Senior Administrative Director

General Summary:

The Brigham and Women's Hospital Department of Medicine (DOM) is a Harvard Medical School (HMS)-affiliated academic department comprised of 22 divisions, >1,400 faculty, ~$360 million in annual professional clinical revenue, >500 fellows, residents, and students, and ~$475 million in annual research expenditures. The DOM is the largest academic department at BWH and among the largest in the country.

The Division of Infectious Diseases employs ~55 faculty members and ~225 full- or part-time staff, and a 22-trainee fellowship program that is integrated with Massachusetts General Hospital. The Division has elements in each of the aspects of the tripartite mission: clinical, research, and education.

On the clinical front, the Division is responsible for ~$6 million in annual clinical revenue, which includes ~12,000 ambulatory visits and 16,000 inpatient consults. On the research front, the Division manages ~$30 million worth of research expenditures annually.

This position is accountable for the overall administration and operating results of the Division of Infectious Diseases within the BWH DOM. The Senior Administrative Director is responsible for the strategic planning process, research administration and grant management activities, financial performance, human resources development, training programs, and facilities planning and management for the Division. This position reports to the Division Chief, and to the Vice President of Medicine; performance reviews will be jointly conducted by the Chief and the Vice President.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

General

1.Under the leadership of the Division Chief, determines the overall vision, mission, direction, goals, and objectives of the Division. Directs the strategic planning process, establishes and achieves long range goals, and ensures the implementation of strategic business plans that are aligned with the Department's and Brigham and Women's Hospital's vision, strategic plans, and goals.

2.Identifies, evaluates, and recommends new business ventures, affiliations, and partnerships consistent with the strategic business plans and the growth and market objectives of the Division, the Department, and the Hospital. Works with departmental and hospital leadership and the PHS Office of General Counsel to prepare the necessary business plans and documentation. Manages the renewal of any such arrangements.

3.Ensures healthy and collaborative administrative relationships within the Department, the Hospital, and Partners HealthCare System.

4.Develops and implements divisional policies and procedures consonant with the Department's and Hospital's policies in the areas of clinical practice management, grants management, and teaching/training. Interacts extensively with the Chief to assess administrative and financial needs of the Division and to revise policies and procedures to meet the changing needs of the Division.

5.Develops effective methods of communicating with faculty, trainees, and staff on a regular basis.

6.Continuously assesses and improves the efficiency of systems and processes.

7.Serves as a critical member of Department's administrative team. Establishes and maintains clear and precise communications with the Vice President and Department leaders as to the Division's performance as required by standard practices. Communicates openly and collaboratively with other division administrators and hospital leaders.

Financial Management

1.Establishes and achieves financial goals and measures, monitors financial performance, and ensures the on-going financial performance of the Division.

2.Understands and meets all Department financial reporting requirements in the prescribed format, per the direction of the Vice President and the DOM finance office.

3.Prepares annual Department and Hospital budgets in the formats prescribed by each entity. Presents and justifies budget requests to the Division Chief, Vice President, and the Director of Finance.

4.Responsible for preparing and analyzing financial reports, including volume and RVU benchmarks, monthly ambulatory and inpatient provider reports, as well as developing quarterly analytics.

5.Responsible for maintaining solvency of all funds within the control of the Division. Examines, analyzes and interprets financial reports for the purpose of giving advice, preparing statements and projections, and ultimately managing resources.

Supervises the activities of subordinates who are responsible for being familiar with and approving all expenditures, assigning cost centers, monitoring compliance with budgets, and identifying and investigating potential problem areas and proposing solutions. Makes recommendations for cost savings based on a thorough understanding of the Division, Department, Hospital, and study policies and requirements, and funding agency regulations.

6.Establishes and maintains a financial management system to allow accurate, detailed and up-to-the minute reporting of financial status and staffing distribution of all operating accounts, foundation accounts, divisional grants, special purpose funds, fellowships, etc. Supervises staff who provide monthly, annual and ad-hoc financial reports on all division funds. These reports include current expenditures, projections of future expenses, and variances from budgeted line item expenses.

7.Develops and monitors a comprehensive research financial budget for the Division Chief for both short-term and long-term planning purposes for specific faculty/staff members as well as the entire Division.

8.Develops an overall compensation plan for Division faculty and, under the direction of the Division Chief, recommends salary levels for faculty. Communicates compensation plan to faculty as directed by the Chief.

Creates and maintains customized spreadsheets on each faculty member detailing annual salary support sources, productivity, etc. Prepares and submits annual salary sheets for faculty to the Department. Responsible for initiating revised salary sheets as needed.

Clinical Program Management

1.Maintains an in-depth knowledge of the changing health care environment and assesses the market's need for clinical services. Monitors and evaluates the adequacy of the Division's existing services and ensures the development of programs and services to respond to the market. Develops, supports and manages programmatic initiatives for care improvement, cost reduction and network development.

2.Oversees $15M in clinical collections and $6M in clinical revenue, including four separate ambulatory locations, expanding travel medicine clinic and a busy consult service with three general teams and two oncology/transplant teams.

3.Under the leadership of the Division Chief, departmental administration, and hospital leadership, reviews the ongoing management of the Division's clinical services, discusses and resolves any administrative problems that arise, and directs the planning of improvements in existing clinical services.

4.Represents the Division on professional billing and collection issues as appropriate. Maintains a thorough understanding of clinical reimbursement and managed care issues specific to the Division.

Identifies opportunities to optimize clinical reimbursement and implements new policies and procedures as needed. Educates faculty and staff on clinical reimbursement issues as needed.

5.Under the direction of the Department's Director of Quality and the Quality Program Manager, serves as the lead administrative resource for the Division's clinical quality program.

6.Assures compliance with BWH, JCAHO, OSHA, DPH and state and federal regulations. Leads the division's involvement in compliance audits as directed.

7.Identifies the need for, assesses parameters, performs financial analyses, and participates with the Department in negotiating contracts for the delivery of clinical services by division physicians. Assesses the agreements on an on-going basis to ensure that they are financially viable and comply with current regulatory requirements.

Research Administration Management

1.Monitors the ongoing process of grant development, submission, review and notification; discusses and resolves administrative problems that arise; directs the administrative planning for potential new sources of income. Oversees 40,000 square feet of research space at three separate locations.

2.Reviews and analyzes funding proposals. Approves and submits proposals for divisional, departmental and institutional review.

May be asked to prepare detailed budgets and justifications for grant applications. Works closely with principal investigators, project directors and project coordinators to identify all potential costs associated with a proposal. Supervises the assembly of NIH grant applications.

3.Responsible for supervising the maintenance of appropriate support data for all division faculty. Oversees preparation of support pages as part of the NIH grant application process. Certifies quarterly time-and-effort reports.

4.Serves as liaison to BWH accounts payable, payroll, purchasing, and other hospital departments. Represents particular needs of research studies and works to ensure that these needs are met.

Works with outside vendors to obtain products and services necessary to the operation of the research group. Interacts extensively with PHS research administration to ensure compliance with all hospital, government, and funding agency policies.

5.Responsible for ensuring compliance with all hospital and government regulations for research involving human subjects and animals. Monitors status of institutional review board (IRB) and animal assurance committee (AAC) approval for pending and ongoing studies, and works with investigators to submit new applications, annual reviews, and notification of changes to study design and methods. Supervises faculty and project coordinators in completion of IRB and Animal Assurance Committee applications and renewals.

6.Serves as a resource to Division faculty in securing research support.

Human Resources Management

1.Serves as the divisional resource for all administrative issues concerning human resources policy issues.

2.Reviews qualifications of trainee candidates, international scholars and faculty, coordinates their appointments, defines their role in the division and oversees their performance. Manages and monitors all faculty and trainee compensation matters to ensure equity and compliance with hospital, HMS, and NIH guidelines.

3.Provides managerial and administrative oversight of all physician extenders assigned to the Division.

4.Responsible for handling numerous personnel matters, including reviewing and approving all divisional hiring, firing, compensation, and evaluation decisions. Implements all institutional policies related to all phases of personnel activity, including recruitment, interviewing, compensation, benefits, orientation, performance evaluations, promotions, transfers, and terminations.

Transmits and interprets institutional policies to supervisors and employees. Ensures appropriate training of employees. May be asked to write job descriptions, enter into discussions with Compensation to determine grades for new positions, annual rates of pay for new hires, increases for employees who are promoted, and equity increases.

Assesses employee work load and recommends changes as needed. Monitors hiring trends to ensure market competitiveness. Arbitrates disputes. Represents the division in employee relations matters.

5.Oversees preparation of all personnel forms for the division, including requisitions for new employees, change of status forms and termination reports. Notifies supervisors of probationary and quarterly evaluation deadlines and ensures that the appropriate paperwork is completed.

Other Administrative Responsibilities

1.Administers the Division's training and education programs, including participation in the selection process, coordinating appointments, establishing salary policies, resolving salary and benefit issues, and complying with hospital, HMS, ACGME and NIH requirements.

2.Conducts space needs planning for the Division. Oversees the design of space renovations for Division facilities, identifies and resolves facility problems that arise.

3.Oversees the credentialing of and enrollment in payor plans for all Division faculty members to ensure compliance with hospital bylaws, and oversees the HMS appointments and promotions process for Division members.

4.As requested, provides information and data related to the Department's faculty services office regarding the Division's faculty.

5.Assists in fundraising efforts for research, education, and clinical activities. Monitors donations and acknowledgements.

6.Consistently meets all deadlines for deliverables or activities as established by the Chief, Vice President, and Divisional/Departmental policies and standards.

7.Serves on Divisional, Departmental and/or Hospital committees as assigned by the Chief or Vice President.

8.Performs other duties as assigned.

• QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in a related field required. MBA or equivalent degree strongly preferred.

• 7-10 years administrative/management experience required, preferably in an academic hospital setting.

• Supervisory experience required.

SKILLS/ ABILITIES/ COMPETENCIES REQUIRED

• Outstanding interpersonal skills, ability to handle sensitive human resources issues and supervise a large and diverse staff in handling these matters.

• Outstanding organizational skills are necessary to manage many competing timetables and responsibilities. Ability to delegate and effectively supervise and plan for the timely and successful completion of short- and long-term objectives.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills to communicate effectively with a large and diverse constituency, including senior hospital leaders, division faculty and support staff, representatives of other BWH offices, collaborating institution officials, granting agencies (NIH, industry, and foundations) representatives, and vendors.

• Requires the ability to work independently and to accept responsibility for complex and sensitive decision-making as it relates to the overall conduct of the Division.

• High degree of analytic ability to manage the financial and human resources aspects of the position.

• Excellent negotiation skills in complex and often sensitive multi-institutional negotiations for agreements and contracts for research, training, and clinical practice.

• Current knowledge of laws and regulations pertaining to research administration. Ability to interpret, analyze, and disseminate critical information to Division faculty.

• Interpersonal relationship skills needed to motivate others and work with many hospital-wide department heads, administrators, and physicians in a positive and collegial fashion.

• Ability to work independently and accurately and concisely disseminate information in both written and verbal formats.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

Works in an office setting. Attends meetings in and out of the hospital.

Is available for early and late meetings and flexible to meet frequent deadlines. Some evening and weekend work will be required.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY:

Directly supervises all administrative staff members of the Division.

FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY:

Financially accountable for the budget performance of the Division for BWPO and BWH accounts. Responsible for the solvency of all accounts under the Division's purview.