitalizes on existing strengths and expands capabilities for translational science. It will be composed of horizontally integrated teams of scientists and clinicians who will focus on the following key initiatives: Aging; Respiratory Diseases; Genetics, Genomics, and Personalized Medicine; and Musculoskeletal and Motion Sciences. Other initiatives include Health Care Delivery (in partnership with the School of Public Health), the Brown Center for Biomedical Informatics, and the Hassenfeld Child Health Innovation Institute (also in collaboration with the School of Public Health). THE ROLE The, reporting to the Dean of Medicine and Biological Sciences, is the chief operating and financial officer for the Division of Biology and Medicine. In addition to overseeing administrative and fiscal operations for the Division, the Executive Dean also serves as a strategic partner to the Dean, and as such represents the Dean at critical forums. This individual also has a dotted line reporting relationship to the Executive Vice President for Administration and Finance and the VP for Academic Finance and Administration, reflecting the strong integral and collaborative relationship between the Division and the University at large. In so doing, the Executive
Page 5 of 8 Dean for Administration manages the processes through which resources are analyzed, developed and allocated in support of the Division's programs in education and research. This position has overall responsibility for a budget of $127M and a total staff of approximately 300. The Executive Dean leads and directs the Division's offices responsible for financial services, human resource management, computing information services, research administration, facilities and space management, and the animal care facility. The administrative staff of the research lab cores is based in various departments in the Division. While financial services under the Executive Dean oversee research core budgets, the Associate Dean for the Program in Biology oversees research related operations, including, but not limited to, periodic calculation of proposed cost-recovery rates and requests for capital investment in research instrumentation. Working closely with the direct reports, the ensures that programs and services are aligned with Division and University goals and initiatives, and operate in compliance with all relevant policies and state and federal regulations. The Executive Dean collaborates with a variety of University and hospital leaders including: the University's Associate Vice President for Research Administration, Associate Vice President for Budget & Planning, Vice President for Facilities Management, Director of Facilities Planning, Director of Academic Resources, the Chief Executive/Chief Financial Officers at Brown affiliated hospitals, and other senior administrators. OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES The Division has identified a series of broad strategic objectives, which the new Executive Dean, together with the Dean, leadership and staff of the Division, will play a key role in helping to fulfill. Specific opportunities and challenges for the new Executive Dean include: Strategic Planning This individual will work with the Dean, Department Chairs, Center Directors, Associate Deans, the Chief Executive/Chief Financial Officers at Brown affiliated hospitals, and other appropriate senior administrators to support and implement comprehensive, long range strategic plans for research and educational programs and services. The impact of the creation of the Brown Institute for Translational Science (BITS) in the most recent strategic plan will be wide ranging and far reaching. Through new and more fully supported translational research groups and faculty, it will create new courses, research opportunities and clinical experiences, giving all students from undergraduate to medical and postdoctoral direct access to translational research. These efforts have already resulted in the recruitment of new faculty and creation of the Brown Center for Biomedical Informatics. BITS will catalyze the translation of basic discoveries into clinical innovations, commercialize new patient treatments and improve health. The Executive Dean will play a critical role in supporting the implementation of the strategic plan that will include more than 20 additional faculty recruitments, the enhancement of the MD/PhD Program and other educational and training programs, and negotiating and managing additional space needs.
Page 6 of 8 Culture of Service and Accomplishment The Executive Dean will work with a strong team of knowledgeable staff to continue to strengthen a culture of accountability and service. The Executive Dean, together with the staff, must continually balance the need to provide customer-friendly service that facilitates and supports the research and educational missions. The Executive Dean will work with faculty, staff, University colleagues and the Dean to create a high-performing organization to support the Division s missions. Budgetary and Financial Management The Division s fiscal structure is one in which the clinical funds flow directly from twelve individual practice plans to the clinical departments. The Division requires an Executive Dean who will be able to quickly grasp the Division s structure, develop a keen understanding of the complicated flow of funds between and among the academic and provider entities, and ensure sound budgetary analyses, financial management, and resource planning to bring the Division budget into structural balance. This individual will need to bring strong analytic and financial skills, and be well versed in medical school finances and reimbursement, to develop accurate volume projections and budgets while controlling expenses. She/he must also bring a consultative style and understand that budgeting is an iterative process that must be managed with discipline. The Executive Dean will also play an important role in supporting the ongoing resource allocation discussions with the Division s hospital partners. In addition, this individual will serve as an advocate on behalf of the Division to the greater University. Fundraising Support Despite its strong endowment and successful capital campaigns, Brown University and the Biomed Division are mindful of the current and ongoing economic climate. Realizing the vision of Brown as a leading and distinctive center for biomedical research will require substantial investment over the next decade. Over this period, the Division will deploy internally generated resources and prior philanthropic support to help launch and support the plan. Brown is currently launching a fundraising campaign, much of which will be targeted to the Biology and medical school programs. Fundraising is a high priority on the Dean s agenda and he requires an Executive Dean who will provide financial and analytical support to this critical activity, encompassing capital projects as well as current and future programmatic initiatives. The Executive Dean will assist the Dean by crafting a compelling financial case for the Division and sharing that with donors as appropriate. Research Support The Executive Dean, together with the staff, must often balance the need to provide researchers with services that facilitate and support their research, while at the same time ensuring the enterprise is always compliant. At present, the research activities within Brown and its clinical affiliates are managed across three different administrative research units. In an effort to streamline the various administrative research units, the Division is engaging the advice of consultants to address the current structure. The Executive Dean will serve as an advocate on behalf of the Division s research activities and represent the Division in the process.
Page 7 of 8 Physician Alignment The Division of Biology and Medicine has a variety of clinical affiliations within the Care New England and Lifespan health systems. In an ever changing and challenging health care environment with declining reimbursements and increasing competition, physician alignment becomes all the more imperative. The Division is currently working with consultants and the clinical foundations and the hospitals to develop closer alignment between the Division and its clinical partners. Discussions are underway as regards ways to better serve and bring the physicians into greater alignment. The Executive Dean will partner with the Dean on these critical activities and negotiations. Management of the Team Careful attention must be paid to strengthening the Division s administrative infrastructure and ensuring that it will continue to effectively support the increasingly diverse and complex activities of the enterprise. Leading the finance and administrative units of the Division, the Executive Dean will rely heavily on his/her staff for management of day to day activities. In addition to setting strategic direction for the units, the new Executive Dean will need to continue to manage, develop and mentor staff to cultivate and maintain a high functioning, operational team. QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE The Division requires an Executive Dean who will bring a breadth of financial and administrative knowledge and experience to oversee the business and operational aspects of its complex organization. This individual must be able to wisely manage financial resources, develop effective working relationships with hospital partners and Division faculty, support sound decisions in the development and allocation of space, streamline operational processes to gain greater efficiencies, and, in a spirit of openness and shared vision, work with Brown administration and other departments to strengthen the overarching missions. Success in this role requires an understanding of the culture and operations of a highperforming academic medical center as well as a university with a strong undergraduate college and graduate school. Developing rapport with university administration, faculty, and clinical staff is essential; the Executive Dean must be attentive to their issues, understand how to support them effectively, and work to foster an environment of highquality service. Individuals must bring exceptional integrity, intelligence, and maturity as well as successful experience navigating in complex organizational settings. The individual selected will bring a proven track record of creative and energetic problem-solving with demonstrated ability to identify and implement innovative approaches to resource management and faculty motivation. The Division requires a personal style that is service-oriented, and an approach that inspires confidence and respect from the varied constituencies of the Division. Key qualifications include: At least 10 years of progressively responsible financial, human resources, and operations management experience, ideally in an academic medical center environment, along with higher education, healthcare, and research institution experience.
Page 8 of 8 Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of the principles, processes, and requirements of strategic planning, budgeting, financial planning and analysis, and research administration, for an organization of similar size and complexity of funding streams. Successful experience in planning and managing capital projects, including the coordination of construction activities with developers, architects, and external constituents. Knowledge of healthcare reimbursement, medical school funding, grants administration and fund accounting, including direct and indirect cost allocation; a keen understanding of academic health care systems and an appreciation for the distinct provider components. Knowledge of the funding of graduate education. Demonstrated leadership ability with a proven record of success in communicating to and working with all levels of a rapidly changing organization. Strong interpersonal skills; a record of integrating and unifying individuals with diverse agendas around creative solutions to difficult problems. Strong management skills and commitment to developing and motivating a large and diverse team. Proven ability to facilitate and reach consensus in committee structure, with senior administration and with peers both internally and externally. A bachelor s degree is required; an advanced degree -- MBA and/or other related advanced degree is preferred. TO APPLY All inquiries, nominations and application materials (cover letter and resume) should be sent electronically and in confidence to: Denise O Grady Gaffney, Vice President Liz Vago, Managing Associate 263 Summer Street, Boston, MA 02110 www.imsearch.com/5585 Electronic submission of materials is strongly encouraged. Brown University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.