Associate Chair for Administration and Finance and Chief Administrative Officer

About the job

This position serves as the Associate Chair for Administration and Finance and as the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) for the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (DPBS) and the Langley Porter Psychiatric Institute (LPPI). The Associate Chair serves as the administrative leader for these units and a key strategic advisor to the Department Chair for all administrative operational matters. The Associate Chair reports directly to the Department Chair and indirectly to the School of Medicine Vice Dean of Administration and Finance.

The Associate Chair has administrative operations responsibility for more than 803 paid staff, 374 academic faculty, 237 volunteer faculty, as well as 181 trainees, including 64 residents. The annual expenditure of FY25 was $244M.

The Associate Chair oversees all strategic and functional activities within the department related to financial and personnel management, compliance, resource planning, and the administration of systems supporting the department's clinical, research, and teaching goals. This includes oversight and management of the Department’s financial and Human Resources teams. The Associate Chair also works closely with the Associate Chair for Operations to help oversee risk management and space allocation. The Associate Chair works to maximize the utilization of all department and program resources and to provide and maintain administrative excellence in all aspects of the department. The Associate Chair will achieve the goals of the department through effective planning, program development and administration, policy interpretation, supervision and career development of administrative staff, health and safety compliance, and adherence to government and University policies and regulations.

As noted above, the Associate Chair will have significant management responsibilities for the leadership and teams that report to them. This includes the HR and Academic Affairs Manager and the Director of Finance and Administration (and/or a Chief Financial Officer). It is critical that the Associate Chair provides strategic guidance, clear goals, detailed responsibilities, measurable outcomes, and regular, consistent evaluation to these department leaders so they can work with their teams on implementation. In this aspect, it is important that the Associate Chair be able to translate and manage requests from the Department Chair and other members of the department leadership team to be addressed in their area. Overall, the Associate Chair will be responsible for ensuring efficient and effective decision-making in the DPBS, including through sound financial analysis and planning and regular oversight and reporting to the leadership team.

The Associate Chair serves as a key advisor to the Chair of the Department and works closely with other Department leaders on not only administrative and financial operations, but also policy development, faculty and staff affairs, and many other areas. The Associate Chair sits on the DPBS Executive Committee and is expected to regularly attend Executive Committee and other leadership and key departmental meetings. They also will work closely with the DPBS Advancement and Promotions Committee.

Additionally, the Associate Chair oversees the DPBS Education Training Program Manager and the administrative and financial operations of the department’s education and training programs and activities. In this aspect, the Associate Chair partners closely with the Vice Chair for Medical Education, the Vice Chair for Psychology Education and the Adult Psychiatry Residency Program Director on strategy and decision-making.

The Associate Chair manages the faculty compensation plan, including ensuring compliance with School of Medicine, UCSF Health and UCSF Campus policies and procedures, and co-leads the Department’s Compensation Committee, which provides strategic and operational recommendations to the Chair regarding faculty compensation in the department broadly.

This role is recognized as an influential leader within the University. In addition to strategic planning and managing the Department's overall administrative operations and financial viability, this position must respond and adapt to new campus and school-level initiatives. The Associate Chair plays a central role in promoting and facilitating partnerships across clinical and basic science departments, University Centers and Institutes, and Organized Research Units. The DPBS places a particularly high priority on playing a leadership role in minimizing barriers to collaboration across the UCSF neuroscience community with respect to research, education and training, clinical care and public service. Moreover, the position is expected to actively participate and provide input on campus and school committees broadly, representing the needs of the Department and acting as a representative of the school and its broader set of constituents when needed. This role is also expected to engage in university service commitments such as serving as a Skelly Officer and Step One Officer and serving on committees such as Funds Flow 2.0 Workgroups, Enterprise Resource Planning System groups, SMAC, etc.

Department Overview: The UCSF Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences is a national and international leader in child, adolescent and adult mental health. Department faculty members and staff are recognized for collaborating to provide state-of-the-art, comprehensive and compassionate patient care, pioneering research, excellence in training the next generation of leaders, advancing public policy to advance mental health, and commitment to health equity, community and diversity. The Department is composed of programs located at multiple geographic sites, including the UCSF Nancy Friend Pritzker Psychiatry Building; UCSF Langley Porter Psychiatric Hospital at Mount Zion; Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center; San Francisco Veteran Affairs Medical Center; UCSF Medical Centers at Parnassus Heights, Mount Zion, and Mission Bay; UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals in Oakland and San Francisco; clinical and research programs at UCSF's Parnassus Heights, Mount Zion, and Mission Bay campuses; and community-based programs located throughout the Bay Area and Northern California.

Our faculty, staff and trainees are committed to building a diverse community that is welcoming and supportive, one that will nurture education, clinical activities, and research.

For more information, please visit our website.

Responsibilities

%

of time

Essential Function (Yes/No)

Key Responsibilities

(To be completed by Supervisor)

20

Yes

Provides direction to subordinate managers. Resolves escalated human resource issues with legal, dean’s office, and academic affairs. Directs workforce analysis and leads implementation of workforce plans. Develops / directs change management initiatives and monitors results.

10

Yes

Directs strategic and operational planning.  Partners with dean, department chairs, and medical center leaders to develop strategic plans. Plans new initiatives and identifies funding. Develops and implements solutions to drive efficiencies and improvements. Sets policies and establishes procedures.

10

Yes

Directs financial analyses and reporting including forecasts of clinical and research revenue and expenses, governmental contracts and the department’s philanthropic portfolio. Develops financial modeling and analysis to evaluate feasibility of new programs or expansion initiatives. Establishes budgeting practices. Establishes and implements product.

10

Yes

Collaborates with senior leaders to plan, develop, and expand clinical services and / or research programs. Develops new funding models. Develops and guides program enhancements. Develops clinical incentive plans.

10

Yes

Seeks new funding sources for research services. Directs research compliance and risk management. Develops productivity measures, reporting tools and develops strategies to improve measures. Promotes activities that foster collaboration.

10

Yes

Collaborates with department chair on faculty recruitment and retention efforts. Negotiates faculty recruitment and retention commitments. Resolves appointment, logistics, and cooperative agreement issues. Oversees health sciences compensation plans for departments / units.

10

Yes

Participates in planning for education programs and initiatives. Develops and implements teaching metrics and evaluation methodologies. Ensures funds for teaching programs.

10

Yes

Works collaboratively with other members of DPBS leadership to define and accomplish goals.   Serves as advisor to Vice Chairs.

5

Yes

Participates in planning and implementation of philanthropic strategies to increase gifts and endowments.

5

Yes

Leads resolution of complex issues and/or problems as they arise in the areas of faculty misconduct, staff performance, etc.

100

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in related area and ten + years of experience or  equivalent experience/training
• Ten plus years of supervisory or management experience
• Excellent leadership skills to oversee large or multiple academic departments and/or centers and/or institutes through subordinate managers.
• Advanced knowledge of financial analysis and reporting techniques, accounting principles, forecasting, budgeting, audit and internal control systems.
• Excellent interpersonal skills to lead, facilitate relationships, collaborate, persuade and influence. Advanced negotiating skills.
• Highly advanced analytical, organizational, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Highly advanced skills in strategy development, systems planning and change management.
• Highly advanced HR administration skills.
• Highly advanced project management skills, including the ability to manage capital projects.
• Highly advanced ability to identify, develop, and prioritize objectives.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Advanced degree
• Experience with UC and UCSF system-wide policies and procedures regarding financial, administrative, environmental health and safety, fire safety, space utilization, and facilities management procedures.

About Us

About UCSF

The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) is a leading university dedicated to promoting health worldwide through advanced biomedical research, graduate-level education in the life sciences and health professions, and excellence in patient care. It is the only campus in the 10-campus UC system dedicated exclusively to the health sciences. We bring together the world’s leading experts in nearly every area of health. We are home to five Nobel laureates who have advanced the understanding of cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, aging and stem cells.

Pride Values

UCSF is a diverse community made of people with many skills and talents. We seek candidates whose work experience or community service has prepared them to contribute to our commitment to professionalism, respect, integrity, diversity and excellence – also known as our PRIDE values.

In addition to our PRIDE values, UCSF is committed to equity – both in how we deliver care as well as our workforce. We are committed to building a broadly diverse community, nurturing a culture that is welcoming and supportive, and engaging diverse ideas for the provision of culturally competent education, discovery, and patient care. Additional information about UCSF is available here.

Join us to find a rewarding career contributing to improving healthcare worldwide.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law.

Salary Information

The final salary and offer components are subject to additional approvals based on UC policy.

Your placement within the salary range is dependent on a number of factors including your work experience and internal equity within this position classification at UCSF. For positions that are represented by a labor union, placement within the salary range will be guided by the rules in the collective bargaining agreement.

To learn more about the benefits of working at UCSF, including total compensation, please visit: https://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu/compensation-and-benefits/index.html

Additional Information

• Job Identification: 10927
• Job Category: General Administration
• Apply Before: 2026-10-30
• Locations: 654 Minnesota Street, San Francisco, CA, 94107, US ()
• Shift Length: 8 hours
• Budgeted Job Salary Range: 318000-329000
• Campus Location 1: Mission Bay (SF)
• Bargaining Unit: 99
• FLSA Status: Exempt
• Job Code and Payroll Title: 005636 | HEALTH SCIENCES ADM 3
• Workplace: Flexible 2 Days On-Site
• FTE%: 100.00