Department Administrator - Surgical Oncology

The Department Administrator of Surgical Oncology serves as the administrator and chief operating/financial officer for institutional, administrative, financial, budgetary, clinical, academic, and research matters. This position is responsible for development and execution of departmental strategy in conjunction with the Department Chair and Divisional leadership.

KEY FUNCTIONS

Strategic Planning and Implementation
• Develop, evaluate, and execute long-term strategic business and multi-disciplinary operations plans in collaboration with the department chair, faculty, division leadership, Center leadership, Perioperative Services leadership, and Inpatient Nursing.
• Manage and evaluate plans to achieve long-term financial and operational results. Provide chair with analysis, outcomes, and recommendations as necessary.
• Coordinate marketing initiatives, to include social media, physician relations, symposiums, etc. and work closely with senior-level administrators and faculty as necessary.
• Evaluate options regarding Surgical Oncology in the Houston Area Location (HAL) and contribute to the discussions with Chair, Division, Service Lines, and Institution as to strategy and direction of program.
• Oversee development and implementation of departmental policies & procedures and ensure consistency of application.
• Direct strategic expansion of departmental programs.
• Develop strategic growth models that align and support service line initiatives to include comprehensive business plans and proformas.
• Complete complex analyses (SBARs – situation, background, assessment, and recommendations) and revise existing operations or operationalize new plans accordingly.
• Catalyze interactions across department, division, and institution to assure alignment and maximum impact.
• Manage departmental space, including academic and lab space.
• Complete annual space survey and bi-annual lab space survey with all supporting documentation. Manage Facilities Asset Requests (FARs) including, but not limited to obtaining space, furniture and moves as needed. Attend and oversee audits as needed (i.e. SODF, Compliance, Charge Capture).

Financial Management
• Oversee the planning and forecasting of all financial and budgetary matters based on activity/revenue indicators and departmental needs.
• Justify and defend the annual budget submission to senior executives during budget hearings. Accountable for department operating and research budgets.
• Oversee the management of all related funding sources for the department and its related programmatic areas within institutional guidelines and in accordance with strategic plans.
• Ensure that departmental/sectional reporting in terms of financial status, research funding, and clinical activity is accurate, reflective of key departmental metrics, and occurs with appropriate frequency.
• Manage departmental activity to achieve desirable trends in collaboration with department and Center leadership. Communicate to department chair, clinicians, and other appropriate parties regarding individual, section, and departmental activity expectations and financial targets.
• Implement financial controls in accordance with institutional and regulatory guidelines and sound business practices.
• Manage professional charge capture for billing in clinic and operating room charges to ensure coding accuracy and timeliness.
• Specific requirements include but are not limited to reconciliation of appointments, careful review of operating room charges (modifiers), and procedure price review. Work with Division to oversee Asset Management, including annual inventory and offsite equipment.

Faculty Support and Relations
• Provide input to the Department Chair for faculty recruitment by developing resource packages to include estimated salary and source of support, space allocation, personnel support, and research funding.
• Provide guidance to faculty members regarding issues of concern related to space, financial resources, and HR-related issues and assist them in obtaining required needs. Direct recruitment of selected candidate(s) to include oversight of the implementation of the offer package regarding space, personnel, and financial resources.
• Oversee and direct the preparation of appointment and promotion packages for submission to appropriate committees, to include privileging and credentialing.
• Develop business plans for faculty positions and programs/equipment. Escalate patient care issues as necessary. Inform faculty of current policies and procedures and manage compliance.
• Meet with faculty on an individual basis to ensure appropriate and open communication channels as needed.
• Work with Institution to ensure all FPPE/OPPE requirements are completed.
• Work with Grants & Contracts to ensure effort reporting is done in a timely fashion per Institutional and Federal guidelines.
• Serve as liaison for recruitments, appraisals, and management of the stewardship component of Faculty pay.
• Ensure Faculty and all billing providers are current and compliant with Federal/State/UT System and MD Anderson requirements.

Human Resources Management
• Direct recruitment of faculty, educational, and classified staff.
• Fosters cohesion, harmonization, and high performance of department leadership team.
• Ensures duties support the patient care needs of the supervising faculty. Additional oversight provided includes billing, dictations, credentialing, licenses, certifications, PDM, and continuing education.
• Serve as an HR resource for faculty including coaching & counseling.
• Develop and implement effective organization structure to maximize utilization of current staffing, including the development and adherence to staffing models. Establish standards of performance to meet both departmental needs and institutional core values.
• Oversee Department's performance management and disciplinary action processes; ensure all employees have complied with mandatory trainings.
• Oversee the department's fellowship and other academic programs including all marketing, recruitment, and related administrative activities (appointments, evaluations, visa management, and funding, including training grants).
• Directly supervises managers and staff to accomplish departmental objectives.

Clinical Service Management - Centers and Perioperative Services
• Direct initiatives to expand and maintain programmatic initiatives in accordance with the department's strategic plan and departmental budget.
• Work with Chair, faculty, and the center administrative director(s) to develop and monitor plans designed to ensure faculty and patient satisfaction.
• Work with center administrative director(s) to ensure schedules and templates are optimized for the most efficient patient care and charge capture.
• Develop capital equipment budget with Department Chair and Faculty on an annual basis.
• Review operating room block utilization for optimal use of time and block allocation management.
• Oversee Departmental coverage plans in the Center(s). Monitor surgery schedule for pending cases as needed.

Clinical Research Management
• Maintains productive communication with centralized service areas to establish ongoing collaborations which are mutually beneficial to the advancement of the research mission.
• Stays informed of trends in research which may impact clinical practice and downstream activity.
• Communicates this information proactively to affected parties. Upholds standards of ethical practices in research at all times.
• Provides management of the financial and regulatory components of clinical research. This includes developing monitoring and compliance strategies for research charge capture and modifiers associated with clinical trials.
• Administers timely invoicing and collections on contracts to maintain adequate cash levels. Adheres to restrictions specified in notices of grant awards and contracts. Allocates salary to accurately reflect
effort on all projects. Prevents excessive overdrafts and validates that non-personnel expenses are applied accurately. • Manages the department allocation of the Clinical Research Funding model. Provides timely close out of company centers at the end of each project.
• Ensures staff receives ongoing training and education concerning, human subject protections and compliance with regulatory policies and procedures. Works closely with clinical research staff to report protocol deviations and adverse events in a timely manner and to monitor for trends.

Research Operations Management
• Develops and ensures accuracy of grant proposal budgets and contractual agreements; ensures the timely submission of proposal or agreements which meet institutional mandates; obtains exceptions, if necessary, to institutional guidelines.
• Responsible for effort reporting process and compliance. Provides administrative oversight of basic science research programs, to include managing compliance with all safety regulations.
• Provides advice and counsel to faculty on grant submissions, negotiations with sponsoring agencies, contract development and financial oversight of approved awards.
• Assists in long-range planning for research program growth and changes in research priorities.
• Works with Department Chair regarding the assignment or reallocation of laboratory and office space. Provides direction to laboratory personnel to accomplish relocations and moves to establish laboratories for faculty. Advises faculty on the use of resources and assists in determining needs and priorities.
• Meets routinely with Investigators to review status of grants, contracts and other sponsored agreements. Develops and implements the research funding model, E&G, and capital equipment budgets. Provides oversight of post award reporting requirements.

Divisional and Institutional Support
• Support the Division of Surgery office by providing requested information and documentation, developing short- and long-range goals, and devising collaborative strategies for resource acquisition and allocation.
• Lead and participate in divisional and institutional projects, ensuring that goals, objectives and commitments are met.