Princeton University Health Services (UHS) seeks an accomplished and innovative educator to serve as Director of Health Promotion and Prevention Services (HPPS). The Director of HPPS will lead a talented, multidisciplinary team of health promotion educators focused on creating and sustaining healthy learning ecosystems and outcomes. The ideal leader will champion a socio-ecological approach to health promotion and harm reduction by creating, role-modeling, and advocating for resources and environments in which Princeton’s students can thrive. In collaboration with UHS and University partners, the Director will play a visible and trusted role in assessing, identifying, and proposing plans to improve campus health trends, and serve as a health prevention advisor to senior University leadership, shaping the vision and strategic direction of this vital UHS division and senior management team.

Reporting to the Executive Director (ED) of UHS, the Director is a key member of the UHS leadership, which includes leaders of Counseling & Psychological Services, Medical Services, and Sexual Harassment, Assault Advising, Resources and Education (SHARE). This role carries substantial organizational responsibility and serves as a key resource to the ED regarding urgent and routine community health communications.  Beyond developing strategies for promoting health and thriving, this leader will also focus on improving policies and practices, mitigating risk, planning community health initiatives, and guiding the evaluation of these efforts. Success in this role will require a highly collaborative and creative public health leader with a deep understanding of a uniquely demanding academic culture. Moreover, a deep understanding of the importance of equity, inclusion, and justice on well-being is critical. The ideal candidate will be a compelling communicator that understands how to reach a wide variety of stakeholders while advocating for and implementing best practices in public health, as well as the ability to leverage technology to enhance capacity and expand reach. In addition, this individual will have demonstrated experience using available data sources to drive planning and measure program impact through the intentional integration of assessment.

This is a full-time administrative position; salary is commensurate with qualifications and experience. Princeton University provides competitive and attractive fringe benefits


About Princeton University

Chartered in 1746, Princeton is the fourth-oldest college in the United States. Princeton University is a vibrant community of scholarship and learning that stands in the nation’s service and the services of humanity. The value of service is central to the mission of Princeton as a liberal arts university. The University has reinforced its commitment to helping students and alumni use their educations to not only benefit themselves but also society more broadly, by pushing students, faculty, staff, and alumni to think about how their research, education, and lives will benefit the nation, the world and humanity, and gives them the support and resources to make it happen. As an independent, co-educational, non-denominational institution, it comprises an undergraduate college and a graduate school, with degree programs in 34 departments and 3 schools. In the 2021-2021 academic year, Princeton enrolled 5,548 undergraduates and 3,157 graduate students. International students make up about 12% of undergraduates, hailing from almost 100 different countries. Approximately 50% of students identify as members of racial or ethnic minoritized groups.  Student of color make up approximately 58 percent of the undergraduate student body, and 22% of students are eligible for low-income federal grants and Princeton has further committed financial aid resources to increasing access to an excellent education. The University pioneered a no-loan financial aid program in 2001. Sixty percent (60%) of undergraduate students receive financial aid.

The University campus in Princeton is ideally situated in central New Jersey. It offers distinctively handsome architecture in a hospitable small-town setting on 500 acres. The Princeton community is located approximately an hour from both New York City and Philadelphia.


Principal Duties

  • Leadership and management of program goals and outcomes
  • Supervising and mentoring a team of 5 interdisciplinary staff members
  • Engaged and active participation in the UHS senior leadership team
  • Responsibility for the area’s operating budgets
  • Overseeing the area’s strategic planning process, plans, goals, and priorities
  • Establishing measurable objectives in alignment with the mission, vision, strategic direction, and priorities of UHS, its key partners, and the student body
  • Collaboration with key stakeholders on and off campus to develop, implement, and maintain comprehensive, highly visible, evidence-informed prevention efforts that achieve measurably high-quality public health outcomes
  • Utilizing appropriate assessment techniques to evaluate health promotion and prevention programming
  • Overseeing strategies for fostering student engagement in health promotion and prevention efforts
  • Central coordination of UHS area alcohol-related programs
  • Implementing innovative environmental strategies to promote good health and academic success that will transform students into informed consumers, advocates of health care systems and citizens invested in community health
  • Disseminating and presenting health trends and data to key campus stakeholders
  • Advising senior leadership on health promotion and public health-related communication strategies
  • Oversight of, and support in fundraising for, TigerWell, a multi-year, donor-funded initiative that engages staff, faculty, and student partners in cultivating a campus culture of well-being
  • Continued coordinating and oversight of UMatter, a prevention initiative that promotes prosocial and self- and community-care behaviors to Princeton students


Essential and Preferred Qualifications

  • The position requires a master’s degree, and a doctorate is strongly preferred, in public health, health promotion, health policy, or a closely related field
  • Advanced certification in one or more fields or specialty areas is also preferred
  • Candidates must have at least 5 to 8 years of progressively responsible, relevant experience including professional work in a private or public healthcare system
  • Experience with a college or university health program is preferred or with a public health or community health-related government agency or program (municipal, state, or federal) that has successfully addressed one or more core health questions; or a philanthropic foundation that funds campus, community, or larger-scale health improvement or risk reduction programs
  • Outstanding communications skills (writing, public speaking) are essential
  • Successful candidates will also have demonstrated proficiency in campus, community, or public health research, including community needs assessments, survey design, environmental scans, and other qualitative and quantitative methods
  • The person selected for this position will be an experienced and proven leader, thinker, and manager with demonstrated ability and effectiveness in creating, developing, implementing, and assessing effective and contextually appropriate health promotion programs and interventions


Application Process

Princeton University has partnered with Keeling & Associates, LLC for this search. Applications should include a resume/curriculum vitae and a cover letter addressing your interest in and qualifications for the position. Application materials must be sent, preferably as PDFs, to recruiting@keelingassociates.com with the subject heading “Princeton University – Director of HPPS.” Candidates are encouraged to submit application materials by December 16, 2022, to receive full consideration. The application review process will continue until an appointment is made. Confidential inquiries and nominations should be addressed to the K&A senior consultant leading this search, Dr. Lili Rodríguez, at lrodriguez@keelingassociates.com.

In compliance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and other federal, state, and local laws, Princeton University does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national or ethnic origin, disability, or veteran status in any phase of its employment process, in any phase of its admission or financial aid programs, or other aspects of its educational programs or activities. The vice provost for institutional equity and diversity is the individual designated by the University to coordinate its efforts to comply with Title IX, Section 504 and other equal opportunity and affirmative action regulations and laws. Questions or concerns regarding Title IX, Section 504 or other aspects of Princeton’s equal opportunity or affirmative action programs should be directed to the Office of the Vice Provost for Institutional Equity and Diversity, Princeton University, 205 Nassau Hall, Princeton, NJ 08544 or (609) 258-6110.

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