Program Director, Cancer Quality and Accreditations

UChicago Medicine • Chicago, IL

11d • $142,400 - $166,100

About The Position

This is a newly created role within a world-class academic healthcare system, seeking a strategic cancer services leader with a proven track record in cancer quality and accreditations. The Program Director provides strategic and operational leadership for oncology quality programs across the cancer service line. In partnership with the Cancer Service Line Chief Quality Officer (Medical Director), this role ensures the delivery of high-quality, data-driven, patient-centered cancer care aligned with national standards, network expectations, organizational goals, and performance benchmarks. The role oversees cancer registry operations, oncology-related accreditations and regulatory compliance, value-based oncology initiatives, and quality improvement programs. It also serves as a consultant to the UChicago Medicine cancer affiliate network and service line joint ventures, and acts as the primary point of integration with UCM Clinical Performance Excellence functions.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in nursing, healthcare administration, public health, or related field required.
• Experience with oncology accreditation programs, regulatory standards, and oncology quality reporting required.
• Proven track record with national benchmarking initiatives, including U.S. News & World Report methodologies and publicly reported quality metrics.
• Experience with oncology data analytics, quality improvement methodologies, and value-based care initiatives.
• Ability to analyze information, present data, and draw conclusions by applying analysis techniques, using data to drive positive performance.
• Engaging communication and collaboration skills that support effective relationships, including physician relationships and alignment in a highly matrixed environment.
• Strong knowledge of oncology quality standards, cancer registry operations, accreditation requirements, and national benchmarking methodologies.
• Understanding of oncology care delivery models and value-based reimbursement structures.
• Ability to interpret and present complex clinical, operational, and quality performance data.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary teams and organizational change initiatives.
• Proficiency with oncology analytics, EMR systems, registry software, and quality reporting tools.

Nice To Haves

• Master's degree preferred in healthcare related field, such as MSN, MHA, or MBA.
• Current clinical licensure (RN or allied health discipline), along with Oncology certification (OCN), and ODS-Certified Oncology Data Specialist credentials preferred.
• Ideal candidate will be a cancer services leader with 8+ years of progressive experience in oncology quality, cancer program administration, registry operations, or healthcare, preferably from a cancer services role held in a large academic hospital setting or affiliated cancer network.
• Experience using LEAN for performance improvement is highly desirable, including quality certification.

Responsibilities

• Supports the Cancer Service Line Chief Quality Officer (Medical Director) by leading development, implementation, and evaluation of oncology quality initiatives across inpatient and outpatient settings.
• Leads accreditation readiness and ongoing compliance activities for a host of oncology-related accrediting bodies.
• Establishes and monitors cancer quality metrics (i.e. mortality, readmissions, length of stay, discharge home, etc.), dashboards, and performance improvement plans in collaboration with operational excellence/quality support.
• Utilizing benchmarking data, analyzes clinical outcomes and operational performance to identify opportunities for improvement. Proactively identifies negative quality trends and develops/executes a plan for improvement.
• Collaborates with physicians (hematology oncology, radiation oncology, and oncology surgical specialties), nursing leadership, pharmacy, and ancillary departments to improve quality and care coordination.
• Partners with the Clinical Performance Excellence (CPE) and site CQOs team to ensure oncology quality metrics, dashboards, and improvement methodologies are consistent with system-wide measurement standards and reporting cadence.
• Provides administrative and operational oversight for the cancer registry program and ensures compliance with national reporting requirements and registry standards.
• Coordinates with system Regulatory and Accreditation Compliance to ensure oncology-specific survey readiness, documentation standards, and corrective action processes are integrated with organizational accreditation governance and survey calendar.
• Supports development and execution of oncology value-based care strategies and alternative payment models in collaboration with oncology, quality, and finance/managed care leadership.
• Facilitates communication, reporting, and collaboration between organizational leadership and UCM cancer network leadership. Serves as a liaison to the UChicago Cancer Center cancer network and affiliated oncology partners.
• Provide leadership, mentoring, and oversight for oncology quality and registry staff.
• Foster efforts to positively impact the organization’s visibility, image, and relationship with its surrounding community.
• Reinforcing and sustaining UCM’s E4 Leadership Culture.

Benefits

• Opportunity to work at a world-class organization, engaging numerous stakeholders, with the mission of providing a strong vision for the future of the UChicago Medicine Cancer Service Line.
• Be a key stakeholder as our Cancer Service division prepares for the launch of our standalone cancer center - the first of its kind in the greater Chicagoland area.
• Join a leadership team of dedicated and passionate individuals committed to transformational change and the highest echelon of patient care.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior