Executive Projects Manager - Thoracic Surgery

UCSF•San Francisco, CA

11d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Department of Surgery, Division of Thoracic Surgery, seeks an experienced and adaptable Executive Projects Manager to lead administrative, financial, personnel, research, and event operations. Working under the guidance of the Division Chief, Senior Directors, Administrative Directors & Operations Managers, the Executive Projects Manager will play a pivotal role in advancing the division’s mission of excellence in education, research, and clinical care within the high-pressure and fast-paced environment of an academic medical center. This role requires exceptional organizational, analytical, and leadership skills to meet the complex and evolving needs of the division, while maintaining the highest standards of professionalism and service. The Executive Projects Manager will work closely with faculty members, including surgeons with demanding schedules, to ensure operational efficiency and provide solutions that align with the division’s priorities.

Requirements

Exceptional organizational, analytical, and leadership skills.
Ability to work closely with faculty members, including surgeons with demanding schedules.
Strong writing and editing skills.
Comprehensive understanding of UCSF's administrative policies, travel and entertainment guidelines, HR protocols, union agreements, CME regulations, ACGME and OGME requirements, grant management processes, medical center standards, campus policies, and event planning strategies.
Substantial experience in financial oversight, academic operations, educational management, program and project management, and research administration.
Ability to execute high-level tasks independently.
Ability to think critically.
Ability to lead teams.
Ability to adapt effectively within a dynamic environment.
Exceptional organizational and interpersonal skills.
Willingness to approach all responsibilities with flexibility and a hands-on attitude.
Ability to return on-site three times a week.
Ability to occasionally work evenings or weekends with limited notice.

Nice To Haves

Experience in a high-pressure and fast-paced academic medical center environment.
Experience working with diverse teams and individuals.
Experience adapting to varying personalities and demands.
Experience analyzing issues to identify limitations, boundaries, and critical needs.
Experience making informed decisions and providing actionable recommendations.
Experience escalating issues when appropriate.
Experience proactively addressing challenges.

Responsibilities

Oversee faculty practice operations, including procuring supplies, coordinating complex meetings, resolving scheduling conflicts, planning travel, processing reimbursements, editing biosketches, and generating reports.
Optimize faculty schedules to align with clinical, research, and educational responsibilities.
Coordinate faculty meetings, evaluations, reports, social media updates, website maintenance, on-call scheduling, vacation planning, and divisional communications.
Serve as the division’s primary HR liaison, addressing staff and faculty concerns in collaboration with the Administrative and Senior Directors.
Manage recruitment, onboarding/offboarding, payroll, timesheet management, training, performance evaluations, emergency planning, and space surveys.
Manage all hiring processes for faculty, staff, non-faculty academics, and lab personnel, as well as visitor initiatives, including volunteers, APM 430, observership, visiting physicians, and affiliates.
Organize major academic events, including symposiums, grand rounds, visiting professorships, events, and other programs to support education and training.
Actively support research operations, including grant submissions, post-award administration, expense reconciliation, lab relocations, and the development of new lab initiatives.
Collaborate with Principal Investigators (PIs) to ensure compliance and operational efficiency, including student onboarding, monitoring regulatory adherence, and resolving research-related issues.
Assist with manuscript preparation, academic posters, grant proposals, and post-award management.
Oversee budget planning, general ledger reconciliation, on-call revenue and billing, and grant funding administration.
Ensure accurate financial transactions, strict compliance with UCSF policies, and efficient allocation of resources to support research and operations.
Manage pre- and post-award grant processes, monitor expenses, forecast financial needs, and identify cost-saving opportunities.
Collaborate with PIs, faculty, and divisional leadership to optimize budgets, maintain compliance with funding regulations, and contribute to the division’s overall financial health and strategic priorities.
Foster collaboration across multiple divisions and departments, working closely with faculty, staff, and external stakeholders to support shared initiatives and priorities.
Participate in cross-coverage training, workshops, and collaborative projects across teams, while providing support to managers in Vascular Surgery, Cardiac Surgery & Lung Transplantation, and the Department of Surgery.
Contribute to interdivisional and interdepartmental initiatives, ensuring cross-coverage as needed, and serving as backup support for residency and fellowship programs.
Demonstrate the ability to work effectively with diverse teams and individuals, adapt to varying personalities and demands, and analyze issues to identify limitations, boundaries, and critical needs.
Make informed decisions, provide actionable recommendations, escalate issues when appropriate, and proactively address challenges to benefit the division, department, and institution.
Execute high-level tasks independently, think critically, lead teams, and adapt effectively within a dynamic environment.
Be highly responsive and flexible, able to return on-site three times a week and occasionally work evenings or weekends with limited notice to accommodate urgent operational needs.
Undertake other assigned projects as needed.