Organ Transplant Center Administrator - Department of Surgery

UIOWA•Iowa City, IA

About The Position

The University of Iowa Department of Surgery is seeking an Organ Transplant Center (OTC) Administrator to serve as the administrative executive responsible for the development, oversight, and advancement of solid organ transplantation services across University of Iowa Health Care. The Administrator plans, organizes, directs, and evaluates all administrative aspects of the Organ Transplant Center, including developing infrastructure, partnerships, and operational capabilities to support sustainable growth, exceptional patient outcomes, regulatory excellence, workforce engagement, and the long-term strategic success of transplantation services throughout Iowa and the region. This position collaborates with the medical and surgical leadership of the kidney, liver, heart, and lung transplant programs, as well as leaders across UI Health Care, University of Iowa Physicians, and the Carver College of Medicine, to provide strategic, operational, financial, regulatory, and organizational leadership for transplant services.

Requirements

Master’s degree in Hospital and Health Administration, Public Health or Business Administration or equivalent combination of education and experience.
Minimum seven (7) years of progressive healthcare leadership and administrative experience preferably in an academic medical center.
Demonstrated experience in strategic planning, financial management, operations leadership, physician partnerships, and organizational development.
Demonstrated experience managing budgets, workforce resources, and complex multidisciplinary operations.
Experience leading significant organizational change and performance improvement initiatives.
Excellent communication, relationship-building, and leadership skills.
Experience using data to evaluate outcomes of policies and practices and implementing continuous improvement strategies to enhance a welcoming and respectful workplace environment.

Nice To Haves

Minimum five (5) years’ experience in organ transplant administration
Previous experience and understanding of healthcare operations management including experience with physician and hospital reimbursement regulations and revenue cycle management.
Prior experience and demonstrated ability to positively represent in the area of public relations, marketing and fund raising activities.
Demonstrated results in improving patient satisfaction levels.
Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with physicians, researchers, administrators and supervisors.
Demonstrated results in improving access and clinical operations.
Experience managing in a matrix reporting and unionized environment.
Demonstrated past experience working with UNOS/OPTN and/or AST or ASTS

Responsibilities

Serve as the senior administrative executive supporting all solid organ transplant services across University of Iowa Health Care.
Serve as the administrative dyad partner to the Executive Medical Director and active member of transplant leadership governance structures.
Collaborate with transplant program medical and surgical leaders to establish strategic priorities, operational goals, and long-range plans.
Translate strategic objectives into actionable initiatives that strengthen patient care, education, research, outreach, and financial performance.
Advise executive leadership regarding opportunities, risks, operational challenges, performance trends, regulatory matters, and resource needs.
Develop and manage the Organ Transplant Center strategic plan and ensure alignment with institutional priorities.
Lead administrative initiatives that advance transplant growth, enhance market position, and expand access throughout Iowa and the surrounding region.
Identify opportunities for development of new transplant programs, services, outreach initiatives, and strategic partnerships.
Serve as the administrative liaison to the Iowa City VA HealthCare System, overseeing coordination of VA-affiliated transplant program administration, joint operational planning, and alignment between the University of Iowa Health Care and VA transplant services.
Represent the Organ Transplant Center on internal and external committees, professional organizations, regulatory bodies, and community partnerships.
Provide oversight of all transplant-related fiscal activities in coordination with UI Health Care Corporate Finance, University of Iowa Physicians, Carver College of Medicine, and clinical departments.
Lead development and administration of operating and capital budgets.
Monitor financial performance, productivity, reimbursement trends, and resource utilization.
Develop business plans supporting growth initiatives, capital investments, and long-term sustainability.
Evaluate and implement cost management and operational efficiency strategies.
Oversee transplant-related revenue cycle performance and collaborate with Revenue Management to optimize reimbursement and financial outcomes.
Coordinate and oversee allocation of transplant center costs on Medicare cost reports.
Prepare financial analyses, projections, reports, and responses for institutional, governmental, and regulatory agencies.
Support physician funding models, compensation planning, and financial forecasting.
Partner with the University of Iowa Foundation in support of philanthropic initiatives, gifts, and endowments benefiting transplant programs.
Oversee administration of grants, contracts, and other funding mechanisms as appropriate.
Provide executive leadership for the operational infrastructure supporting transplantation by collaborating with leaders across: Ambulatory Services, Hospital Operations, Perioperative Services, Pharmacy, and more.
Lead initiatives that improve coordination, efficiency, communication, reliability, and patient experience across the transplant continuum.
Establish and enforce policies and procedures supporting safe, efficient, and compliant operations.
Coordinate resources necessary to support physician-led transplant programs.
Work across multiple clinical service lines to implement best practices and innovative models of care.
Oversee implementation and optimization of transplant-related information systems, data infrastructure, and Epic functionality.
Ensure effective communication and coordination among transplant programs, clinical departments, and administrative service areas.
Support operational readiness and achievement of transplant program goals related to transplant volume, access, and patient outcomes.
Develop and implement strategies to position University of Iowa Health Care as the preferred regional destination for transplant care.
Lead initiatives focused on expanding patient access, growing referral networks, increasing transplant evaluations and waitlist activity, supporting living donor growth, expanding regional outreach, developing strategic partnerships, improving patient navigation, and strengthening relationships with referring providers.
Partner with Marketing and Communications to develop outreach campaigns and market development strategies.
Foster relationships with regional health systems, physicians, community organizations, and other stakeholders.
Support public relations initiatives and represent the Organ Transplant Center externally.
Ensure compliance with CMS Conditions of Participation, OPTN policies, UNOS requirements, SRTR standards, Joint Commission standards, and all applicable federal, state, and institutional regulations.
Lead administrative efforts to support regulatory readiness, accreditation activities, performance improvement, quality improvement, patient safety, operational benchmarking, data analytics, and patient experience initiatives.
Develop and oversee quality metrics required for transplant certification, accreditation, and payer requirements.
Establish enterprise dashboards to monitor referral activity, patient access, evaluation timeliness, waitlist growth, transplant volume, financial performance, resource utilization, regulatory compliance, quality outcomes, and patient experience.
Investigate operational and quality concerns and implement corrective actions as appropriate.
Lead efforts to continuously improve transplant program performance and outcomes.
Ensure transplant program goals are met related to patient satisfaction, quality of care, access, safety, and efficient resource utilization.
Act as an executive liaison for patients and families regarding service concerns and operational issues.
Oversee processes for resolving patient complaints and improving service delivery.
Promote a culture of patient- and family-centered care.
Model and champion service excellence principles throughout the organization.
Recruit, develop, mentor, and retain a high-performing transplant administrative team.
Provide leadership and accountability for administrative staff and program leaders.
Partner with Human Resources to ensure effective workforce planning, talent management, succession planning, and employee relations.
Approve staffing models and resource allocations supporting operational goals.
Hold leaders accountable for employee engagement, performance expectations, and organizational outcomes.
Develop future leaders through coaching, mentoring, and professional development initiatives.
Model and actively promote UI Health Care WE CARE values and behaviors.
Partner with physician leadership to advance the academic mission of the transplant programs through the support and development of clinical research, graduate medical education, fellowship programs, faculty recruitment, community outreach initiatives, and regional collaborations.
Support administration of transplant-related educational programs and fellowships.
Collaborate with Carver College of Medicine leadership, researchers, and faculty to advance academic priorities.
Maintain strong relationships with organ procurement organizations, referring providers, regulatory agencies, community partners, and professional associations.
Prepare reports, presentations, and materials for internal and external stakeholders.
Promotes a welcoming and respectful workplace environment that recognizes, celebrates, and rewards behaviors that support the university’s core values.