Make a Lasting Impact on Mental Health, Academic Medicine, and Research

The University of Utah’s Department of Psychiatry seeks a strategic, collaborative, and visionary Senior Administrative Director to serve as the senior administrative executive and chief administrative partner to the Department Chair. This is a unique opportunity to help shape the future of one of the nation’s leading academic psychiatry departments while advancing clinical excellence, groundbreaking research, innovative education, and community impact.

The Department of Psychiatry is a key academic and clinical partner within Huntsman Mental Health, working alongside the Huntsman Mental Health Institute, Huntsman Mental Health Hospital, and Huntsman Mental Health Foundation to advance a shared mission to advance mental health knowledge, hope, and healing for all. United by a vision to create the world’s first university-wide mental health institute, these organizations are driving transformative change in patient care, education, research, and policy. This unique ecosystem creates unparalleled opportunities for collaboration across academic medicine, healthcare operations, philanthropy, and community engagement, enabling innovative solutions that improve mental health and well-being in Utah and beyond.

The Department of Psychiatry is a dynamic and growing organization that includes 117 faculty members and 155 staff employees with an annual operating budget of approximately $13 million. Additionally, our faculty have more than $14 million in active research grants housed within the Huntsman Mental Health Institute. Working closely with leaders across the Huntsman Mental Health Institute, University of Utah Health, and the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, the Senior Administrative Director will play a defining role in driving strategy, operational excellence, workforce development, financial stewardship, and organizational growth.

This position offers the opportunity to influence the future of mental health care, research, and education while serving as a trusted advisor and key thought partner to departmental leadership.

Position Highlights

As the Senior Administrative Director, you will:

• Serve as the principal administrative advisor and strategic partner to the Department Chair.
• Lead the development and execution of operational strategies that support the Department’s clinical, educational, research, and community missions.
• Provide executive oversight of departmental administration, faculty affairs, human resources, contracting, organizational development, and workforce planning.
• Partner with departmental and health system finance leaders to ensure sound financial stewardship and long-term sustainability.
• Support strategic growth initiatives, faculty recruitment, research expansion, and educational program development.
• Foster collaboration across the Department, Huntsman Mental Health Institute, University of Utah Health, and University leadership.
• Lead and develop high performing administrative teams and build a culture of accountability, service, innovation, and continuous improvement.

Responsibilities

Key Areas of Responsibility

Strategic Leadership

Provide executive leadership for departmental operations and strategic initiatives, translating vision into actionable plans and measurable outcomes.

Financial Stewardship

Serve as a key advisor to the Department Chair on financial strategy, resource allocation, business planning, and organizational investments while partnering closely with finance leadership.

Faculty Affairs and Workforce Development

Oversee faculty and staff administration, workforce planning, talent development, recruitment, engagement, succession planning, and organizational effectiveness.

Clinical, Educational, and Research Administration

Support the Department’s expanding clinical enterprise, nationally recognized educational programs, and growing research portfolio through effective administrative leadership and resource planning.

Partnership Building

Cultivate strong relationships across the University, School of Medicine, University of Utah Health, Huntsman Mental Health Institute, community partners, and affiliated organizations.

What Will Make You Successful

The ideal candidate will bring:

• Strategic thinking and exceptional judgment.
• Strong financial acumen and business leadership.
• Executive presence and communication skills.
• The ability to build trust and collaborate across complex organizations.
• A track record of developing high performing teams and leaders.
• Adaptability, resilience, and change leadership capabilities.
• A commitment to integrity, accountability, and institutional stewardship.

Why Join Us?

The Department of Psychiatry is at an exciting point of growth and transformation, with opportunities to expand research, strengthen partnerships, advance innovative mental health care, and support the next generation of physicians, psychologists, and scientists. As Senior Administrative Director, you will help shape the future direction of one of the nation’s premier academic psychiatry departments while working alongside renowned clinicians, researchers, educators, and health system leaders dedicated to improving lives through excellence in mental health care.

Minimum Qualifications

EQUIVALENCY STATEMENT: 1 year of higher education can be substituted for 1 year of directly related work experience (Example: bachelor’s degree = 4 years of directly related work experience).

Senior Director, Administration Management: Requires a bachelor’s (or equivalency) + 14 years or a master’s (or equivalency) + 12 years of directly related work experience.

Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate will bring a strong combination of leadership experience, operational expertise, and strategic acumen, including:

• A bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Healthcare Administration, Public Administration, Finance, Human Resources, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Significant progressive leadership experience within healthcare, higher education, academic medicine, behavioral health, or similarly complex organizations.
• Demonstrated success leading large scale administrative operations, including strategic planning, financial management, human resources, and organizational development.
• Demonstrated financial literacy and experience overseeing complex budgets, financial forecasting, reporting, and resource allocation.
• A proven track record of developing leaders and building high performing teams across diverse functional areas.
• Exceptional communication, relationship building, analytical, and problem solving skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate across all levels of an organization.

Preferences

Preferred Experience

Candidates who possess one or more of the following qualifications will be particularly well positioned for success:

• Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA), Healthcare Administration (MHA), Public Administration (MPA), Public Health (MPH), or a related field.
• Significant administrative leadership experience within an academic medical center, health sciences organization, or large healthcare system.
• Experience supporting behavioral health, psychiatry, mental health, or related clinical disciplines.
• Knowledge of physician compensation models, faculty affairs administration, clinical service agreements, graduate medical education, and academic programs.
• Experience navigating matrixed organizations and building effective partnerships across complex stakeholder groups.
• Lean, Six Sigma, Project Management Professional (PMP), or other relevant leadership certifications.

Type Benefited Staff

Special Instructions Summary

Application Writing Prompt: Administrative Leadership in a Growing Academic Department

Thank you for your interest in the Senior Administrative Director position with the Department of Psychiatry.

As part of the application process, we invite you to submit a brief written response that will help us better understand your leadership philosophy, strategic thinking, and approach to administrative leadership in a complex organizational environment.

Writing Prompt

The Department of Psychiatry continues to experience growth across its clinical, research, and educational missions. Growth creates opportunities for innovation and impact, while also increasing operational complexity, resource demands, and the need for effective leadership.

In 500 to 750 words, please describe the three most important priorities you believe a Senior Administrative Director should focus on during their first year in a growing academic department.

In your response, please address:

• Why each priority is important to the long term success of the department.
• How you would approach assessing current needs and opportunities.
• Key stakeholders you would engage and why.
• How you would measure progress and success.

Submission Guidelines

• Length: 500 to 750 words
• Format: Narrative response
• Audience: Department leadership and search committee
• Please include examples from your professional experience where appropriate.

Evaluation Criteria

Responses will be evaluated on:

• Strategic thinking and prioritization
• Communication and writing effectiveness
• Understanding of organizational leadership
• Stakeholder engagement and collaboration
• Alignment between proposed priorities and measurable outcomes

Candidate Note

We recognize that candidates come from a variety of professional backgrounds. This exercise is not intended to assess specific knowledge of the University of Utah or the Department of Psychiatry. Rather, we are interested in understanding how you think about leadership, organizational effectiveness, and the role of administrative strategy in supporting a complex and mission driven organization.

Additional Information

The University is a participating employer with Utah Retirement Systems (“URS”). Eligible new hires with prior URS service, may elect to enroll in URS if they make the election before they become eligible for retirement (usually the first day of work). Contact Human Resources at (801) 581-7447 for information. Individuals who previously retired and are receiving monthly retirement benefits from URS are subject to URS’ post-retirement rules and restrictions. Please contact Utah Retirement Systems at (801) 366-7770 or (800) 695-4877 or University Human Resource Management at (801) 581-7447 if you have questions regarding the post-retirement rules.

This position may require the successful completion of a criminal background check and/or drug screen.

The University of Utah values candidates who have experience working in settings with students and possess a strong commitment to improving access to higher education.

Veterans’ preference is extended to qualified applicants, upon request and consistent with University policy and Utah state law. Upon request, reasonable accommodations in the application process will be provided to individuals with disabilities.

Consistent with state and federal law, the University of Utah does not discriminate based upon race, ethnicity, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, or protected veteran’s status. The University does not discriminate on the basis of sex in the education program or activity that it operates, as required by Title IX and 34 CFR part 106. The requirement not to discriminate in education programs or activities extends to admission and employment. Inquiries about the application of Title IX and its regulations may be referred to the Title IX Coordinator, to the Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, or both.

To request a reasonable accommodation for a disability or if you or someone you know has experienced discrimination or sexual misconduct including sexual harassment, you may contact the Director/Title IX Coordinator in the Office of Equal Opportunity and Title IX (OEO). More information, including the Director/Title IX Coordinator’s office address, electronic mail address, and telephone number can be located at the: University of Utah Non‑Discrimination page.

Online reports may be submitted at https://oeo.utah.edu.

https://publicsafety.utah.edu/safetyreport/ This report includes statistics about criminal offenses, hate crimes, arrests and referrals for disciplinary action, and Violence Against Women Act offenses. They also provide information about safety and security-related services offered by the University of Utah. A paper copy can be obtained by request at the Department of Public Safety located at 1658 East 500 South.

As per University of Utah policy 5-108: Transfer of Benefits Eligible Staff Members, a new hire to the University of Utah who is still serving a 12 month probationary period will not be hired into another University of Utah job (a transfer) until the successful completion of the probationary period.

Posting Specific Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

• What is your highest level of completed education?
• None
• High School Diploma or Equivalent
• Associate Degree
• Bachelor's Degree
• Master's Degree

• Doctorate Degree

• How many years of related work experience do you have?

• Less than 2 years
• 2 years or more, but less than 4 years
• 4 years or more, but less than 6 years
• 6 years or more, but less than 8 years
• 8 years or more, but less than 10 years
• 10 years or more, but less than 12 years
• 12 years or more, but less than 14 years

• 14 years or more

• Do you have experience working in a university, healthcare, academic medical center, or similarly regulated environment?

• Yes

• No

• What experience do you have working in integrative healthcare? (Open Ended Question)

• How many years of experience do you have in faculty affairs, human resources, academic administration, healthcare administration, or related operations? (Open Ended Question)

• Please indicate your years of experience in practice management, clinic operations or healthcare administration.

• None
• Less than 2
• More than 2 but less than 4
• More than 4 but less than 6

• More than 6

• Do you have 8 or more years of experience in practice management, clinic operations or healthcare administration?

• yes
• no

Applicant Documents

Required Documents

• Resume
• Cover Letter
• Writing Sample 1

Optional Documents

Open Date 10/20/2026

Requisition Number PRN46549B

Job Title Administration Management

Working Title Senior Administrative Director

Career Progression Track M00

Track Level M7 - Senior Director

FLSA Code Administrative

Patient Sensitive Job Code? Yes

Standard Hours per Week 40

Full Time or Part Time? Full Time

Shift Day

Work Schedule Summary

VP Area U of U Health - Academics

Department 00863 - Psychiatry - Administration

Location Campus

City Salt Lake City, UT

Type of Recruitment External Posting

Pay Rate Range $190,000 - $209,804

Close Date 12/20/2026

Priority Review Date (Note - Posting may close at any time)