Senior Faculty Affairs Officer - School of Dental Medicine - Tufts University

Tufts University School of Dental Medicine (TUSDM) offers one of the most forward-looking educational environments in dental medicine in the country. Since its founding in 1868, Tufts University School of Dental Medicine has been committed to excellence in education, research, patient care, and community service. The Dean is the highest ranking individual within the School of Dental Medicine and consequently the Dean’s Office and its staff must be prepared to handle a broad spectrum of responsibilities. 

The Senior Faculty Affairs Officer serves as a central resource for information about faculty and as a referral source for faculty appointments, promotions, and tenure policies/procedures. This position reports directly to the Dean of TUSDM, but works closely with the Executive Associate Dean and other school leadership to ensure effective appointment, reappointment, promotion, and tenure processes for approximately 440 total faculty (salaried and volunteer).  The individual will be the School’s resource for all faculty related matters and the in-house resource on School and University policies and procedures as it relates to faculty. The individual will be responsible for maintaining faculty data for all faculty members, both salaried and volunteer, that have appointments with TUSDM.  In addition, the individual will be responsible for ensuring that all appointments and contracts are current and that each faculty member’s relationship with the TUSDM is properly managed. 

Essential Functions: 

Faculty Relations 

• Serves as resource for faculty and all faculty related issues.
• Responsible for having a detailed and comprehensive understanding of the TUSDM faculty handbook, communicating policies and procedures and handling faculty inquiries. Work with the senior administration to modify and revise the TUSDM Faculty Handbook and TUSDM bylaws as is periodically necessary.  Provide guidance to Department Chairs and Department Managers/Administrators on TUSDM and University policies and procedures. Advise departments on matters relating to hiring procedures, contracts and terminations.
• Responsible for understanding the faculty contract process tracking contract status, working with Finance and Administration to facilitate and issue appropriate letters and contracts to ensure that all faculty have active and current contracts.  Work with Dean, and hiring/supervising department to set forth appropriate rank, administrative title, terms and compensation.
• Manage School’s process for faculty appointments and promotions. Support the chair of the Faculty Promotions and Tenure Committee (FAPTC).  Provide support and coordination to the FAPTC, gathering appropriate information, producing meeting minutes, producing necessary information for approval at executive faculty, issuing letters of appointment, promotion, and re-appointment. Responsible for understanding the faculty information system, where faculty appointments and data are updated. Works with Finance and Administration on providing data for ADA and ADEA faculty surveys.
• Monitor appointment renewals and track tenure status. Establish procedures for unusual appointments (Research Associates, Post-Doctoral Fellows, and Research Faculty). Ensure that timely decisions are made.  Coordinates sabbaticals with TUSDM leadership and Provost Office.

Faculty Support 

• Point of contact for University Human Resources, Office of Equal Opportunity and Provost’s Office on special projects (i.e. sabbatical leaves, time off tracking, training seminars).
• Responsible for administrating the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) policies for all faculty.  Develop, prepare and track government required documents for faculty FMLAs.  Ensure that the government, University and TUSDM policies surrounding leaves are being upheld.
• Provide faculty consultation and guidance regarding faculty promotion processes, guidelines, criteria, and benefits. Advise faculty on various other University policies and procedures such as leaves of absence, vacations, and sabbaticals.  Serve as primary liaison to department managers regarding faculty matters and communicate regular updates as necessary.

Executive Faculty

• Responsible for coordinating the schedule of executive faculty meetings. 
• Serves as voting member of executive faculty.
• Attends meetings, records and distributes meeting minutes and tracks necessary information.

General, Administrative and Other

• Attend, conduct, and report on meetings.  Represent Dental Administration at meetings as requested.  Coordinate with school administration to provide excellent customer service to faculty, students, and staff. Work collaboratively with other Faculty Affairs Officers at Tufts to establish best practices and share information.

Basic Requirements: 

• BA/BS and 5+ years of related experience required in a similar role, with significant responsibility for ensuring the confidentiality of faculty salary and status information.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office, specifically Excel and Word; skills with database management, electronic workflow, web-based services

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Master’s degree preferred.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.  The individual will be able to track and process informational requests in timely manner. 
• Excellent communication skills (interpersonal, verbal and written); ability to advise faculty and staff in a professional and considerate manner, and handle multiple projects at the same time.
• Experience in working in higher education, preferably a health sciences school.
• Experience with and commitment to customer service.