Executive Director, Musculoskeletal Center and EA, Department of Orthopaedics

Join a world-class academic healthcare system, UChicago Medicine, as the Executive Director, Musculoskeletal Center and Executive Administrator, Department of Orthopaedics, responsible for the leadership and strategic oversight of the operational, financial, patient experience, and clinical outcomes of the UChicago Medicine (UCM) Musculoskeletal Center (MC) and Biological Sciences Division (BSD) Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine (OSRM). In partnership with the department Chair, this role also oversees all administrative responsibility for the academic missions for the BSD Department of OSRM. 

The Executive Director, Musculoskeletal Center and Executive Administrator, Department of Orthopaedics will ensure alignment of clinical services, faculty recruitment/promotion/support/retention, and resource allocation across all inpatient, outpatient, and procedural areas related to the MC and Department of OSRM. Working closely with the Chief Strategy and Growth Officer, OSRM Department Chair, Section Chiefs, and MC Physician-in-Chief, the Executive Director will be responsible for driving growth initiatives, faculty/staff support, service line development, and patient experience improvements, ensuring efficient delivery of care.

As the Executive Director, you will partner with UChicago Medicine and BSD leadership to meet financial, operational, and clinical outcomes, while fostering a culture of collaboration and accountability. This role also leads recruitment efforts, coordinates with external agencies, and oversees clinical expansion, capital requests, and space management. Additionally, the Executive Director supports faculty development, drives research initiatives, and ensures compliance with institutional, state, and federal policies. In this role, you will play a critical role in mentoring staff, fostering cross-program collaboration, and identifying new opportunities for growth and innovation.

Who you are:

A strategic and collaborative healthcare leader with:

• Master’s degree required
• At least 10 years of progressive management experience within an academic healthcare organization demonstrating leadership, strategic thinking, and responsibility for operations and growth
• 5 or more years of experience leading a program; experience leading a musculoskeletal or orthopaedic program highly desirable
• Experience working with revenue cycle for hospital and professional fee billing
• Past experience working in a fiscally responsible, highly regulated business setting that regularly employs benchmarking
• Familiarity with academic recruitment, hiring, and promotion processes
• Proven financial management skills, including the ability to analyze data for budgeting, operations, auditing, and accounts receivable and reserve analysis and perform preparation.
• Demonstrated critical thinking skills and deep understanding of the underlying financial and operational drivers within a research environment
• Ability to apply business best practices where appropriate and develop creative alternative strategies as needed
• Knowledge of research funding and appreciation for working in a research-intensive academic culture
• Exceptional communication and listening skills and the ability to communicate comfortably with healthcare professionals locally and internationally, board and committee members, and academic and healthcare professionals
• Highly ethical and professional demeanor with the ability to influence and lead others
• Track record of success in focusing on strategic objectives and translating the priorities into successful short- and long-term results for the organization

What you’ll gain as the Executive Director, Musculoskeletal Center and Executive Administrator, Department of Orthopaedics: 

• Opportunity to work for an integrated academic and community health system with aggressive plans for growth across the Chicagoland area.
• Visibility as a key leader responsible for strategic oversight, performance optimization, financial stewardship, and the implementation of short- and long-term business plans of UChicago Medicine’s Musculoskeletal Center and the Biological Sciences Division’s Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine.

What you’ll do as the Executive Director, Musculoskeletal Center and Executive Administrator, Department of Orthopaedics:

• Develop and implement short- and long-term business plans for the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine and Musculoskeletal Center, aligning with institutional goals across the three academic missions and ensuring growth, quality, and patient experience metrics are met or exceeded.
• Foster collaboration among clinical leadership, faculty, support services, and external partners to drive the success of new and expanded service lines, clinical sites, and strategic alliances.
• Lead the day-to-day operations of the MC and Department of OSRM, including managing clinical and academic staff, deploying resources, and optimizing workflow across inpatient, outpatient, and procedural areas.
• Plan, coordinate, and direct the department's broad and complex financial and management functions supporting clinical care, research, and medical education.
• Oversee the financial health of the OSRM Department and MC, including budgeting, compensation modeling, and financial forecasting, while driving cost-saving initiatives and meeting revenue growth targets.
• Lead initiatives to ensure compliance with external reporting standards and improve clinical outcomes, patient safety, and satisfaction, working with leadership to track and report on key performance metrics.
• Oversee space utilization, prioritize capital requests, and manage renovations and equipment purchases to ensure the MC and OSRM Department have the necessary infrastructure for growth and excellence in patient care.
• Facilitate research and educational initiatives by supporting faculty, securing resources for research activities, and ensuring a collaborative environment that supports academic and clinical advancements.
• Partner with the Biological Sciences Division (BSD) and UChicago Medicine (UCM) HR to lead faculty, leadership, and staff recruitment and retention efforts, ensuring that the Department and Center attract and maintain top talent.
• Serve as a role model for UChicago Medicine's values and foster a culture of ethical conduct, accountability, and teamwork within the OSRM Department and MC including but not limited to supporting team development through coaching, goal setting, hiring, mentorship, talent management, best practices, and accountability.
• Ensure the Musculoskeletal Center and Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine adhere to institutional, state, and federal regulations, including privacy, confidentiality, billing, and healthcare compliance standards.

For inquiries and confidential nominations, please email Kim Kent at kim.kent@uchicagomedicine.org. 

We’ve been at the forefront of medicine since 1899. We provide superior healthcare with compassion, always mindful that each patient is a person, an individual. To accomplish this, we need employees with passion, talent and commitment… with patients and with each other. We’re in this together: working to advance medical innovation, serve the health needs of the community, and move our collective knowledge forward. If you’d like to add enriching human life to your profile, UChicago Medicine is for you. Here at the forefront, we’re doing work that really matters. Join us. Bring your passion.

UChicago Medicine is growing; discover how you can be a part of this pursuit of excellence at: UChicago Medicine Career Opportunities.

UChicago Medicine is an equal opportunity employer.  We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, ethnicity, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, civil union status, parental status, religion, national origin, age, disability, veteran status and other legally protected characteristics.

Must comply with UChicago Medicine’s COVID-19 Vaccination requirement as a condition of employment. If you have already received the vaccination, you must provide proof as part of the pre-employment process. This is in addition to your compliance with the Flu Vaccination requirement as well. Medical and religious exemptions will be considered consistent with applicable law. Lastly, a pre-employment physical, drug screening, and background check are also required for all employees prior to hire.

Compensation & Benefits Overview

UChicago Medicine is committed to transparency in compensation and benefits.  The pay range provided reflects the anticipated wage or salary reasonably expected to be offered for the position.

The pay range is based on a full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) and is reflective of current market data, reviewed on an annual basis. Compensation offered at the time of hire will vary based on candidate qualifications and experience and organizational considerations, such as internal equity. Pay ranges for employees subject to Collective Bargaining Agreements are negotiated by the medical center and their respective union.

Review the full complement of benefit options for eligible roles at Benefits - UChicago Medicine.