Chief Department Administrator

The mission of the University of Michigan Medical School is to transform health through bold and innovative education, discovery, and service. This mission is supported by a set of strategic pillars with our commitment to people, discovery, education, care, and service.

The University of Michigan's Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences was established in 1872.

The Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences is seeking a Chief Department Administrator (CDA). The CDA will partner with the Department Chair to manage departmental operations and accomplish strategic initiatives of the department that are aligned with the overall vision of Michigan Medicine. 
The CDA has additional accountability to the Medical School's Executive Director for Administration and Chief Operating Officer for academic activities.

• The Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences has 131 active faculty, including 77 M.Ds or M.D./Ph.Ds, 21 Ph.Ds, 17 O.D.s and 16 clinical fellows.

• The Department has a 4-year residency program in ophthalmology with 7 residents a year and collaborates with the University of Michigan Department of Internal Medicine for a joint internship program.

• Department faculty see 230,000 patients/year at nine clinical locations and perform 10,600 operating room cases.  

• Department faculty have $ 20 million in federal and non-federal grants.

• The Department has strong collaborative relationships with many Medical School clinical and basic science Departments and UM campus Schools and Colleges. 

• The Department works successfully with the Health System Department of Development to solicit funds for academic purposes from grateful patients, alumni and community members.

Responsibilities*

Operational Accountability, Purpose, and Values

• Partners with the Department Chair and the leadership team to align departmental goals with the Michigan Medicine strategy and implement a plan to accomplish these goals. 

• Manages the department's financial performance, human resources, service agreements with internal and external stakeholders, research administration, space utilization, and educational administrative activities. 

• Partners with the Department Chair in all areas of faculty affairs including appointment and faculty satisfaction. Partners with faculty affairs in the Dean's Office of the medical school and medical school finance for faculty economics and planning. 

• Provides guidance and mentorship to faculty in administrative roles. 

• Stays apprised of current issues affecting an academic medical center, understands how these may impact the department, and adjusts strategy accordingly. 

• The Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences? purpose is to improve lives through curing, preventing and treating eye disease. The Department's guiding principles are innovation, teamwork, Inclusivity, caring and integrity as outlined below:

  • Innovation: Our curiosity drives innovation and the quest for knowledge

  • Teamwork: We are a collegial, productive, and collaborative community

  • Inclusivity: We value diversity and equity for all

  • Caring: We are respectful and compassionate

  • Integrity: Our ethics are built on openness, honesty, and trust

• The Department takes pride in achieving high levels of patient, faculty, and staff satisfaction and engagement. The Department also has goals of high ranking by peers and in objective measures in the areas of residency education, grant funding, publications in peer reviewed journals and the ability to treat the most complex ophthalmic patient conditions. 

• Recruiting, training, retaining, inspiring, and collegially developing goals for the staff of the Department to help the Department's faculty in their mission activities is an important segment of the CDA's responsibilities 

Leadership Competencies

• Collaborates to create a shared vision, effectively communicates the vision and inspires stakeholders to build consensus. 

• Creates value for a diverse community by fostering a climate of service excellence. 

• Leads innovation and change through the application of lean thinking philosophy, tools and techniques to increase operational efficiencies.  

• Fosters and supports diverse teams and provides a work climate that is inclusive and elicits a high level of team engagement. 

• Collaborates and builds inclusive relationships with appropriate stakeholders and models respect, recognition, helpfulness and collaboration. 

• Coaches and develops others and provides professional development support. Develops talent with both the individual and organizational needs in mind. 

• Develops a culture of accountability, provides the team with the strategic direction, prioritization and support in order to achieve results.  

• Identifies problems and involves appropriate individuals to reach resolution. 

• Leads in the alignment of Michigan Medicine culture by being organizationally astute and leveraging processes and relationships to succeed.   

• Adapts to a complex environment, adjusting as required and always engaging in self-reflection, continual learning, and growth. 

• Ensures the Department has strong processes of internal control to safeguard University resources and meet University internal control guidelines. 

• Ensures the Department is prepared for incidents which may lead to disruption of operations and has plans to continue operations expeditiously and safely. 

• Acts with courage and confidence to encourage creative thinking, seize opportunities, demonstrate personal conviction and convey an optimistic outlook. 

• Communicates effectively to a multitude of audiences, using the appropriate medium/s of communication at the appropriate time in order to elicit feedback, share information and construct messaging that will have the maximum impact on others.

Required Qualifications*

• MBA, MPH or equivalent combination of education and experience.

• 5+ years of experience in a related field.

• Demonstrated ability to present and gain acceptance of ideas and proposals.

• Knowledge of finance, accounting, budgeting and data analysis.

• Demonstrated strength in verbal and written communication.

• Demonstrated ability to be an effective leader in a complex and dynamic organization.

• Knowledge of funds flow in the organization. 

Desired Qualifications*

• Experience in managing research and grant activity and knowledge of pre- and post- award management and research compliance.

• Experience in managing gift funds and other financial assets.

• Experience in developing and preparing contracts and proposals. 

Background Screening

Michigan Medicine conducts background screening and pre-employment drug testing on job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent job offer and may use a third party administrator to conduct background screenings.  Background screenings are performed in compliance with the Fair Credit Report Act. Pre-employment drug testing applies to all selected candidates, including new or additional faculty and staff appointments, as well as transfers from other U-M campuses.

Application Deadline

Job openings are posted for a minimum of seven calendar days.  The review and selection process may begin as early as the eighth day after posting. This opening may be removed from posting boards and filled anytime after the minimum posting period has ended.

U-M EEO/AA Statement

The University of Michigan is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.