(Hybrid) Founding Director for Practice, Research, and Community Integration - Behavioral Medicine

The Behavioral Medicine & Psychiatry Department at West
Virginia University is currently accepting applications for a
(Hybrid) Founding Director for Practice, Research, and Community
Integration.

About the Opportunity

The Founding Director for Practice, Research, and Community
Integration serves as a senior leadership position within the
Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute (RNI) Center for Practice,
Research, and Integration of Spirituality in Medicine (PRISM).
Working in close partnership with the Chair of Behavioral Medicine,
the Director is responsible for the development, implementation,
and operational leadership of the Center's clinical, educational,
research, wellbeing, and community engagement initiatives.

The Director will play a central role in translating the PRISM
Center's vision into sustainable programs and measurable outcomes
through collaboration with healthcare professionals, researchers,
patients, faith communities, spiritual care providers, and
community organizations. The position will provide leadership
across the Center's five foundational pillars: integration of
spirituality into patient-centered care; education and training for
healthcare professionals; capacity-building and mental health
training for faith and community partners; promotion of wellbeing;
and research, evaluation, and evidence development.

The Director will oversee the design, implementation, and
evaluation of programs that advance evidence-informed approaches to
spirituality and health while fostering mutually beneficial
partnerships between healthcare systems and community-based
organizations. The Director will work closely with clinical and
academic leaders to develop innovative models of whole-person care,
strengthen community engagement, support research initiatives, and
promote continuous quality improvement.

Working collaboratively with the Chair of Behavioral Medicine, the
Director will contribute to strategic planning, funding
development, and program growth while ensuring excellence in
operations, stakeholder engagement, program evaluation, and
resource stewardship. Through interdisciplinary collaboration and
innovative leadership, the Director will help establish the PRISM
Center as a nationally recognized leader in spiritually informed,
evidence-based healthcare.

We strongly believe in work-life balance and keeping time for
things we love outside our work. WVU offers generous benefits,
including:

• 37.5-hour work week
• 13 paid holidays (

staff holiday calendar )

• 24 annual leave (vacation) days per year (

employee leave )

• 18 sick days per year (for when you're ill, for when you need

time to care for sick family, for your own, or your family's,
regularly scheduled medical appointments. Who is family for the
purpose of this leave? A lot of people in your life including
immediate relatives and in-laws as well as others considered to be
members of your household living under the same roof)

• WVU offers a range of

health insurance and other benefits

• 401(a) retirement savings with 6% employee contribution match,

eligibility to continue health insurance, and other retiree perks.
Looking for
more retirement benefits information ? Check out retirement
health insurance benefits, retirement income, and FAQ's.

• Wellness programs

What You'll Do

• Program Development and Operational Leadership
• Lead the development, implementation, and evaluation of

programs and initiatives that advance the mission and strategic
objectives of the PRISM Center.

• Operationalize the Center's strategic priorities in partnership

with the Chair of Behavioral Medicine

• Establish measurable goals, implementation plans, performance

metrics, and operational processes to ensure program effectiveness
and sustainability.

• Identify opportunities for innovation, growth, and continuous

improvement across Center activities.

• Clinical Practice and Community Integration
• Collaborate with clinicians and healthcare leaders to develop

evidence-informed approaches for integrating spirituality into
patient-centered care.

• Develop referral pathways, workflows, and best-practice

guidelines that connect interested patients with appropriate
spiritual care and community resources.

• Maintain clear standards regarding patient autonomy,

confidentiality, cultural responsiveness, and professional
boundaries.

• Build and sustain a network of faith-based, community, and

spiritual care partners to support patient wellbeing and
whole-person care.

• Develop partner onboarding, training, and engagement processes

that promote quality, accountability, and shared
understanding.

• Education and Training
• Lead educational programming for clinicians, trainees, faculty,

staff, faith leaders, and community organizations.

• Develop curricula, workshops, and training materials related to

spiritual care, mental health awareness, community referral
practices, and whole-person wellbeing.

• Facilitate reciprocal learning opportunities between healthcare

professionals and faith-based partners.

• Evaluate educational initiatives and continuously improve

training programs based on outcomes and participant feedback.

• Research and Program Evaluation
• Collaborate with investigators, faculty, and external partners

to develop and implement research and evaluation initiatives.

• Support grant development, proposal preparation, and

programmatic components of external funding applications.

• Establish and monitor performance indicators and outcome

measures across Center programs.

• Utilize data and evidence to guide programmatic decision-making

and continuous improvement.

• Contribute to dissemination efforts including publications,

presentations, reports, and educational resources.

• Wellbeing Initiatives
• Develop and oversee programs supporting patient, caregiver, and

clinician wellbeing through spiritually informed and whole-person
approaches.

• Collaborate with institutional leadership and community

partners to identify opportunities that enhance resilience,
meaning, purpose, and social connection.

• Evaluate the effectiveness and impact of wellbeing initiatives

and recommend improvements.

• Financial and Administrative Management
• Assist in annual budget planning, financial forecasting,

resource allocation, and expenditure monitoring.

• Prepare analyses and reports related to program performance,

operational effectiveness, and resource utilization.

• Support development of budgets for grants, philanthropic

initiatives, and new program opportunities.

• Collaborate with the Chair of Behavioral Medicine on long-range

planning and sustainability efforts.

• Ensure accurate documentation, reporting, and administrative

compliance across Center activities.

• Personnel and Team Leadership
• Supervise assigned personnel and support recruitment,

onboarding, mentoring, and professional development
activities.

• Establish performance expectations and accountability measures

for staff and collaborators.

• Foster a collaborative, interdisciplinary, and mission-driven

culture.

• Coordinate staff, faculty, trainees, and community partners in

support of program objectives.

• Stakeholder Engagement and Representation
• Serve as a key liaison between the PRISM Center, clinical

departments, faculty, researchers, community organizations, and
faith-based partners.

• Build productive relationships across diverse stakeholder

groups.

• Facilitate meetings, collaborative initiatives, and community

engagement activities.

• Represent the Center in institutional, professional, and

community settings as delegated by the Chair of Behavioral
Medicine.

Qualifications :

• Master's degree in healthcare administration, public health,

business administration, health services administration, public
administration, social work, counseling, psychology, divinity,
theology, education, behavioral sciences, or a related field.

• A minimum of eight (8) years of experience in the following:
• Progressively responsible experience in healthcare, behavioral

health, academic medicine, research administration, community
health, spirituality and health, education, nonprofit leadership,
or related fields.

• A minimum of three (3) years of experience in the following:
• Leadership experience involving program oversight, personnel

supervision, budget management, or strategic initiative
development.

• Any equivalent combination of related education and/or

experience will be considered.

• All qualifications must be met by the time of employment.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of the intersection of spirituality, health,

wellbeing, and patient-centered care.

• Understanding of ethical, professional, and cultural

considerations related to spiritual care and community
engagement.

• Ability to develop, implement, and evaluate complex programs

and partnerships.

• Strong organizational leadership, project management, and

operational planning skills.

• Experience building productive relationships across healthcare,

academic, community, and faith-based settings.

• Ability to facilitate collaboration among diverse stakeholders

and perspectives.

• Strong written, verbal, and presentation communication

skills.

• Knowledge of research, quality improvement, and program

evaluation methodologies.

• Ability to interpret data and use evidence to inform strategic

and operational decisions.

• Experience managing budgets, monitoring expenditures, and

supporting financial planning.

• Knowledge of healthcare regulations, privacy requirements, and

institutional compliance standards.

• Demonstrated initiative, sound judgment, professionalism, and

accountability.

• Commitment to respectful, inclusive, evidence-informed

approaches to spirituality, wellbeing, and whole-person care.

Preferred Qualifications

• Doctoral degree or terminal professional degree (e.g., PhD,

PsyD, MD, DO, DMin, DrPH, EdD, JD, or equivalent) in a relevant
discipline.

• Preferred experience includes:
• Development of multidisciplinary healthcare or community-based

programs.

• Collaboration with faith communities, spiritual care providers,

chaplaincy programs, or community organizations.

• Research coordination, program evaluation, and outcomes

assessment.

• Grant development, philanthropic initiatives, or externally

funded projects.

• Whole-person care, wellbeing, behavioral health, or healthcare

innovation initiatives.

West Virginia University is a place of purpose and community. We
take pride in our profound impact on the state of West Virginia and
are committed to the personal and professional growth of our
employees.

From the groundbreaking R1 research at our flagship campus in
Morgantown to the career-oriented programs at WVU Potomac State in
Keyser, and the technology-intensive programs at WVU Tech in
Beckley, the contributions of WVU employees resonate across the
state, touching lives and shaping futures.

At WVU, you will discover a supportive community that champions
work-life balance and fosters a collaborative atmosphere. Our core
values — service, curiosity, respect, accountability and
appreciation — unite us as Mountaineers.

Join us at West Virginia University, where your work will make a
lasting impact. To learn more about WVU, visit wvu.edu.

West Virginia University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We
invite all qualified applicants regardless of race, color,
religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic
information, or Veteran status.