Director - Center for Excellence in Disabilities (CED), West Virginia University (WVU)

West Virginia University [WVU] is seeking an energetic and visionary leader who possesses strong academic credentials and leadership ability in the field of disabilities to serve as Director of the WVU Center for Excellence in Disabilities (CED). The WVU CED was established in 1978 as part of a nation-wide network of university affiliated centers for developmental disabilities. Concurrent with new initiatives at the university and the academic health sciences center, university leadership is committed to fulfilling the WVU land grant mission of addressing the needs of the citizens of the state, which currently ranks #1 in the country for citizens with disability. The leader we seek will be capable of building on an existing infrastructure of state wide service delivery and optimize the clinical, research and education potential of CED to advocate, build capacity, and change systems for people with disabilities in West Virginia.

The Director serves as the principal investigator of the federal grant which established and funds the CED, as well as government and private funded projects. The Director should have significant experience in the field of disabilities for a minimum of ten years. The Director is expected to provide academic and research leadership for the CED and academic partners across the university He or she should be eligible for a WVU faculty appointment in the appropriate department at the rank of Associate or full Professor. The applicant should have a doctoral degree in a disability related field, such as medicine, education, special education, disability, human services. Doctorates in other fields that are related to intellectual and developmental disabilities, or have been applied to the field of disability in some way, will be considered. Applicants with Master's degrees will be considered if they otherwise meet all other credentials outlined as well as more than 10 years of experience in the disability field.

Qualified applicants will have demonstrated cultural competence, expertise, leadership and commitment in the field of developmental disabilities and have demonstrable ability in proposal development and grant writing, as well as in the administration and management of federal and state grants and contracts. It is expected the qualified applicant will demonstrate the ability to leverage both public and private funds, including philanthropic and corporate sources. The qualified applicant should have knowledge of federal, state and local policies, practices, and systems as they relate to disability, including the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000. It is highly desired that qualified applicants have strong ability to lead and conduct interdisciplinary research and training activities. It is essential that the qualified applicant show they have the potential for leadership and vision in carrying out the mission of the CED and WVU in addressing the needs of individuals with disabilities of all cultures in the state of West Virginia.

The CED Director provides leadership to the university and state in developing and implementing best practices in education, employment, independent living and support services for persons with disabilities across multiple cultural backgrounds. He or she is responsible for all aspects of program and policy development, human resources, financial and leadership functions within the CED. He or she is responsible for developing and maintaining relationships with a wide variety of stakeholders at the local, state and national levels. The Director will serve as a member of the Health Sciences Executive committee and is expected to develop and maintain collaborations with interdisciplinary faculty across departments, schools and programs within the Health Sciences Center and across the university. The ability to develop partnerships with clinical services of the WVU Medicine system in order to enhance comprehensive service delivery for individuals with disabilities is expected.

West Virginia University is a land grant Carnegie-designated Doctoral Research/Extensive institution, with approximately 32,500 students, including 27,000 undergraduate and 5,500 graduate/professional students. The WVU Health Sciences Center includes the Schools of Pharmacy, Medicine, Dentistry, Public Health and Nursing. Patient care facilities include a 460-bed teaching hospital, a Level I trauma center, and a 70-bed psychiatric hospital. Morgantown is within easy traveling distance of Washington, D.C., to the east, Pittsburgh, Pa., to the north, and Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio, to the northwest. Morgantown has 55,000 residents and is rated as one of the best small towns in the U.S., with affordable housing, excellent schools, a picturesque countryside and many outdoor activities.

Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. To inquire about the position please contact the chairperson of the search committee, Dr. MaryBeth Mandich, PT, PhD, Professor & Chairperson of the Division of Physical Therapy and Vice Dean for Professional Programs at [email protected]. To apply for this position, please send electronically a CV with a cover letter addressing how you meet the qualifications put forth in this advertisement and contact information for three professional references to:  [email protected]

WVU is an EEO/Affirmative Action employer - Minority/Female/Disability/Veteran