Director of Ophthalmology

Director Of Ophthalmology

The Director of Ophthalmology serves as a strategic partner to department leadership, focusing on operational practice management, budget development, financial reporting, recruitment, and staff development for a designated department within the healthcare system. The Director provides comprehensive administrative and fiscal oversight for the assigned area, ensuring fiduciary responsibility and operational excellence. This role collaborates with senior leaders to design and implement strategic initiatives such as virtual care, integrated care models, practice expansion, and service line development. The Director works closely with peers in Finance, HR, Communications, community partner organizations and clinical leadership to align resources and processes with organizational goals.

Strategy, Leadership, and Project Oversight

• Develops and executes strategic initiatives aligned with organizational priorities.
• Collaborates with senior leadership on operational, tactical, and strategic planning.
• Evaluates department goals and implements systems for productivity and efficiency.
• Leads cross-disciplinary projects such as virtual care and integrated care models.
• Serves as the primary administrative partner to the Department Chair, supporting the development and execution of strategic priorities across clinical, research, education, and community missions.
• Leads department-wide strategic planning efforts, including retreats, service line development, and long-range operational planning.
• Partners with department and clinical leadership to advance clinical program growth and operational performance, and leads cross-disciplinary initiatives including service line development, integrated care models, and virtual care expansion.
• Implements project management structures, tracking deliverables, timelines, and risks to ensure effective execution of departmental priorities.

Financial Management

• Contributes to and manages components of the department's operating budget, including those that occur in community partner settings. Primary focus on reporting and performance monitoring.
• Oversees preparation and analysis of financial reports for data-driven decisions.
• Serves as signature authority for expenditures and budget-related activities.
• Ensures appropriate and compliant use of funds across all sources, including oversight of FTE cost allocation and adherence to fiduciary and regulatory requirements.
• Provides strategic oversight of the department's full budget across all fund sources, including core, start-up, philanthropic, endowment, grant, and sponsored project funding.
• Leads the preparation and submission of annual budget proposals in collaboration with Finance; reviews budgets for accuracy and strategic alignment, monitors variances, and implements corrective actions.
• Oversees endowment and gift account management, ensuring compliance with donor intent, required reporting, and strategic fund utilization in coordination with Development.
• Provides financial analysis, forecasting, and ad hoc reporting to support departmental decision-making and leadership briefings.
• Develops and maintains financial reference tools and resources to support consistent account management and reporting practices.

Operational Oversight

• Designs and implements systems to improve clinical practice and administrative workflows.
• Monitors department goals, outcomes, and performance metrics.
• Identifies operational challenges and implements solutions in UT and community partner clinical practice settings.
• Maintains program sustainability and resource allocation.
• Provides senior-level oversight of departmental operations, ensuring efficient, compliant business processes and high-quality service delivery to faculty, staff, and trainees.
• Ensures timely and accurate processing of financial transactions across all accounts, including procurement, travel, reimbursements, and account reconciliations.
• Oversees faculty affairs processes, including recruitment, appointments, promotions, and effort reporting, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and alignment with institutional policies.
• Ensures compliance with institutional, state, and federal HR policies and procedures across faculty and staff processes.
• Oversees departmental contracts and service agreements, including vendor coordination, contract execution, and compliance monitoring in alignment with institutional requirements.
• Leads procurement strategy and oversight, ensuring compliant purchasing practices and alignment with institutional policies and requirements.
• Oversees administrative coordination of the department's research portfolio, partnering with Grants and Contracts to support post-award management, financial tracking, and compliance processes.

Talent Management and Staff Development

• Leads recruitment, hiring, training, and supervision of staff.
• Coordinates annual evaluations and recommends merit and equity adjustments.
• Provides professional development opportunities and coaching.
• Fosters a collaborative work environment.
• Oversees HR operations for staff, including onboarding, compensation actions, and employee lifecycle processes, ensuring consistency and operational effectiveness.
• Provides oversight and guidance on performance management processes and supports faculty and staff in interpreting HR policies and resources.

Stakeholder Engagement and Communication

• Communicates timelines, deadlines, and updates across the department.
• Collaborates with HR, Faculty Affairs, Finance, and Communications to achieve objectives.
• Engages stakeholders to promote innovation, share best practices, and support adoption of process improvements across administrative and clinical operations.
• Represents the department in meetings and organizational initiatives.
• Serves as the departmental liaison to Finance, Grants and Contracts, HR, Faculty Affairs, and other institutional partners to ensure alignment and effective coordination.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Business, Healthcare administration, or a related field
• At least 7 year(s) of experience in higher education or healthcare administration.
• 5 years in healthcare operations, including budget management, clinical administration, and staff oversight.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint

Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's Degree in Healthcare Administration, Business, or a related discipline
• At least 10 year(s) of experience in healthcare administration
• At least 7 years in strategic leadership responsibilities.
• Familiarity with university systems and policies (e.g., Workday, DEFINE).
• Experience supporting ophthalmology or other surgically oriented clinical practice environments.
• Certified Healthcare Executive (CHE)
• Project Management Professional (PMP)