Chief Strategy Officer

Your future role at a glance

Location: Hybrid/Preference to reside in Jacksonville, FL/Travel to Pensacola, FL required

Eligible for an annual bonus incentive.

Ascension is seeking a visionary, mission-driven, growth-oriented executive to lead the strategic enhancement and sustainment of our health services across the Florida market. In this critical leadership role, you will be responsible for defining and leading long-term strategic positioning and growth initiatives that align with Ascension's mission and vision.

As the Chief Strategy Officer, you will partner closely with market C-suite executives to design, validate, and execute robust growth strategies. This role requires a rare blend of sharp commercial acumen and deep compassionate alignment; you will lead strategic growth and portfolio management while driving market positioning. You will be instrumental in translating enterprise vision into actionable market strategies that expand access, enhance market share, and ensure sustainable revenue growth.


Life at Ascension: Where purpose meets opportunity

Ascension is a leading nonprofit Catholic health system with a culture and associate experience grounded in service, growth, care and connection. We empower our 97,000+ associates to bring their skills and expertise every day to reimagining healthcare, together. Recognized as one of the Best 150+ Places to Work in Healthcare and a Military-Friendly Gold Employer, you'll find an inclusive and supportive environment where your contributions truly matter.

Benefits that help you thrive

• Comprehensive health coverage: medical, dental, vision, prescription coverage and HSA/FSA options
• Financial security & retirement: employer-matched 403(b), planning and hardship resources, disability and life insurance
• Time to recharge: pro-rated paid time off (PTO) and holidays
• Career growth: Ascension-paid tuition (Vocare), reimbursement, ongoing professional development and online learning
• Emotional well-being: Employee Assistance Program , counseling and peer support, spiritual care and stress management resources
• Family support: parental leave, adoption assistance and family benefits
• Other benefits: optional legal and pet insurance, transportation savings and more

How you'll make an impact in this role

Responsible for building relationships with physicians, businesses and communities in an effort to establish partnerships and affiliations.

• Define and oversee financial targets in support of the business goals.
• Prepare annual operating budget for assigned service areas.
• Evaluate organizational functions and structure to best determine the allocation and utilization of services.

Market Growth Strategy:

• Executive Collaboration: Partner with Florida market leaders to develop and lead the market's comprehensive growth strategy, ensuring alignment with system priorities, financial objectives, and community needs.
• Identify, evaluate, and execute growth opportunities that expand market share, enhance access, and drive sustainable revenue growth.
• Lead long-range strategic planning efforts, translating enterprise vision into actionable market strategies and measurable outcomes.
• Monitor industry trends, competitive intelligence, regulatory changes, and emerging market opportunities to inform strategic decision-making.

Service Line Expansion:

• Provide executive oversight of service line strategy, growth planning, and performance optimization across the market.
• Partner with clinical and operational leaders to identify opportunities for service expansion, geographic growth, network development, and care model innovation.
• Drive prioritization and investment decisions that maximize service line performance and market differentiation.
• Drive the strategic roadmap for the ambulatory portfolio, including ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs) and outpatient surgical service lines, imaging, PT, pharmacy and other services, capitalizing on market trends and shifting consumer preferences.
• Payer Strategy Navigation: Formulate and execute growth plans that thrive across diverse and complex payer environments.

Relationship & Physician Engagement

• Partnership Development: Build and sustain high-trust relationships with independent and employed physicians, medical groups, local businesses, and community stakeholders.
• Affiliations & Joint Ventures: Structure, negotiate, and operationalize innovative alignment models, joint ventures, and clinical affiliations that secure market share and improve care access.

Financial Stewardship & Operational Analysi

• • Financial Oversight: Partner with Finance to define, monitor, and champion financial targets and KPIs, ensuring strict alignment between operational performance and broader regional growth objectives.
  • Fiscal Planning: Collaborate with Finance to formulate and manage the annual operating and capital budgets, ensuring rigorous strategic alignment and resource prioritization across all assigned surgical and ambulatory service areas.
  • Structural Optimization: Continually evaluate organizational functions, clinical structures, and asset utilization to ensure resources are optimally allocated for maximum efficiency and patient access.

What minimum requirements you'll need

Education:

• Bachelor's degree with 10 years of applicable cumulative job specific experience required, with 5 of
  those years being in leadership/management.

What additional preferences we're seeking

Additional Preferences:

• Education: Bachelor's degree with 10 years of applicable cumulative job specific experience required, with 5 of those years being in leadership/management.
• Bachelor's degree in Healthcare Administration, Business Administration, or a related field strongly preferred. Master's degree (MHA, MBA, or MPH) is highly preferred.
• Experience: Minimum of 7-10 years of progressive healthcare leadership specifically concentrated in strategic growth and/or healthcare business development.
• Domain Expertise: Proven track record of scaling surgical and ambulatory service lines, driving top-line revenue, and successfully navigating physician recruitment and alignment strategies.
• Market Knowledge: Deep familiarity with the Florida healthcare landscape, regulatory environment, and regional payer mix is a distinct advantage.
• Mission Alignment: A visible commitment to servant leadership, advancing health equity, and championing care for underserved populations.

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Equal employment opportunity employer


Ascension provides Equal Employment Opportunities (EEO) to all associates and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex/gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions, lactation, breastfeeding, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, all as defined by applicable law, and any other legally protected status or characteristic in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws. For further information, view the EEO Know Your Rights (English) poster or EEO Know Your Rights (Spanish) poster.

Fraud prevention notice


Prospective applicants should be vigilant against fraudulent job offers and interview requests. Scammers may use sophisticated tactics to impersonate Ascension employees. To ensure your safety, please remember: Ascension will never ask for payment or to provide banking or financial information as part of the job application or hiring process. Our legitimate email communications will always come from an @ascension.org email address; do not trust other domains, and an official offer will only be extended to candidates who have completed a job application through our authorized applicant tracking system.

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Responsibilities

Responsible for building relationships with physicians, businesses and communities in an effort to establish partnerships and affiliations.

• Define and oversee financial targets in support of the business goals.
• Prepare annual operating budget for assigned service areas.
• Evaluate organizational functions and structure to best determine the allocation and utilization of services.

Market Growth Strategy:

• Executive Collaboration: Partner with Florida market leaders to develop and lead the market's comprehensive growth strategy, ensuring alignment with system priorities, financial objectives, and community needs.
• Identify, evaluate, and execute growth opportunities that expand market share, enhance access, and drive sustainable revenue growth.
• Lead long-range strategic planning efforts, translating enterprise vision into actionable market strategies and measurable outcomes.
• Monitor industry trends, competitive intelligence, regulatory changes, and emerging market opportunities to inform strategic decision-making.

Service Line Expansion:

• Provide executive oversight of service line strategy, growth planning, and performance optimization across the market.
• Partner with clinical and operational leaders to identify opportunities for service expansion, geographic growth, network development, and care model innovation.
• Drive prioritization and investment decisions that maximize service line performance and market differentiation.
• Drive the strategic roadmap for the ambulatory portfolio, including ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs) and outpatient surgical service lines, imaging, PT, pharmacy and other services, capitalizing on market trends and shifting consumer preferences.
• Payer Strategy Navigation: Formulate and execute growth plans that thrive across diverse and complex payer environments.

Relationship & Physician Engagement

• Partnership Development: Build and sustain high-trust relationships with independent and employed physicians, medical groups, local businesses, and community stakeholders.
• Affiliations & Joint Ventures: Structure, negotiate, and operationalize innovative alignment models, joint ventures, and clinical affiliations that secure market share and improve care access.

Financial Stewardship & Operational Analysi

• • Financial Oversight: Partner with Finance to define, monitor, and champion financial targets and KPIs, ensuring strict alignment between operational performance and broader regional growth objectives.
  • Fiscal Planning: Collaborate with Finance to formulate and manage the annual operating and capital budgets, ensuring rigorous strategic alignment and resource prioritization across all assigned surgical and ambulatory service areas.
  • Structural Optimization: Continually evaluate organizational functions, clinical structures, and asset utilization to ensure resources are optimally allocated for maximum efficiency and patient access.

Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's degree with 10 years of applicable cumulative job specific experience required, with 5 of
  those years being in leadership/management.