A cover letter is required for consideration for this position and should be attached as the first page of your resume. The cover letter should address your specific interest in the position and outline skills and experience that directly relate to this position.
The University of Michigan Medical School?s mission is to transform health through bold, innovative education, discovery, and service. This work is guided by strategic pillars centered on people, discovery, education, care, and service.
The Department of Urology advances this mission through nationally recognized clinical care, research, and education, guided by a commitment to shaping the future of urology. For more than 100 years, our physicians, faculty, and staff have sustained a tradition of excellence. The Department includes more than 60 faculty across seven clinical divisions and trains more than 30 residents and fellows. We are consistently ranked among the nation?s top programs?top three for NIH funding, residency training, and adult clinical care reputation. Widely regarded as a premier academic urology program, the Department has built a strong legacy of leadership locally, nationally, and internationally.
The Department is seeking a Chief Department Administrator (CDA) to partner with the Department Chair and faculty leaders to oversee departmental operations and advance strategic priorities. As the department?s senior administrative leader, the CDA provides strategic and operational leadership across finance, clinical operations, human resources, compliance, space, and administrative infrastructure within a complex academic medical center. The CDA is accountable for performance, culture, and execution while ensuring alignment with Michigan Medicine and Medical School policies and goals. The CDA also has accountability to the Medical School?s Executive Director for Administration and Chief Operating Officer for academic activities and to University of Michigan Health leadership for clinical activities.
Strategic and operational leadership
- Serve as principal administrative partner to the Chair; translate departmental strategy into operating plans, priorities, and measurable outcomes.
- Lead and coordinate departmental governance, communications, and cross-functional decision-making.
Finance and business management
- Oversee departmental budgeting, forecasting, and multi-fund financial management (clinical, academic, research, gifts/endowments as applicable).
- Develop business cases for program growth, faculty recruitment, capital requests, and major operational initiatives.
- Monitor performance against targets; present actionable financial and operational analyses to leadership.
Clinical operations and access
- Lead improvement initiatives to optimize ambulatory and surgical operations (access, capacity, clinic flow, OR utilization, template management).
- Partner with operational stakeholders across Michigan Medicine (ambulatory care, perioperative services, revenue cycle, quality) to drive performance and patient experience.
People leadership and culture
- Lead, develop, and retain a high-performing administrative team; establish clear goals, accountability, and professional development pathways.
- Oversee HR functions including workforce planning, recruitment, performance management, employee relations, and DEI-aligned culture building.
Compliance, risk, and controls
- Ensure adherence to institutional policies and regulatory requirements (e.g., HIPAA, internal controls, procurement, billing interfaces, effort reporting where applicable).
- Identify operational and financial risks; implement controls and monitor compliance.
Research and education infrastructure (as applicable)
- Support research administration in collaboration with centralized units; ensure sound processes for sponsored funding management.
- Support education and training programs by ensuring appropriate administrative infrastructure and compliance.
Facilities and space
- Oversee space planning and facilities priorities; coordinate moves, renovations, and equipment planning in alignment with institutional processes.
Leadership Competencies
- Builds a shared vision, communicates it clearly, and aligns stakeholders to achieve consensus.
- Advances service excellence and creates value for the Michigan Medicine community.
- Leads innovation and change using Lean principles and tools to improve efficiency.
- Cultivates an inclusive, high-engagement workplace and models respect, recognition, and collaboration.
- Coaches and develops others; builds talent to meet individual and organizational needs.
- Sets strategic direction, prioritizes effectively, and establishes accountability to deliver results.
- Identifies issues early, engages the right stakeholders, and drives timely resolution.
- Ensures compliance with Michigan Medicine and University policies.
- Adapts in a complex environment with ongoing self-reflection, learning, and growth.
- Demonstrates courage and confidence to encourage creativity, seize opportunities, and communicate with optimism.
- Communicates effectively across audiences and channels to inform, gather feedback, and maximize impact.
- MBA, MPH, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
- 7?10+ years of progressive administrative leadership in an academic medical center, health system, or similarly complex environment.
- Demonstrated financial leadership, including budgeting, forecasting, and oversight of financial operations across multiple funding sources; working knowledge of organizational funds flow.
- Proven ability to lead managers and multidisciplinary teams, including coaching, performance management, and talent development.
- Experience leading operational improvement initiatives using data, stakeholder engagement, and change management.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to develop, present, and gain acceptance of proposals with executive-level audiences.
- Demonstrated ability to lead effectively in a complex, dynamic organization and build an inclusive, respectful workplace culture.
- Willingness to work primarily on site, with the ability to support staff on hybrid schedules.
- Experience supporting a surgical specialty, including perioperative and/or ambulatory operations.
- Experience with faculty compensation planning and/or clinical incentive models.
- Familiarity with sponsored research administration, including pre- and post-award management and research compliance.
- Experience with Lean/process improvement and performance management tools/dashboards (e.g., Tableau, Power BI).
- Experience developing and negotiating contracts and proposals.
- Experience working with University of Michigan policies, procedures, and administrative systems.
- Working knowledge of educational program administration and related funds flow.
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 R
