Department Chair, Obstetrics and Gynecology

Job Description

The Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry at the University of Alberta (UofA) invites applications for Chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. This is an opportunity to lead a large, diverse academic department at an important point in its evolution: bringing people together around a shared vision, strengthening educational and working environments, and building on significant clinical and research strengths to advance women's and reproductive health in Alberta and beyond. Within the College of Health Sciences, the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry is one of Canada's leading academic health sciences faculties, with the University of Alberta ranked fifth in Canada and among the top 100 globally for Medical and Health in the 2026 Times Higher Education rankings. The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology brings together more than 20 full-time academic and 100 clinical faculty, with expertise spanning general obstetrics and gynecology, maternal-fetal medicine, reproductive endocrinology and infertility, gynecologic oncology, reproductive sciences and urogynecology. Clinical programs are anchored at the Lois Hole Hospital for Women at the Royal Alexandra Hospital, a tertiary referral centre serving northern Alberta and parts of northern British Columbia and the Northwest Territories, with teaching across multiple Edmonton-area hospitals. The Department provides undergraduate medical education, Royal College-accredited residency training, and fellowship, subspecialty and graduate training opportunities.

Research is a major strength and opportunity. Department faculty conduct fundamental, translational and clinical research and work closely with collaborators and research institutes across the University. A particular strength is the Department's close connection with the Women and Children's Health Research Institute (WCHRI), Canada's only research institute dedicated to women's, children's and perinatal health. In 2026, WCHRI received a $93.5-million, 10-year commitment from the Stollery Children's Hospital Foundation and Alberta Women's Health Foundation, the largest gift in University of Alberta history. Together with the Department's three endowed research chairs and broader University research strengths, this creates an exceptional platform for interdisciplinary discovery and innovation in women's and reproductive health.

The Department is entering an important period of renewal and opportunity. The next Chair will have the opportunity to bring faculty, staff and learners together around a shared direction, strengthen respectful and high-quality learning and working environments, and build trust and alignment across a complex clinical-academic network. Alberta's ongoing health-system transformation creates a further opportunity to help shape new models of education, research, care and partnership. The role offers substantial scope to deepen partnerships across the University, WCHRI and Alberta's health system and to advance the Department's contributions in education, research and clinical innovation.

Responsibilities

LEADERSHIP MANDATE

The Chair is the academic and administrative leader of the Department and will provide visible, collaborative leadership across its clinical and academic sites. Working with faculty, staff, learners, Faculty and University leadership, Alberta Health Services, Covenant Health, WCHRI and other partners, the Chair will work in close partnership with the Clinical Corridor Department Lead for Obstetrics and Gynecology to align academic and clinical priorities across an evolving health system.

The Chair will:

• Bring people together around a clear, shared vision for the Department and translate priorities into action and measurable progress;
• Strengthen a respectful, inclusive and accountable culture by building trust, supporting effective teamwork, listening to diverse perspectives and addressing difficult issues constructively;
• Champion high-quality educational environments across undergraduate, residency, fellowship and graduate programs, supporting learners, educators and program leaders to succeed;
• Advance excellence and innovation in research and academic clinical care, leveraging the Department's strengths and partnerships, including WCHRI;
• Recruit, develop and retain excellent faculty and staff, support career development and mentorship, and foster emerging leaders;
• Build strong, productive relationships across the Department, Faculty, University and health system, and with research institutes and external partners, and navigate effectively within a large, complex academic health sciences environment;
• Exercise sound judgment, make timely decisions, and steward financial, space, infrastructure and human resources responsibly, transparently and fairly.

Qualifications

The successful candidate will be a credible, engaged academic leader with the judgment and relational skills to bring people together and lead effectively through complexity and change. They will demonstrate:

• Strategic leadership: the ability to articulate a compelling vision, establish priorities and translate strategy into action, make timely decisions and lead effectively through change;
• People and culture leadership: a demonstrated ability to build trust, foster collaboration, listen well, create respectful and psychologically safe environments, and address conflict constructively while maintaining clear expectations and accountability;
• Educational leadership: a strong commitment to high-quality learning environments and to supporting learners, educators and educational programs;
• Academic leadership: a strong record of academic accomplishment and commitment to excellence and innovation in research and clinical care;
• Collaboration and system navigation: the ability to build trusted, productive relationships across disciplines, sites, institutions and health-system partners, and to navigate effectively within a large, complex academic health sciences environment;
• Stewardship, judgment and communication: sound decision-making, responsible, fair and transparent management of people and resources, and clear, timely communication with diverse stakeholders, including in difficult situations.

Candidates must hold an MD or equivalent degree and hold Royal College certification in Obstetrics and Gynecology, or equivalent qualifications from another recognized certifying body, and be eligible for licensure as a specialist in Obstetrics and Gynecology in Alberta.

Interested candidates should submit the following in one file:

• a cover letter describing your relevant leadership and academic experience, your vision for the Department, and the priorities you would bring to its next phase of development (maximum 3 pages);
• a statement describing your leadership approach, including how you build trust, lead through change and foster inclusive, respectful and high-performing learning and working environments (maximum 1 page);
• a statement describing your approach to building effective partnerships within a complex academic and health-system environment (maximum 1 page); and
• your curriculum vitae.

To support masked review, please do not include your name or other directly identifying information in the leadership and partnership statements. Candidates are encouraged to describe relevant experiences and examples without identifying specific institutions or individuals where possible. Identifying information can be included in the cover letter and curriculum vitae. Candidates requiring a clinical appointment with Alberta Health Services or Covenant Health will need to submit a second application through DoctorJobsAB.



The Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry has adopted the Okanagan Charter and is committed to health promoting learning and working environments supporting safety and wellbeing.

The successful candidate will be offered a tenured or tenure-track appointment at the rank of Associate or Full Professor, including a comprehensive benefits package.

The academic appointment is subject to all applicable terms and conditions of the collective agreement between the Governors of the University of Alberta and the Association of Academic Staff of the University of Alberta (AASUA).