Director, Surgical Systems Strategy

University of Chicago•Chicago, IL

6h•Onsite

About The Position

The Director of Surgical System Strategy is responsible for working with the Senior Executive Director for Surgery System Operations and Health System Vice President for Perioperative, Procedural, and Imaging Services to support the strategic plan of the health system by aligning faculty recruitment and deployment across all perioperative departments and service lines within the health system. This leadership role involves understanding regionalization and operationalizing surgical systems across capacity, access, and margins by location to ensure efficient allocation of resources, optimal patient care, and adherence to regulatory standards. The role will utilize data analytics to provide findings to Senior Executive Director for Surgery System Operations to better monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) related to operational efficiency, financial outcomes, and patient care quality, leveraging insights to drive improvements in surgical services. In collaboration with department heads, service line leaders, location-specific system leaders, and strategy teams, this role develops comprehensive deployment plans, aligns financial and operational objectives, and fosters innovation in surgical services while advancing the overall health system strategy.

Requirements

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.
Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 7+ years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree in healthcare administration, business administration, or a related field strongly preferred.
10 years of experience in healthcare operations, specifically surgical services strongly preferred.
Proven experience in a leadership role with a successful track record in team management and project execution.
Ability to manage in an efficient, dynamic, and growth-oriented manner by fostering a continuous learning mentality that is applied to the overall department in alignment with the organizational commitment to excellence.
Demonstrates developing leadership skills and sound judgment in supporting strategic initiatives.
Applies strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills to manage priorities and support decision-making.
Uses data, reporting tools, and healthcare information systems to monitor performance and identify opportunities.
Communicates clearly and professionally with leaders, faculty, staff, and cross-functional partners.
Builds effective working relationships and supports collaboration across departments, service lines, and locations.
Shows initiative, adaptability, and attention to detail in advancing operational and strategic goals.

Responsibilities

Support site-level and health system surgical deployment planning in partnership with department, service line, strategy, and operational leaders.
Assist in evaluating market needs, growth opportunities, recruitment priorities, and potential partnerships to inform surgical services planning.
Help coordinate faculty deployment across perioperative departments and service lines, considering OR capacity, clinic access, resource needs, and financial goals.
Monitor program growth, operational performance, and key metrics such as access, capacity, utilization, length of stay, and quality outcomes.
Partner with operational and ambulatory leaders to support scheduling, staffing, space planning, patient routing, and resource coordination.
Support budget tracking, reporting, compliance, quality improvement, and performance follow-up to help ensure strategic and operational goals are met.
Provides leadership to managers and professional staff within a department to support teaching, medical research and clinical care.
Facilitates research initiatives of the faculty and staff.
Establishes department priorities, allocates resources and executes strategic plans.
Manages non-medical activities of the department(s).
Advises policy development and implementation in various departmental areas.
Performs other related work as needed.