Senior Director, PACE

Sutter Health•Sacramento, CA

6d•$165,339 - $264,555

About The Position

The Senior Director, PACE provides strategic, operational, and administrative leadership for a Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) center and associated services. The role is accountable for center performance, including participant experience, quality of care, regulatory compliance, financial performance, workforce engagement and leadership development, enrollment and growth, execution of organizational strategy, and operational excellence. The Senior Director serves as the center’s senior administrative leader and partners with the Medical Director, clinical and operational leaders, the interdisciplinary team (IDT), and enterprise leadership to deliver coordinated, participant-centered care that supports older adults in remaining safely in their communities. The role leads PACE operations in compliance with federal PACE regulations, the PACE program agreement with CMS and the State Administering Agency, and applicable state licensing requirements. Responsibilities include ensuring comprehensive services, an effective IDT, compliant eligibility and enrollment practices, sound management of the capitated financial model, protection of participant rights, quality and risk management, qualified staff and contracted providers, continuous audit and survey readiness, and appropriate governance reporting. The Senior Director sets and executes strategic and operating plans, monitors performance across quality, service, finance, growth, workforce, and operations, and leads corrective actions and continuous improvement. The position manages budgets and resource allocation, develops community and referral relationships to support enrollment, and leads the center’s senior management team. It also fosters an inclusive, accountable work environment and manages staff performance and development. The position requires a bachelor’s degree in Health Care Administration, Public Health, Business Administration, or a related field, or equivalent experience in lieu of the degree. Typical experience is 7–15 years of recent relevant experience, including 3–5 years of PACE leadership experience.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Health Care Administration, Public Health, Business Administration, or a related field; equivalent experience may be accepted in lieu of the degree.
7–15 years of recent relevant experience.
3–5 years of PACE leadership experience required.
Knowledge and interpersonal skills to tactfully direct diverse health professionals to meet patient and physician needs.
Considerable knowledge of federal and state licensing and regulatory standards, accreditation, and clinical practice standards.
Ability to make difficult decisions, drive desired change, and promote a shared sense of purpose.
Credible leadership presence and ability to respond with logic, clarity, calmness, and authority and engage others.
Ability to make fiscally sound decisions aligned with corporate and Service Line philosophy.
Verbal and written communication skills to convey concepts and information clearly to management and employees.
Effectiveness in achieving goals through individuals without direct control of their resources.
Knowledge of emerging trends and regulatory changes and their operational impact.

Responsibilities

Provide strategic, operational, and administrative leadership for the PACE program and center.
Ensure compliance with federal and state PACE regulations, licensing requirements, the PACE program agreement, organizational policies, and accreditation or certification requirements.
Ensure participants receive Medicare- and Medicaid-covered services and other services determined necessary by the interdisciplinary team across center, home, and community settings.
Ensure the interdisciplinary team is staffed and functioning effectively and completes participant assessments, care plans, reassessments, and documentation in a timely manner, in partnership with the Medical Director.
Support compliant participant eligibility, enrollment, disenrollment, and census practices.
Manage financial performance under the Medicare and Medicaid capitated payment model, including medical expenses, utilization, contracts, and solvency requirements.
Protect participant rights and ensure grievances, appeals, incidents, and service-determination timelines are handled in accordance with PACE regulations.
Maintain a data-driven quality assessment and performance improvement program, including participant safety, infection control, and emergency preparedness.
Ensure staff and contracted providers maintain required licenses, credentials, training, and competencies.
Maintain continuous audit and survey readiness, coordinate responses to findings, and ensure timely completion of corrective action plans.
Report to and partner with the governing body and senior leadership on program performance, risk, and strategic direction.
Oversee operational performance of Service Line entities and monitor quality, service, financial, and growth performance.
Work with Directors and Administrators to meet goals, improve operations and quality of care, and address business-process issues.
Develop benchmarks, dashboards, reports, and tools with executive management to enhance operational efficiency.
Establish a common Service Line governance framework while accounting for the needs of individual entities.
Identify and develop new programs and revenue sources.
Maintain productive relationships with Service Line leadership, physician partners, and Sutter affiliate management, and help resolve related issues and concerns.
Review complaints and incidents and ensure improvement plans are developed and implemented when needed.
Lead achievement of participant enrollment and census objectives; monitor enrollment pipelines, disenrollment, census, market trends, referrals, and barriers to growth.
Partner with outreach, marketing, enrollment, and community engagement teams and develop relationships with community organizations, health systems, physicians, senior-service organizations, government agencies, and other referral partners.
Represent the PACE program with external stakeholders and develop partnerships that strengthen awareness and access.
Translate organizational strategy into measurable center-level goals, priorities, and operating plans; communicate plans and align leaders and staff.
Establish and monitor key performance indicators across quality, participant experience, workforce, growth, financial performance, and operations.
Lead the center’s senior management team, set clear accountability, and partner with clinical, medical, nursing, social services, rehabilitation, home care, transportation, enrollment, finance, HR, compliance, and other functional leaders.
Participate in enterprise strategic planning and operational improvement initiatives; identify risks and opportunities and implement corrective actions.
Lead goal setting and monitor progress, develop action plans, plan for current and future resource needs, and promote innovation and continuous improvement.
Develop and manage annual operating, staffing, and capital budgets with Finance; monitor revenue, labor, medical, and operating expenses and address variances.
Ensure appropriate staffing and resource allocation, balance financial stewardship with quality and participant needs, and pursue operational efficiency and long-term sustainability.
Approve operating budgets, capital requests, employee expense reimbursements, and vendor billing statements according to established protocol.
Foster an inclusive work environment that supports staff engagement, collaboration, and teamwork.
Manage assigned staff, make hiring and termination decisions, review and approve timekeeping records, set expectations, and hold individuals and teams accountable.
Evaluate staff performance, determine or approve merit increases, provide feedback and coaching, support career development and cross-training, and implement disciplinary actions or performance improvement plans.
Conduct staff meetings and respond to alleged policy, regulatory, or conduct violations, consulting Human Resources or Compliance as appropriate.