Senior Director, Finance and Clinical Programs - Department of Medicine

University of Washington•Seattle, WA

12d•$200,004 - $250,008

About The Position

The Senior Director, Finance and Clinical Programs is a senior member of the Department of Medicine Executive Leadership team and an advisor to the Chair, Vice Chair of Finance and Administration (VCFA), service chiefs, division heads, and division administrators. Reporting to the VCFA, the Senior Director oversees the department’s approximately $600 million budget and its central finance and clinical program teams. The position directs financial planning, budgeting, reporting, analysis, and oversight of funds from federal, state, practice plan, private, University, and foundation sources. It also oversees the department’s clinical enterprise, including clinical revenue cycle management, clinical faculty productivity and compensation, strategic planning, and coordination and negotiations with medical centers. The role is directly accountable to the Chair and VCFA for successful performance of these responsibilities. The Senior Director leads departmental and divisional budget development, financial reporting, forecasting, and long-range financial planning, and evaluates financial performance against annual budgets and department strategy. The position oversees clinical finance strategy and operations, including UWP budgeting and clinical funding processes, revenue and expenditure management, physician compensation and incentive plans, clinical productivity standards, coding and reimbursement, and funds-flow analysis. It partners with department, School of Medicine, UW Medicine, UWP, and medical center leaders to assess and prioritize clinical initiatives, negotiate clinical funding, and support strategic growth and operational planning. Additional responsibilities include oversight of departmental contracting and faculty outside-work regulatory compliance processes; leadership, supervision, mentorship, and development of staff and Division Administrators; and representation of the department on school- and system-wide committees. The role oversees a team of six FTEs, plus additional indirect reports, and works with 11 divisions and institutional partners. The department has more than 3,900 staff, faculty, trainees, and students, and operates across multiple clinical and academic sites. This regular, 100% FTE position is first shift. It requires a flexible schedule and the ability to work long hours during periods of heavy workload and deadlines. The position regularly requires attendance at meetings and responses to questions outside regular workdays and hours, including weekends. Meetings take place at multiple on- and off-campus locations and with external stakeholders. The role requires organization, resilience under stress, sound communication, ethical and political awareness, self-motivation, and the ability to work collaboratively and independently.

Requirements

Master’s degree in Business Administration, Health Care Administration, Clinical Informatics, or a related field; equivalent education and/or experience may substitute where permitted.
At least 6–8 years of experience in a healthcare environment and demonstrated success managing complex programs, activities, or units.
Strong understanding of revenue cycle management and prior oversight of clinical finances.
Experience negotiating with hospitals.
Experience in team leadership and physician relations.
Strong oral and written communication, team-building, systems expertise, collaboration, organization assessment, decision-making, interpersonal, and staff development skills.
High degree of initiative and demonstrated ability in financial analysis, operational efficiency, cost containment, and strategic planning.
In-depth working knowledge of academic institutions, physician clinical billing, and practice management.
Demonstrated dedication to equity, diversity, and inclusion.
Ability to stay organized and manage competing priorities under stress; work a flexible schedule and long hours when required by workload and deadlines; and attend meetings or respond to questions outside regular workdays and hours, including weekends.
Ability to work collaboratively and independently, with self-motivation and awareness of the ethical and political ramifications of decisions.
Understanding of the mission and objectives of the Department of Medicine within the UW School of Medicine.

Nice To Haves

Prior experience negotiating with hospitals.

Responsibilities

Direct the Department of Medicine’s annual budget process, including budgets for divisions and central units, the UWP budget, commitments, and long-term funding obligations.
Oversee monthly and annual financial reporting and analysis for divisions, central units, and the department as a whole; develop financial dashboards and metrics and communicate results to leadership and stakeholders.
Develop strategic financial plans, analyze proposed and existing programs, translate department objectives into short- and long-term financial strategies, and assess performance against budgets and long-range plans.
Develop policies and procedures for financial operations and sponsored research programs, and ensure compliance with University, federal, state, and sponsor requirements.
Direct central administrative unit financial operations, including resource allocation, forecasting, policy implementation, and monitoring.
Oversee clinical finance strategy and operations, including the clinical revenue cycle, faculty funding processes, annual UWP and departmental clinical budgets, and clinical revenues and expenditures.
Partner with department, School of Medicine, UW Medicine, UWP, and medical center leaders on clinical funding strategy, planning, and negotiations; represent department leadership on relevant committees.
Evaluate and recommend clinical faculty compensation models and divisional incentive plans; partner with divisions to design, implement, and monitor clinical incentive programs.
Monitor divisional clinical budgets and identify opportunities to increase clinical revenue; oversee analysis of departmental funds flow, including per-wRVU and direct hospital funding.
Evaluate clinical productivity standards and cFTE expectations; develop benchmarks, monitoring and feedback procedures, education plans, and communications tools, including dashboards.
Analyze revenue cycle approaches and services, optimize billing practices, oversee charge-capture processes, address billing concerns, and work with compliance leaders to support faculty compliance.
Assess and prioritize department-wide clinical initiatives and growth opportunities; coordinate clinical strategy across sites and divisions in partnership with the Executive Vice Chair and other leaders.
Manage SBARs and related divisional and hospital interactions, direct preparation of supporting analysis, and work with hospital analysts on strategic initiative documentation.
Advise on recruitment, retention, clinical site staffing, inpatient staffing management, and delegation of site operational work in support of clinical strategy.
Oversee departmental contracting processes for clinical, research, goods and services, educational, and other agreements, ensuring timely and compliant completion consistent with UW policies.
Oversee the faculty outside-work (1460 form) process and ensure timely, compliant resolution of issues.
Supervise, lead, train, mentor, and develop finance and clinical program staff; oversee a team of six FTEs plus indirect reports and provide leadership and mentorship to nine Division Administrators.
Build and maintain working relationships with 11 divisions, the dean’s office, medical centers, and UW/UWP offices; serve as liaison to UW central offices.
Lead special projects and other duties as assigned.