Division Administrator - Department of Surgery

Posted:
9/11/2024, 5:43:18 AM

Location(s):
Virginia, United States ⋅ Richmond, Virginia, United States

Experience Level(s):
Expert or higher ⋅ Senior

Field(s):
Medical, Clinical & Veterinary

The Division Administrator consults, advises, and assists practice management in providing leadership and direction by performing a combination of the following: financial reporting and management, research management, budget development and monitoring, operations, physical plant maintenance and space planning, human resources management, and all components of the Department’s mission. Provides staff supervision while promoting a diverse, equitable and inclusive culture. Ensures compliance with VCU and VCUHS policies and procedures.

The Division Administrator works closely and in collaboration with different Divisions, physicians, advanced practice providers, staff, and VCU and VCUHS management and administrative personnel to resolve problems, workflow issues, customer service issues, human resource issues and to implement new initiatives, policies, programs, etc.

The Division Administrator maintains current knowledge of all state and federal laws and regulations and University and Health System policies and procedures. The position ensures that clinical operations are sound and efficient, educational programs meet regulating body requirements, and all grants and contract awards are implemented. Reporting requirements are conducted in accordance with established University and sponsoring agencies requirements.

Reporting to the Department Administrator, the Division Administrator provides administrative support and leadership to a single or multiple Divisions under the auspices of an MCVP Administrator and/or Division Chair.

Essential Job Functions

Clinical Operations:   

Works with division chiefs and other leadership to optimize the physician and advanced practice provider practice, including both outpatient and inpatient.  

Duties include but are not limited to: 

  • Develops business plans to increase outreach and grow market share.  

  • Collaborates with ambulatory, procedural, and inpatient clinical leadership to identify opportunities to increase efficiency and effectiveness of clinical practice.   

  • Responsible for co-management of provider schedules working with ambulatory, procedural, and inpatient teams to ensure appropriate clinical coverage.  

  • Responsible for communicating and developing plans to increase provider productivity congruent with practice plan standards.  

  • Works with respective program directors to incorporate house staff into the care model for patients.  

  • Promotes and assists in departmental marketing efforts.  

Human Resources Management:   

Manages, supervises, and directs assigned administrative and support staff to include determining staffing needs, recruitment, hiring, work assignments, completing and providing input on performance evaluations, disciplinary/corrective action and employee training and development. Oversees all human resources functions within the Division(s) and serves as the liaison and contact for all human resources matters. Collaborates with VCUHS Human Resources and the HR Business Advisory team to assist in the design, develop, and implement equitable and inclusive strategic and operational human resource management practices for the division /department.  

Participates in faculty and advance practice provider recruitment for the Department which includes developing pro-forma to assess financial and program impact of new faculty and services. Responsible for recruitment, advertising, hiring and relocation of new faculty and advanced practice providers. Oversees onboarding new faculty and advanced practice providers, handles, and verifies contracts and agreements, and works in collaboration with MCVP and VCU Human Resources in the administration of the annual faculty salary process. 

Other duties include but are not limited to: 

  • Works with the Office of the General Counsel and the VCU Office of Immigration Services as needed on visa issues and all related matters for existing/prospective employees from other countries.   

  • Communicates with providers and divisional staff to ensure all remain up to date on current health system policies.  

  • Prepares and handles all related paperwork and documents.   

  • Administers VCU/VCUHS Human Resources policies and procedures.   

  • Prepares and coordinates all required human resources paperwork.   

  • Ensures responsibility and visible commitment of diversity equity and inclusion programs/initiatives through collaboration and implementation of initiatives across the health system.    

  • Responsible for oversight and compliance for education programs in the specialty for which the Division administrator oversees.  

Financial Management:   

Maintains financial controls for all sources of funds to ensure solvency and compliance with University and Health System policy and accounting regulations and state and federal law.  Oversees all financial aspects of the division(s) to include travel, accounts receivable, and purchasing. 

Duties include but not limited to: 

  • Prepares financial statement and reports.  

  • Presents financial reports to the Administrator and Division Chairs.   

  • Collaborates with division leadership to implement an equitable and financially sound operating budget.  

  • Reconciles all accounts and research and resolves/explains variances.   

  • Assists with the development and maintenance of divisional operating budget using the requisite financial accounting systems.   

  • Monitors expenditures and revenue. 

  • Performs statistical analysis for forecasting.  

  • Assists with long range financial planning and projection of revenue and expenditures.   

  • Collaborates with internal and/or external third-party partners in the equitable and effective management of the revenue cycle operations. 

  • Works with providers to ensure appropriate documentation for clinical activity is consistent with MCVP and Compliance Services policies.   

  • Establishes and monitors internal controls of divisional administrative staff as it relates to financial affairs.  

  • Assists ambulatory and inpatient teams, as needed and appropriate, in the development of business plans to maintain clinic capacity, expansion, and capital requests. 

Grants Administration:   

Directs and oversees contract and grant acquisition, written proposals, budget preparation and administration and monitoring of funds to ensure university, state and federal requirements and regulations are met.   

Administers activities that are necessary to the application and management of grant programs focusing on the fiscal and operational aspects.  Oversees the administration of expenses charged to grants for appropriateness and confirms that funding is budgeted, and expense is allowable.   

Other duties include but are not limited to: 

  • Serves as Effort Reporting coordinator for the division.   

  • Serves as a liaison to internal and external contacts with PIs, research coordinators, sponsoring agencies, Grants and Contracts Accounting, Office of Research, Office of Sponsored Programs, Purchasing, Accounts Payable, etc. to obtain and manage grants. 

  • Works with research coordinators to ensure compliance with local, federal and international guidelines regarding conduct of human research.   

  • Analyzes and reviews grant proposals for compliance with agency and VCU requirements.   

  • Interprets sponsor programs and advises PI(s), VCU and sponsoring agencies regarding stipulations and the administration of grants.   

  • Oversees submission of regulatory information to institutional Review Board for new and existing clinical trials.   

  • Enters negotiations with sponsors (e.g., NIH, pharmaceutical industry, foundations) for budgets and monitors expenses by reviewing and approving all system(s) to track expenditures.   

  • Maintains knowledge of computer systems used to support research.   

Productivity & Compensation Plan Oversight 

Adjusts provider work efforts to ensure illustrations appropriately reflect clinical work expectations of faculty.   

Collaborates with the MCVP’s compensation team to address compensation requests. 

Assists with productivity analysis and accountability of Division faculty. In collaboration with division chief, Oversee and direct remediation plan to meet MCVP and VCU productivity expectations. Works with the MCVP compensation plan team and assists faculty and other providers in the credentialing process and professional liability verification.   

Leadership/Relationship Development: 

Provides strong team oversight and promotes and manages change. Responsible for ensuring divisional priorities are aligned with the strategy of the organization. Responsible for developing a diverse, equitable and inclusive team culture, and ensures stakeholder feedback is incorporated into operational plans. Represents the department(s) in various committees and task forces as needed. Collaborates with Faculty, advanced practice providers, and staff to ensure open communication and perceived urgency of suggested operational improvements. Responsible for divisional engagement in collaboration with divisional chief(s).  

Regulatory Compliance:  

Responsible and accountable for supporting efforts to remain in compliance with all federal, state, and regulatory requirements by complying with federal, state, and regulatory agency requirements. Takes prompt and effective corrective action if infractions are identified. Demonstrates cooperation, respect and professionalism during audits and surveys. 

Safety/Quality/Performance Improvement/Benchmarking:  

Collaborates with faculty, advanced practice providers, management, and team members to establish an environment which speaking up for safety is both encouraged and expected.  

Identifies opportunities for process improvements as applicable. Regularly tracks and analyzes metrics and monitors key performance indicators to adhere to agreed-to trends and best practices in order to develop strategies for improvement. Contributes to long- and short-term strategic planning and departmental operations improvement. 

Revenue Cycle Management 

Assists the Department Administrator, in partnership with the revenue cycle team, to assure that all elements of revenue cycle are being reviewed on a very regular basis.   

This includes but is not limited to: 

  • Billing operations for all services, Outpatient, Inpatient and Procedures 

  • Front end processes to assure that patients are authorized for the services performed. 

  • Report creation and accountability: Denial reports, AR aging, open encounters, etc. 

  • Coding and documentation accuracy and timeliness 

  • Develop and execute plans to improve revenue cycle KPIs along with revenue cycle partners 

Information Systems Management:   

Assists with all information technology needs for the Division and assists in the implementation and management of hardware and software to support the function of the Division faculty and staff.   

Obtains and organizes data from multiple systems and sources (MCV Physicians, and VCU Medical Center, etc.) to monitor the fiscal integrity of the Division and remains current with needed computing skills.  

Handles all computing expenditures and inventory of equipment and software for the relevant area(s) of the Department(s). 

Space Planning Management   

Assists with short-term and long-range space planning.   

This includes but is not limited to: 

  • Meets with space analysts and determine space requirements.   

  • Coordinates activities/projects with Facilities Management, architectural consultants and construction contractors.   

  • Determines fiscal requirements for renovations and new building projects.   

  • Handles, communicates, and coordinates all physical moves.  

  • Working with department Administrator, develops financial plan for consideration and approval of facility projects including any capital requests needed in space expansions.  

Reporting Relationships: 

The Division Administrator reports directly to the Department Administrator, with a dotted line relationship to the Division Chairs/Chiefs  

The Division Administrator works collaboratively with Ambulatory Leaders, Nursing Directors, and other VCUHS and VCU leadership. The Department Administrator works with the Division Administrator, with input from Division Chairs/Chiefs and Department Chair if applicable, to set annual performance objectives and conduct the annual performance review.  

Special Projects 

Collaborates with Department Administrator on special projects as assigned 

Patient Population: 

Not applicable to this position. 

Employment Qualifications: 

Required Education: 

Minimum Qualifications: 

Required Qualifications: Table below outlines expectations of work experience of progressively more responsibility in a management position with financial and supervisory oversight. 

Knowledge:

Skills: 

  • Capable financial management, budgetary supervision, and productivity monitoring 

  • Competent decision making to determine necessary actions to achieve goals in collaboration with administrator  

  • Novice in grants administration, pre and post award management, and collaborating with PIs and sponsors 

  • Supervisory experience, ability to lead and manage teams to develop diverse, inclusive, equitable team culture 

  • Familiarity with data analytics and business intelligence platforms 

  • Understanding of revenue cycle workflows, professional billing, and KPI monitoring  

Communication: 

  • Build and promote the Department’s reputation in its research, clinical and teaching missions  

  • Adherence to high standards of excellence with attention to details and accuracy 

  • Ability to translate complex information into common terms 

  • Ability to represent the Department well with internal and external stakeholders 

  • Partners with departmental leadership team to provides overall administrative communication to the division(s) 

Complexity:

Quality Assurance: 

  • Regularly tracks and analyzes metrics and monitors key performance indicators so as to adhere to agreed-to trends and best practices in order to develop strategies for improvement 

Division Scope Considerations 

  • Budget Management $0-$5M 

  • FTE Scope 0-20  

  • AAMC Specialty Median

Education, Certification & Experience:

0-3 years relevant experience in healthcare environment. Commensurate education considered. 

Bachelor’s Degree Required 

Supervisory experience preferred. 

Master’s degree Preferred 

Autonomy:

Determines and develops approaches to solutions with work subject to general input by manager or senior team members

Other Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required:  

Must be able to use financial, Human Resources, University and Health System resources to make independent decisions and determine actions necessary to achieve the goals of the Division(s).  

Experience with Microsoft software, to include spreadsheets and databases.   

Cultural Responsiveness: 

Demonstrate a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion through continuous development, modeling inclusive behaviors, and proactively managing bias. 

Other Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Preferred: N/A 

Working Conditions: 

General Office environment 

May have periods of constant interruptions. 

Experience PREFERRED:   

Administrative and/or financial management work experience in an academic medical center and/or large physician group practice.   

Previous experience with Enterprise Resource Planning Systems, Electronic Health Record systems; and VCU and VCUHS information systems  

Experience leading diverse teams 

Physical Requirements

Physical Demands: Lifting/Carrying 0- 50 lbs. (1 - 33% of the time) 

Work Position: Sitting, Walking, Standing (1 - 33% of the time) 

Additional Physical Requirements/ Hazards: 

Manual dexterity (eye/hand coordination) 

Hear alarms/telephone/tape recorder  

Repetitive arm/hand movements  

Finger Dexterity  

Mental/Sensory - Emotional: 

Mental/Sensory: Strong recall, Reasoning, Problem solving, Hearing, Speak clearly, Write legibly, Reading, Logical Thinking 

Emotional: Fast pace environment, Able to handle multiple priorities, Frequent and intense customer interactions, Able to adapt to frequent change. Able to adapt to frequent change 

Workday Day (United States of America)

EEO Employer/Disabled/Protected Veteran/41 CFR 60-1.4.