Director, Clinical Services - Center for Disabilities & Development

This position will lead and provide operational management to CDD’s clinical, grant, and business functions, ensuring the effective and efficient delivery of health services, medical care, medical/health professions education, and grant/contract programs. Responsibilities include directing the planning, evaluation, and performance improvement of healthcare operations, clinical education programs, community engagement, and research initiatives to ensure the highest standards of safety and quality in services provided. This role will be key in planning and executing CDD's relocation to the new Northgate Drive building projected for mid-2027.

Human Resource Management:

• Ensure CDD/UCEDD management maintains fair and consistent HR practices in line with UI, UIHC, State and Federal laws, policies, and procedures.
• Hold CDD unit leaders accountable for high performance and engagement by articulating expectations, monitoring performance, and consistently providing feedback across areas of responsibility.
• Approve resource allocations and staffing models.
• Oversee operational management of the assigned staff providing service throughout the Center for Disabilities and Development. Assure that performance expectations are clearly understood for direct reports.
• Hold staff accountable to meet or exceed patient and client needs/expectations and maintain standards of collaboration and respect within and among interprofessional teams.
• Build an effective leadership team. Prepare leadership staff to lead, participate in, and serve as effective members of the interprofessional clinical team and grant/community projects team.
• Demonstrate commitment to people; coach and develop staff to participate in team decision-making.
• Actively seek participation from staff in decision-making and customer service improvement activities.
• Adhere to all Iowa Healthcare guidelines and respective collective bargaining agreements.

Financial & Data Management & Analysis:

• Develop a comprehensive strategy and determine budget priorities and targets for CDD’s multiple clinical, UCEDD, education, and research functions, negotiating among them to address and resolve resource issues.
• Develop and monitor key performance indicators and ensure progress is being met to achieve budget goals.
• Responsible for overall financial performance of CDD to include clinical, UCEDD, education, research and grant funds
• Hold unit leaders across CDD’s clinical divisions, research, education, and community engagement accountable for managing budgets, working within the University, UIHC, and funder expectations for proper financial oversight.
• Communicate with and support unit clinical leadership teams by providing feedback, ideas, and suggestions regarding goals, anticipated challenges or barriers, and proposals for achieving them.
• Work with leaders within CDD, UIHC, and the College to innovatively address and resolve budget issues.
• Seek methods to enhance revenue within clinical and UCEDD enterprises and ensure state appropriation's viability.
• Utilize and analyze metrics to drive value and ensure cost-effective allocation of resources.
• Partner with business units across the organization on identified systemic themes, issues, or concerns to address broadly.

Operations, Standards of Care, Regulatory Compliance, Quality & Patient Satisfaction:

• Work across CDD’s multiple clinical functions to develop and monitor quality and service indicators.
• For the entire department, develop tracking mechanisms for all areas, including benchmarking, to identify broad themes, and partner with clinical and medical leadership to implement corrective measures.
• Oversee patient satisfaction and quality indicators.
• Develop and monitor key performance indicators and ensure progress is being met to achieve targeted goals.
• Ensure that clinical services, educational programs, and grant/contract activities comply with all applicable internal and external requirements.
• Oversee building maintenance, design, and renovation projects.
• Ensure that personnel meet and understand regulatory standards.

Patient Care/Services Delivery:

• Work across CDD’s multiple clinical functions and with CDD’s medical director and physician leader to implement best care practices and new models of care/service.
• In partnership with Assistant CDA, identify and address opportunities for improvement and review proposals and ideas for changes in patient care services.
• Develop business and financial proformas to review with senior leadership.
• Develop and monitor key performance indicators to ensure progress is being made towards targeted goals.
• Inform and guide business development, changes in service mix, and alignment with organizational practices.
• Address and resolve implementation issues across clinical functions and with other departments.
• Seek and evaluate best practices by benchmarking with like institutions to improve patient care outcomes continuously. 

Planning & Goal Management:

• Lead the development of CDD’s strategic plan and integrate it with other functions.
• Develop key performance indicators using the strategic plan as a key component to the development of operational goals.  Implement operational tactics to support the strategic plan and develop measurement strategies to monitor and report progress.
• Guide managers in developing action plans for implementation and monitor progress to goal completion.
• Share the strategic plan and annual action plans with the CAO to assure integration of goals across functions and with the UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital and UIHC strategic plans.
• Identify CDD operations’ strengths and weaknesses and act on opportunities to improve patient care/quality, staff engagement, and operational efficiency. 

Communication/Collaboration:

• Develop effective working relationships among CDD staff, other professional departments, clinical administrators, department and divisional leadership, hospital administration clinical liaisons, and directors of hospital support departments.
• Partner with frontline operations leaders, medical and clinical leaders, and senior leadership to bridge communication pathways upwards and downwards to support effective communication and strategic alignment. Serve as liaison between staff, medical staff, and healthcare leadership.
• Engage and collaborate with physicians and clinical managers to identify opportunities for improvement, program development, and capital budgeting.
• Receive and disseminate information about strategic initiatives, process improvements, best practices, and innovation through a formal communication plan.
• Communicate with external agencies and constituencies regarding services and programs supported by clinical area, address issues, and answer questions.

Education Programs:

• Serve as liaison among CDD’s multiple clinical functions, grants/contracts, and education efforts to support collaboration in identifying improvement and program development opportunities.
• Maintain a climate of learning that promotes collaborative research for students in the University of Iowa Health Science Colleges and other health programs.
• Support staff education including, but not limited to, competency assurance and professional development/mentorship.
• In conjunction and collaboration with program directors, ensure LEND and UCEDD programs are operationally functional, adhering to programmatic guidelines and requirements, and maintaining budgetary oversight and control.

Public Policy & Government Relations:

• Responsible for ensuring that CDD is at the forefront of public policy, governmental and legislative changes that will affect the CDD and associated programs.  This includes any changes to funding or access as well as working with appropriate stakeholders both internal to UIHC and external constituents.
• Oversee the advocacy for CDD and associated programs.
• Advocate for pediatric and adult health policy improvement efforts within the state of Iowa as appropriate.

Research Administration:

• Coordinate the development of research grant proposals and the acquisition and administration of grant funds.
• Ensure compliance with Department of Sponsored Programs guidelines and pre- and post-award grant management processes.

Pay Level: 8A

Professional and Scientific Pay Structures | University Human Resources - The University of Iowa (uiowa.edu)