Vice Chair Of Finance And Administration - Department Of Ophthalmology

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The University of Washington Department of Ophthalmology, a complex academic and clinical department in the School of Medicine, is looking for an outstanding leader as its Vice Chair of Finance and Administration (VCFA).

POSITION PURPOSE

The Department has an annual budget of approximately $46 million, including $24 million in research funding from sources including $17M from the National Institutes of Health. The Department of Ophthalmology is one of the 32 departments in the School of Medicine with approximately 48 faculty members, 15 clinical faculty members, 35 trainees, and 15 staff. There are an additional 45 unpaid faculty and 6 unpaid trainees.

The mission of UW's Department of Ophthalmology is to alleviate suffering from eye disease. We do this by providing state-of-the-art, compassionate care to our community, advancing the state-of-the-art through rigorous research, and sharing our knowledge with our trainees and the community. The Department of Ophthalmology shares UW's commitment to creating and maintaining an environment striving toward healthcare equity for all our patients; maintaining an inclusive and safe learning environment; and fostering diversity in our faculty, staff, and trainees.

The faculty provide care at eight major sites of practice: the UW Medicine Eye Institute at Harborview; the Harborview Medical Center 4W Clinic (which includes our consult and trauma services); the Eyes on James optical shop; UW Medical Center Eye Center; VA Puget Sound Health Care System (Seattle and American Lake); Seattle Children's; the Roger and Angie Karalis Johnson Retina Center at South Lake Union, and the UW Medicine Primary Care Clinics. Last year, our faculty and trainees provided over 100,000 patient visits and performed over 4,000 surgeries.

The Department serves as a major referral center, seeing patients from the five-state WWAMI (Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, Idaho) region. The Department continue to provide many services rare in the community, including managing eye cancer (ocular oncology), uveitis, and medical and hereditary retinal disease.

The Department's vision scientists are committed to improving diagnosis, treatment, and ultimately finding cures for diseases of the eye and visual system. Collectively, the department published 175 papers during the 2022-2023 academic year. This year our department rose to #3 in the nation in NIH funding among ophthalmology departments, and the University of Washington sits in the top 10 among universities in the US in funding from the National Eye Institute.

The Department's faculty remain highly committed to the educational mission of the Department. We currently train 20 residents, five fellows, and scores of medical students annually. Our residency training program remains one of the most competitive in the country.

General Description

The Vice Chair reports to the Department Chair and School's Associate Dean of Administration and Operations and serves as the business manager and senior administrative support representative for the Department. As such, the Vice Chair has a comprehensive range of responsibilities, including: financial planning/management, budget development, supervision of the Department's classified and exempt staff, personnel, payroll, purchasing, special project support, and other administrative functions for the School of Medicine.

As a UW SoM Department Vice Chair of Finance and Administration, the incumbent carries out duties prescribed by the directing, overseeing, or partnering institutions and organizations. The critical knowledge and skills are organized into the areas of:

Financial Management and Development Activities, Operations Management, Practice Plan Management, Compliance and Risk Management, Research Management, Information Management, Human Resource Management, Facilities Management and Educational Program(s) Management. He/she/they acts in an advisory capacity to the Chair and various Department committees, providing financial guidance, background information, and management advice. In addition, the Vice Chair is the Department's primary working-level interface with the Dean's Office, the Practice Plans, and other departments in the University regarding administrative issues.

This position also performs the responsibility of Service Line Administrator. The SLA's duties include strategic planning, program development and marketing coordination along with fostering collaboration across multiple hospitals and departments to assure optimal access and service for patients and referring providers.

This work will include distinct but integrated comprehensive planning for each sub service line as well as the overarching service line. The hospitals pay 10% of the salary for this position since it performs these duties.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Financial Management and Development Activities

Manage the financial resources of the department to include budgets and funds from federal, state, practice plan, private, University, and foundation sources to ensure ethical and fiduciary practices.

Interacts with faculty and staff to facilitate the department's ability to achieve clinical, scientific, and educational goals.

Interprets policies and regulations concerning the department's financial activities; ensures compliance with the University's policies and procedures as well as guidelines from the federal government, state, and other research project sponsors.

Develops and implements of internal financial system controls to ensure integrity of all financial transactions in accordance with applicable jurisdictions.

Maintains a working knowledge of the department's financial operations, funding sources, policies, and procedures.

Operations Management

Manage department operations to ensure the day-to-day and cyclic requirements are met; plans, resources, and monitors programmatic activities; prepares reports, terminates, or continues programs; plans or coordinates marketing documents or activities.

Coordinates a variety of general administrative activities necessary to the department's day-to-day operations.

Understands and integrates the cyclic operational responsibilities of the UW/SoM/Practice Plans into department planning, policies, and procedures.

Understands and implements change management processes that include not only organizational dynamics, but also the policies and procedures of approving offices or agencies.

Negotiates or builds new relationships, partnerships, or coalitions to advance the department's vision or mission.

Service Line Administrator

The SLA's duties include strategic planning, program development and marketing coordination along with fostering collaboration across multiple hospitals and departments to assure optimal access and service for patients and referring providers.

This work will include distinct but integrated comprehensive planning for each sub service line as well as the overarching service line.

The SLA's role is to participate in and support the development and implementation of approved programmatic strategies consistent with the UW Medicine Strategic Plan to provide access and service to patients, increase market share, meet community needs, achieve quality, safety, and operating plan goals, and create a sustainable business model. The position requires collaboration with operational leaders across all UW Medicine practice sites to ensure high quality and efficient patient care and service.

The SLA is responsible for program development, business plan coordination and oversight working with appropriate UW Medicine departments. Monitors all metrics and prepares reports for leadership team and medical staff on all aspects of the three sub service lines that encompasses the larger NSI service line.

Practice Plan Management

Manages the practice plans(s) of the department to include the member appointment process, budget process, revenue cycle, funds flow projections, pro forma accounting, the incentive plan, and compliance requirements.

Forecasts, plans, and reports practice plan revenue/expenses and develops budget models to guide faculty or the practice.

Maintains revenue cycle management, including on the evolving coding, documentation, billing and reimbursement developments. Serve as a primary point person catalyst to the Practice Plans to stay on top of developments.

Assists in interpreting and integrating current practice plan compliance directives and policies to ensure that billing faculty are in compliance.

Compliance and Risk Management

Promote compliance and manages risk in accordance with policies of the University, UW Medicine, and other oversight bodies, to ensure operations and resources are in alignment with mission and requirements.

Interprets and integrates federal, state, and industry laws or policies on corporate compliance; topics to include fraud and anti-kick-back, to mitigate risk to the department and to individual faculty or staff.

Ensures that all spaces, rooms, laboratories have appropriate security measures in place to safeguard information, physical resources, and staff.

Research Management

Manage the research resources of the department, to include grant and contract staff and processes, research staff support, capital equipment, physical plant, IRB, and Protected Health Information compliance issues.

Designs and implements administrative procedures for grant and contract administration.

Interprets and integrates federal, state, industry, and private policies, laws, contracts and agreements regarding research activities at the UW.

Assists faculty in the identification of research sponsorship, pre-submission activities, IRB and animal research requirements, supporting documents and verifications, and submission of grant and contract proposals.

Reviews and approves all department grant and contract applications.

Information Management

Manage the information requirements of the department, to include academic, business, educational and research information needs, incorporating and utilizing the existing Information Technology architecture.

Coordinates and manages the department web site and links including all aspects of department functions: clinical sites of practice, service line and outreach activities, research enterprises, faculty biosketches and publications, training programs, and the residency program.

Develops written communication materials which may include department newsletter, CME brochures and mailings, development brochures, and other information to support public relations, scientific presentations, development activities.

Coordinates and participates in public relations and/or fundraising events including donor relations and represents the department at University and external functions; collaborates with SoM Development for fundraising events and issues.

Ensures a viable and secure Information Technology architecture is in place, and educates faculty and staff to the importance of and compliance with a configuration management plan and policy.

Human Resource Management

Manage the human resources of the department, to include the faculty and the department staff, in accordance with University of Washington and School of Medicine policy and procedures.

Key human resource (HR) management skills for the SoM Department Vice Chair are:

Interprets and integrates federal, state, UW, SoM, and other local laws and agreements into department policies and procedures.

Develops and/or utilizes HR measurement/monitoring systems.

Responds to and assists in needs/requirements for faculty and staff training and coaching.

Negotiates faculty/staff relations to represent viewpoints and positions fairly.

Facilities Management

Manage facilities to ensure effective, efficient, and safe operations and preservation of resources.

Reviews, develops, and assigns space to staff and faculty, including research lab areas and offices; coordinates moves and/or relocations of offices, laboratories, and personnel.

Develops written material for long-range space planning including major renovation projects; collaborates with the Chair and working with the Dean's Office when appropriate, to develop business plans and proposals to support requests for additional space.

Interprets and integrates federal, state, UW, and other laws and policies relating to safeguarding of facilities and capital resources.

Builds and maintains relationships with the medical centers' facilities staff to ensure timely correction of deficiencies/repairs to facilities, and to ensure compliance with remodeling and facility modification guidelines.

Educational Program(s) Management

Support program director(s) and faculty in management of educational program(s).

Supports Program Directors (Residency, Medical Student, Fellowship, Graduate, Undergraduate, etc.) and faculty leaders in the management of educational programs.

Interprets and integrates federal, state, UW, SoM, ACGME, ECFMG, RRC, professional society, and other local laws and agreements into departmental policies and procedures.

Supports periodic program reviews for accreditation/certification and training grant renewals.

Facilitates support of accredited and non-accredited Continuing Medical Education programs in the community

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

This position requires a minimum of 4-5 years of experience and a Master's degree in Business Administration (MBA), Health Care Administration, Public Health, or related field. Equivalent experience may substitute for degree requirement.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Proven leadership and sophisticated communication skills.

Experience in performing complex medical center/departmental financial analyses using personal computer software.

Experience with clinical departments in a medical center/hospital environment.

Experience in physician group practice operations and financial management.

Management-level experience, preferably in an academic medical center or hospital environment.

Supervisory and office management experience. Demonstrated experience working with large, highly structured personnel systems.

Demonstrated experience in business planning, financial analysis, and/or strategic planning.

Demonstrated ability to maintain harmonious working relationships and effectively address complex and sensitive administrative issues.

Process Improvement Mindset

Application Process: The application process may include completion of a variety of online assessments to obtain additional information that will be used in the evaluation process.

These assessments may include Work Authorization, Cover Letter and/or others. Any assessments that you need to complete will appear on your screen as soon as you select "Apply to this position". Once you begin an assessment, it must be completed at that time; if you do not complete the assessment you will be prompted to do so the next time you access your "My Jobs" page. If you select to take it later, it will appear on your "My Jobs" page to take when you are ready. Please note that your application will not be reviewed, and you will not be considered for this position until all required assessments have been completed.