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South University
Savannah, Georgia

Department Chair, Physician Assistant

Physician AssistantFull-Time

Compensation

Pay not listed

The week · per this posting

Ask the employer about the pay range, the work setting, call expectations and time off.

Posted 1mo ago

Job Description

South University provides a warm, supportive learning environment that will encourage you to join a community of faculty, staff and students eager to play a role in helping you achieve your professional goals, on campus and online.

The South University 125-year story—past, present, and future—is a history formed by the many individuals who have developed the education and spirit of community that have become our pledge to students, faculty, staff, alumni and supporters of South University. Whether you have been part of the University family for many years, have recently come our way, or are thinking about joining us, you will find South University to be a place you can call home.

  • What's next for you is the first priority for us!
  • Visit southuniversity.edu today to learn more about what makes us stand apart as a place where you can make a difference in the lives of students eager to learn and grow.
  • South University, the right direction for a brighter future.

Benefits

*Medical

*Dental

*Vision

FSA/HSA

Tuition Assistant Program

Long/Short Term Disability

Life Insurance

Employee Assistance Program

401K Match

Paid Time Off

12 Paid Holidays

  • includes domestic partner coverage

Summary

The Chair is a faculty member of the College of Health Professions and serves as an academic leader for the program(s) within their assigned discipline for the South University system.

The Department Chair reports to the Assistant/Associate College Dean for the College of Health Professions, Graduate Programs and interfaces with campus academic personnel and/or the campus leadership for the efficient and effective delivery of their assigned programs.

The Chair is responsible for fulfilling all duties in conformity with the policies and procedures of the University as well as those processes and mechanisms developed on the multiple campuses at which the program is offered and those identified for expansion.

Travel at a minimum includes twice a month to multiple campuses and all future expansion sites. This position offers a $10,000 signing bonus.

Essential Functions

Conduct on-site/campus at least twice a month across multiple campuses and all future expansions of all faculty, staff, Medical Directors, and Program Directors (PDs) to manage:

  • Supervise PD all faculty, staff, Medical Directors on daily program operations
  • Convene a collective PD committee bi-weekly to review admissions, curriculum, accreditation updates, and program policies

Conduct One-on-ones with PDs Bi-weekly

  • Develop and revise quarterly schedules for all campuses to ensure alignment with registrar and academic terms.
  • Evaluate fiscal use of resources and manage, hire, and credential adjunct/instructor pool
  • Ensure and audit implementation of appropriate and correct departmental course syllabi, course content, and course polices for all 6 campuses the program is offered.
  • Assist students timely with appeals, grievances, and concerns in the department across all campuses.

Oversee program assessment, admissions, course delivery, remediation process, dismissal and re-entry procedures for all campuses.

Implement retention initiatives across all 6 campuses including other departments such as Admissions, Academic Counselors, and other Student services.

  • Supervise and review the budget developed by each PD, working with campus leadership on proposed expenditures.
  • Meet with clinical partners at each campus frequently to ensure recruitment and retention of clinical sites.

Oversee processes and procedures conducted by all clinical education faculty on every campus including clinical faculty/preceptor development and other requirements according ARC-PA.

Oversee processes and procedures conducted by all didactic education faculty on every campus including didactic instructional faculty development and other requirements according ARC-PA.

Audit PD and faculty documentation within every campus’s student files to ensure proper documentation of progression and academic advising.

Manage the Student Progress and Promotions Committee process and procedure to ensure student access to due process across all campuses.

  • Ensure that program advisory committees are formed and meet at least twice a year on every campus.
  • Manage and evaluate all PDs performance and conduct on every campus in conjunction with the Campus Dean.

Evaluate the student recruitment process on each campus and ensure growth with PD and faculty, Medical Directors, and staff involvement and integration with other departments.

Provide input on the evaluation of all faculty, Medical Directors, and staff performance and conduct on every campus in conjunction with the Program Director and Campus Dean.

Coordinate and supervise Interprofessional activities for each campus to ensure Medical Directors, and staff participation.

In the absence of a PD, the Chair may serve in the interim role to support the campus.

Act as a liaison between faculty, staff, Medical Directors/Program Directors and the Campus Deans, including the Assistant/Associate College Dean.

2. Supervise and manage all current and future expansion campus PD’s required accreditation and compliance reporting to meet applicable regulations:

Supervises program outcomes and action plans to ensure successful graduation, licensure rates, and other accreditation benchmarks.

Provide ongoing compliance data tracking of metrics for each campus as identified by the Compliance Department and accreditor within 30 days of changes in metrics.

Audit and revise every campus website to reflect accuracy and current content with compliance regulations within 30 days of metric changes.

Audit and supervise program admissions documents and background/drug screen processes and procedures on every campus.

Produce standardized program materials such as handbooks, clinical manuals, program admissions applications, fliers, etc. that align with compliance requirements.

  • Supervise and collate department data to produce quarterly and annual assessment reporting.
  • Audit clinical affiliations for each campus to ensure sufficiency and alignment with regulations.

Review and complete all ARC-PA required self-studies, applications, monitoring reports, annual reports, and other documentation with the PDs and Assistant/Associate Dean of the College for every campus.

Audit all documentation provided and requested by ARC-PA through the 6 campuses, including all portal submissions.

Conduct mock site visits and preparation sessions for all campuses prior to site visit with the Assistant/Associate Dean of the College.

3. Serve as an academic advisor and teaches within 4 courses annually.

4. Supervise and develop curricular innovation such as hybrid curriculum for the department as deemed necessary and in collaboration with all South University campuses.

5. Implement PD, MD, faculty, and staff development quarterly and annually for areas identified with College Dean/Assistant Dean and Campus Dean.

6. Assist in the utilization and standardization of digital resources for all courses within the department.

7. Produce and monitor the annual budget for the department.

8. Perform instructional duties as assigned as outlined in the Faculty job description and complete required professional development activities annually.

9. Ensure that the PA programmatic curriculum, policies, and procedures meet state and national accreditation standards (ARC-PA).

10. Serve the College and University on committees as requested by the Assistant/Associate College Dean and College Dean and contribute to the work of this group.

11. Perform other duties as assigned by the Assistant/Associate College Dean and College Dean.

Required Qualifications

Education: Earned terminal degree (Master’s level) from a PA program accredited by ARC-PA and regionally accredited university

  • A minimum of 3 years of experience as a Program Director in PA Education
  • A minimum of 3 years of full-time higher education experience
  • A minimum of 2 years successful performance in a full-time university-level teaching role and prior management experience in higher education or in another organization within the PA discipline.

Current State Licensure

Practical experience in the discipline of the program with knowledge of current clinical best practices

Teaching Experience at the College Level

Experience with computerized administrative systems. Proficient with the use of standard office applications on personal computers.

Ability to Travel up to 75% of time with at twice a month to multiple campuses and all future expansion sites.

Ability to read, analyze, and interpret accreditation criteria, state agency regulations, and academic journals.

Ability to resolve inquiries and complaints from employees, students, regulatory agencies, or members of the academic or business community.

Ability to effectively present information to faculty, academic and campus leaders, corporate leaders, and public groups.

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those encountered while performing the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.

South University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and embraces diversity as a critical step in ensuring employee, student and graduate success. We are committed to building and developing a diverse environment where a variety of ideas, cultures and perspectives can thrive.

Key Responsibilities

The Department Chair serves as an academic leader responsible for overseeing program operations, accreditation compliance, and faculty management across multiple campuses. They also manage budgets, facilitate curriculum innovation, and ensure the effective delivery of educational programs in alignment with university policies.

Requirements

Candidates must hold a terminal degree (Master's level) from an ARC-PA accredited program and possess at least 3 years of experience as a Program Director in PA education. Additionally, the role requires significant higher education teaching and management experience, along with the ability to travel up to 75% of the time.

Qualifications

Education
Master's degree (postgraduate degree)
Experience
5+ years of experience

Key Skills

Academic LeadershipCurriculum DevelopmentBudget ManagementFaculty SupervisionClinical Education OversightStrategic PlanningStudent AdvisingRegulatory ComplianceInterprofessional CollaborationHigher Education AdministrationPolicy DevelopmentData Analysis

Physician Assistant Career Context

Of the 50 active Physician Assistant listings this role was benchmarked against, 8% are remote, 62% have no call, 60% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for Georgia is 96.3 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)). 59.8% of Georgia clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Top Physician Assistant Jobs

48 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution48 jobs · 37 employers

13
<$145k
8
$145k-165k
14
$165k-185k
9
$185k-205k
4
$205k+

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks39 jobs · 37 employers

401k / retirement match
79% this job
CME allowance
74%
Sign-on bonus
46% this job
Relocation assistance
15%
Loan repayment
8%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

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$230k
#2

Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant Family Practice

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$171k-$218k
#3

Physician Assistant- Dr. Fealy

$195k-$212k
#4

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$175k-$205k
+ 46 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.3this job 1.5
Below most Physician Assistant Education (PA) listings for work-life

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 32 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

Living in Savannah

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$300k
Typical market rent
$1,757/mo
Residents’ average commute
21 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
95.2
State income tax
Up to 5.8%
Sources & methodology

Sources: Zillow home values (Aug 2026), Zillow market rents (Aug 2026), U.S. Census ACS 2024 five-year.

BEA 2024 · Savannah, GA metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

City-level figures. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.

South University logo

About South University

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
11-50 employees

Benefits & Perks

Medical Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
FSA/HSA
Tuition Assistant Program
Long/Short Term Disability
Life Insurance
Employee Assistance Program