Dean, School of Medicine and Vice Chancellor of Medical Affairs

University of California San Francisco•San Francisco, CA

14d•$1,000,000 - $1,400,000

About The Position

This is a pivotal moment for the UCSF School of Medicine. Amid evolving healthcare economics, rapid scientific advancement, growing expectations for equity and accountability, and volatility in federal research funding, UCSF seeks a bold, integrative leader capable of sustaining excellence while shaping the future of academic medicine. Reporting to the Chancellor of UCSF, this role encompasses the dual appointment of Dean of the School of Medicine and Vice Chancellor of Medical Affairs , a position central to advancing UCSF’s academic and clinical missions. As Dean and Vice Chancellor for Medical Affairs , this leader serves as the chief academic and administrative officer of the School of Medicine, responsible for strategic vision, faculty affairs, graduate and undergraduate medical education, research enterprise leadership, and financial stewardship. The Dean and Vice Chancellor also plays a central role in aligning academic priorities with the clinical enterprise, serving as a key partner to UCSF Health leadership, reporting with the President and CEO of UCSF Health to the Chancellor who serves as Chairman of UCSF Health, and ensuring integration across academic, clinical, and research missions. The successful candidate will be a visionary academic physician leader with deep experience navigating the complexity of a large, decentralized academic health system. They will be decisive yet collaborative, strategic yet pragmatic, and capable of inspiring confidence across faculty, learners, clinicians, administrators, donors, and external partners. The Dean will be a visionary, accomplished academic and executive leader with the stature, breadth, and drive to lead a complex, decentralized academic health enterprise. The successful candidate will bring recognized distinction in scholarship or leadership within a health sciences discipline (M.D. required), coupled with a clear and compelling vision for integrating research, education, and service to advance health worldwide. This leader will demonstrate an uncompromising commitment to academic excellence, including the recruitment and development of exceptional faculty, the advancement of innovative teaching and research, and rigorous stewardship of academic programs. They will have a proven record of strategic thinking, program building and partnership development—both within and beyond the university—leveraging interdisciplinary strengths to create new opportunities and institutional impact. The ideal candidate will bring demonstrated success in executive management, financial stewardship, and fundraising within a large academic health sciences environment, along with deep experience fostering inclusive and diverse communities. They will be a collaborative, highly effective people leader with strong interpersonal and communication skills, able to inspire trust and engagement across scientists and non-scientists and to operate credibly at the highest levels of academia, healthcare, government, and philanthropy. Personally, the Dean will be known for integrity, humility, optimism, resilience, and high energy, with the flexibility and tenacity required to lead in a dynamic, rapidly evolving environment. A genuine respect for UCSF’s culture, traditions, and collaborative ethos—and a willingness to listen, engage broadly, and lead with authenticity—will be essential to success.

Requirements

Progressive success in an academic medical or health center that values the multi-faceted mission; a strong reputation as a physician leader with accomplishments in medical education, research, and clinical care.
Proven ability to build partnerships and trust with all partnerships and alliances with UCSF.
Recognition as an inspiring and credible “face and voice” of an organization.
Understanding of complex financial pressures in research-intensive medical schools and academic healthcare organizations and record of strengthening financial performance and operational efficiency.
Demonstrated management of large P&Ls in a complex healthcare environment.
An uncompromising commitment to academic excellence in recruitment, retention, mentorship, and development of senior leaders and faculty possessing the emotional intelligence and ability to lead in a complex matrixed environment. Ability to motivate and inspire high-performing educators, researchers, and clinicians.
An M.D. degree and credentials for a full professor with tenure appointment required.

Responsibilities

Provide visionary, enterprise-wide leadership for the UCSF School of Medicine and UCSF Health, advancing UCSF’s position as a leading academic medical institution across research, education, and clinical care.
Develop and execute a cohesive, forward-looking strategy for the School of Medicine.
Advance a culture of collaboration and mutual respect across all parts of UCSF.
Establish and steward an effective governance and leadership structure that enables accountability, alignment, and timely decision-making across academic, clinical, and research enterprises.
Serve as a principal strategic partner to UCSF Health leadership, ensuring strong alignment and shared accountability across academic, clinical, and research missions.
Provide overall financial and operational stewardship for the School of Medicine, ensuring fiscal sustainability, strategic investment, and long-term growth.
Recruit, develop, and retain outstanding academic and administrative leaders, fostering a high-performing, collaborative, and mission-driven culture.
Advance national and international prominence in research and discovery by strengthening the discovery and translational science continuum, expanding the extramural funding portfolio, and investing in emerging areas of scientific opportunity.
Provide strategic oversight of School of Medicine departments, campus-wide centers and institutes, ensuring alignment with institutional priorities and maximizing impact.
Lead the continued evolution of UCSF’s innovative medical education programs, promoting educational excellence, equity, and an exceptional student experience.
Advance a best-in-class clinical enterprise, distinguished by clinical outcomes, destination programs, innovation in care delivery, and clinical scholarship.
Provide campus-wide leadership for the School of Medicine, working closely with the Chancellor, senior leadership, Deans of the health professional schools, and the academic senate to advance shared priorities.
Convene and lead the Deans’ Council, promoting strategic coherence, collaboration, and communication.
Champion opportunity for all as core institutional values embedded across education, research, clinical care, and leadership.
Act as a visible leader in philanthropy, strengthening donor relationships, and securing investment aligned with strategic priorities.
Serve as a compelling ambassador and national thought leader for UCSF and academic medicine, representing the institution with credibility and influence at the institutional, regional, national, and international levels.