Chair - Occupational Therapy Doctoral Program (OTD)

Job ID

UF9960-0910-1854

Position Classification

FT Faculty UDMPU (12 Month)

Position Summary

The University of Detroit Mercy (UDM) is seeking a visionary leader to become the Founding Director of our entry-level Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) Program. This is a unique opportunity to lead a transformative program grounded in the Mercy and Jesuit traditions, dedicated to preparing compassionate and competent health professionals. As the Director, you will play a pivotal role in achieving initial accreditation, managing the program, and fostering a culture of excellence and innovation. This full-time, tenure-track faculty position offers the chance to make a lasting impact on students, faculty, and the broader community.

 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Accreditation and Quality Improvement

• Lead the programmatic accreditation process, ensuring full compliance with federal, state, and accrediting body standards and regulations.
• Develop the program’s curriculum, admissions processes, student learning outcomes, and community relations.
• Oversee programmatic outcome analysis, develop improvement plans, and implement curricular and teaching effectiveness strategies.
• Evaluate and treat student academic, clinical, and behavioral performances consistently, following University and Program policies.
• Encourage and support interprofessional educational and research endeavors.

Strategic Planning and Change Management

• Collaborate with senior academic and university leadership to develop a strategic plan for the OTD program focusing on growth and quality improvement goals and initiatives that align with the goals of the Program and University.
• Participates in the development, implementation, and assessment of the strategic plan.
• Works with marketing, university representatives, and Admissions to review enrollment admissions standards and procedures for the OTD program.

Leadership & Administration:

• Provides strategic direction and oversight of the OTD program.
• Supports and mentor faculty’s teaching, scholarship, and service.
• Work collaboratively with faculty members to support of the mission the University.
• oversees student recruitment and admissions, fostering collaborations within the university and with external partners.
• Leads recruitment, training, professional development, and evaluations of OTD faculty.
• Manages faculty and staff workload and course schedules.
• Participate in securing intra and extramural grants to support program expansion and student development.

Fiscal and Resource Management

• Manage the OTD program budget per university procedures.
• Develops annual budget and expenses.
• Effectively allocate and share resources.

Faculty Responsibilities

• Provide exemplary teaching and advise and mentor students.
• Review student evaluations and address issues as necessary.
• Participate in research and scholarship productivity
• Engage in service to department, college,university, and the community.
• Review course syllabi.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Additional Responsibilities:

• The OTD Director will perform other administrative duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Doctoral degree in occupational therapy or related field (PhD, OTD, EdD, or equivalent) from an accredited institution.
• Current unrestricted license to practice occupational therapy or eligibility for licensure in Michigan.
• At least eight years of documented experience in occupational therapy, including clinical practice.
• At least four years of post-baccalaureate teaching experience.
• Administrative experience in program planning, implementation, personnel management, evaluation, and budgeting.
• A record of scholarship, professional service, and leadership.
• Strong communication, collaboration, and interpersonal skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with ACOTE accreditation processes.
• Experience in curriculum development and innovation.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Additional Information

• The OTD Program Director reports to the Associate Dean of the SHRS and the Dean of CHP.
• Rank and salary will be commensurate with experience. The university has excellent benefits including medical and dental insurance, retirement plan with match and tuition benefits for employees and their dependents.  

The College of Health Professions (CHP) provides a transformative education grounded in the Mercy and Jesuit traditions. We are committed to preparing compassionate and competent health professionals, who are dedicated to serving and leading while respecting diversity and human differences, valuing social justice, and advocating for equitable healthcare within a global society. UDM is ranked 43rd in the country and 2nd in the state of Michigan by the Wall Street Journal America’s Best Colleges 2025.

The values that guide this work are:

• Learning: We commit to academic excellence that fosters integrity, intellectual rigor, personal development, and student-centered learning in an environment that values reflection and inclusivity.
• Mercy: We commit to heartfelt solidarity with those suffering and in need, and to engage in transformative acts of mercy and justice; love, compassion, forgiveness, caring, and kindness.
• Justice: We commit to confronting oppressive systems as we recognize all persons’ innate dignity and uniqueness reflected in the principles of Catholic Social Teaching and the Mercy and Jesuit traditions.
• Service: We commit to selfless service and advocacy in recognizing and responding to the needs of all with a focus on the disadvantaged, underserved, and vulnerable populations.
• Community: We commit to collaborating with others at a local, national, and global level, whose mission is to improve health equity, eliminate health disparities, and enhance health outcomes.

Physical Requirements  

The job may require lifting lightweight objects (1 to 15 pounds) with no repetitive bending or stooping.

 

Work Environment

Regular exposure to a standard office and classroom conditions. Environment subject to change pending semester workload and inclusion/exclusion of clinical site to consideration of environment.

 

Salary/Pay Information  

Rank and salary will be commensurate with experience. The university has excellent benefits including medical and dental insurance, retirement plan with match and tuition benefits for employees and their dependents.

   

Anticipated Schedule  

Schedule subject to change pending semester workload and inclusion/exclusion of clinical sites.

 

Employee Benefits

At the University of Detroit Mercy, we continually strive to provide a high-quality, comprehensive benefits package to our valued employees. We offer our employees the following benefits: 

• Medical -

o Three health plans to choose from with a large national provider network

•Dental -

o UDM’s School of Dentistry FREE to you and your dependents

o Option to purchase additional dental plan through UNUM

•Vision – 

o Under United Healthcare, you are able to get one exam every 24 months

o Under Heritage Vision, an eye exam and lenses (not Frame) are provided every 12 months

        (Plans are available to employees to purchase as an option)

• Health Savings Account and Flexible Spending Accounts offered

• Employee Assistance Program -

o Provided to everyone in your household

• Short-Term and Long-Term Disability

• Life and AD&D 

o 1x base salary up to  Dollar One Hundred Thousand. 

• Option to purchase additional life insurance, accident insurance, and/or critical illness insurance

• Tuition Remission Benefit for you, your spouse, and children. 

• Retirement Plan -

o UDM provides matches up to 8%

Michigan’s largest, most comprehensive private University, University of Detroit Mercy is an independent Catholic institution of higher education sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy and Society of Jesus. Detroit Mercy seeks qualified candidates who will contribute to the University’s mission, diversity, and excellence of its academic community. University of Detroit Mercy is an Equal Opportunity Affirmative Action Employer with a diverse student body and welcomes persons of all backgrounds.