Director, Rutgers Center for State Health Policy
The Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research

The Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research, a unit of Rutgers Health, in partnership with Korn Ferry, invites nominations and expressions of interest for the position of Director, Rutgers Center for State Health Policy (CSHP).

Established in 1999 with a major grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, CSHP has become New Jersey’s leading resource for state health policy research, earning national recognition for its contributions to health policy and services research. Over the past 25 years, the Center has informed policy-making across eight gubernatorial administrations and maintains strong partnerships with state agencies, federal funders, and philanthropic organizations, including the NIH and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The Center’s interdisciplinary research portfolio includes projects that focus on health services financing and delivery for high-need populations, population health, and health care access and quality. With access to exceptional data resources and a robust analytic and research support infrastructure, CSHP is well-positioned to expand its impact. As the Center recently celebrated its milestone 25th anniversary, founding director Joel Cantor will step down, and the next Director will inherit a dynamic organization with a strong foundation to support future growth and expanded policy influence over the next decade and beyond.

Reporting to Tobias Gerhard, Professor & Director for the Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research, the Director will be responsible for advancing CSHP’s role as New Jersey’s premier health policy research partner while enhancing Rutgers’ national reputation for academic excellence and rigorous scholarship. The CSHP Director will lead strategic research initiatives that address critical health policy challenges, oversee faculty development, and continue to cultivate the Center’s trusted relationships with state government agencies, policy leaders, research sponsors, and a broad network of external stakeholders. They will be expected to secure extramural funding, including large-scale grants from federal sponsors, including the NIH and AHRQ, while fostering interdisciplinary collaborations across CSHP, IFH, Rutgers Health, and the broader University. Additionally, the Director will contribute to the mentorship and professional development of emerging scholars and health policy researchers, ensuring a pipeline of highly skilled, well-trained and enthusiastic academic professionals.

This role presents a unique opportunity to lead a well-established Center with a rich history of translating research into policy impact. The Director will be instrumental in shaping the next phase of CSHP’s success, leveraging existing policymaker relationships and research infrastructure to drive innovation in research capacity development, health services research, and policy evaluation. The ideal candidate will be an accomplished scholar and leader with the vision and expertise to expand CSHP’s reach and influence.

Candidates must hold a doctoral degree in a discipline such as economics or political science; an applied field such as public health, public policy, law, social work or health services research, or a clinical field with substantial research training and experience. This strong academic leader must qualify for appointment as an associate or full professor and demonstrate a strong track record of securing federal funding and leading high-impact research. The ideal candidate will have demonstrated success in interdisciplinary collaboration, stakeholder engagement, and translational communication to broad audiences, as well as expertise in financial management and strategic leadership within a research-driven environment.

Korn Ferry is assisting the Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research with this important recruitment. Applications should include a detailed curriculum vitae and a letter of interest that highlight the applicant’s professional vision and relevant leadership experience.

To ensure full consideration, inquiries, nominations, and applications should be submitted electronically, in confidence, to anna.flagg@kornferry.com