Administrative Director of Laboratory Operations & Finance

Job Summary:

The Administrative Director of the Dermatopathology and Oral Pathology Service is responsible for the financial and administrative operations of the unit, reporting to the Medical Co-Directors and the Chief Administrative Officers of the Departments of Pathology and Dermatology. The incumbent is responsible for the oversight, planning, and execution of the administrative and financial management of the service, including the following specific areas: clinical and research laboratory operations, revenue cycle and financial management groups, client services, marketing, administrative operations, research and education activities, information technologies, and facility operations. 

The position is responsible for the strategic planning of the organization to ensure the Service maintains a strong financial and market position as a freestanding reference laboratory operating independently of UCSF Health and reporting to the School of Medicine. This requires the following high level skills and knowledge: solid clinical laboratory operational acumen to ensure the highest quality Dermatopathology operations are in place and excellent efficiencies are being achieved; exceptional clinical revenue cycle and financial knowledge to be able to quickly assess, plan, implement and and address financial operational needs; outstanding human resource knowledge to be able to recruit, train, and retain staff to work in a clinical laboratory setting; and knowledge of the national outpatient Pathology market to be able to work with and establish client relationships to continue to grow and maintain the laboratory operations. 

The Administrative Director will be expected to establish and implement strategic and operational objectives and work plans at the direction of the organization's leadership, including responsibility for short- and long-term operational planning and financial forecasting, and assisting with the development and implementation of new programs and policies. Erroneous decisions or failure to achieve goals results in additional costs and serious delays in overall schedules.

Department Description:

The Department of Pathology at UCSF aims to achieve the highest standards in patient care, research and education. The Department provides diagnostic pathology services in a wide variety of subspecialties with highly trained subspecialists who are recognized nationally and internationally for their expertise. The Department’s research programs are diverse and interface with a wealth of basic and translational research programs that are a hallmark of UCSF. Our educational programs include a research-intensive academic residency program and fellowships in cytopathology, dermatopathology, gastrointestinal and liver pathology, gynecologic pathology, neuropathology, molecular pathology, renal pathology, breast pathology, genitourinary pathology, and surgical pathology.  The Department has locations throughout the city including Parnassus, Mission Bay, Mount Zion, the SF VA Medical Center and Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, with 73 faculty, 61 trainees, and over 120 research and administrative staff. 

The faculty of the UCSF Division of Dermatopathology and Oral Pathology are internationally recognized for delivering expert analysis and interpretation of skin disease for referring physicians. The UCSF Dermatopathology clinical laboratory processes approximately 190,000 specimens per year and is responsible for the billing and collection of payments from hundreds of different third-party payers and organizational clients across over 30 states and 6 countries. The service’s FY26 clinical operations budget is approximately $29.2 million. The Departments of Dermatology and Pathology jointly preside over the Division’s patient care, teaching, and research activities. The Service has 9 faculty members from the Departments of Pathology and Dermatology and employs 62 lab and administrative staff members. 

%  

of time

Essential Function (Yes/No)

Key Responsibilities

(To be completed by Supervisor)

30

Y

Develops and implements operational processes across a large, or multiple, departments, divisons or centers. Provides direction to subordinate managers, supervisors and staff. Participates in strategic planning. Identifies and recommends performance improvement strategies.

Operations Management

The incumbent provides leadership to administrative subunits including Accessioning and Clinical Support, Finance, Marketing, Information Technology, Histology Lab, Grossing Lab, Revenue Cycle, and Molecular Diagnostics Lab. This includes direct needs assessment, program implementation, updates in protocols and procedures, resource allocation, regulatory and compliance, and oversight of organizational structure. The incumbent is also responsible for overall financial management, revenue cycle management, direction of business and marketing operations, and meeting budgetary constraints. The incumbent directly supervises the leadership of these groups ensuring administrative, clinical laboratory, revenue cycle, fiscal operations, and marketing personnel and information technology teams to ensure high functioning, effective and efficient teams that have a high level of cooperation. The incumbent is responsible for the regular analysis of income and expenditures, implementation of increases or reductions in services or programs, determining staffing levels, and serves as the administrative leader of UCSF Dermatopathology to the business world.

Incumbent is responsible for ensuring high functioning and efficient clinical pathology laboratory operations, including ensuring operations occur within all required regulatory requirements which include  the Joint Commission, CLIA, OSHPD, Cal-OSHA and EH&S standards. Incumbent is responsible for the laboratory personnel planning to ensure all staffing is maintained for all shift operations for each clinical area (Accessioning, Grossing, Histology, Molecular Diagnostics) and that all training, regulatory, and licensing requirements of the personnel are maintained. Incumbent is also responsible for ensuring all laboratory operational planning is managed in a timely and responsible manner with the Service leadership, including having a short-term and longitudinal growth plan for the laboratory operations including space, capital equipment needs, informational technology needs, staffing assessments, and appropriate associated business plan.

20

Y

Leads short and long-term financial planning and conducts financial analysis. Develops and administers budgets. Prepares and reviews variance analyses of budgeted revenues and expenses. Ensures compliance with generally accepted accounting principles and

The incumbant is expected to acts as the Service’s expert source for financial planning, analysis, resource allocation, and problem solving.   The incumbant may be asked to complete complex assignments utilizing an advanced understanding of financial accounting and reporting standards, both academic and marketplace healthcare industry practices, through the use of standard reporting tools and technology. Incumbent is responsible for creating financial models to forecast and report net income and cashflow from clinical operations and evaluate feasibility and profitability for strategic business initiatives. Incumbent is responsible for formulating flexible budgets to ancipate fixed and variable costs at different levels clinical operations output to control costs. Incumbant is expected to develope a standard opertating budget for the service and reports monthly on the performance of the budget to actuals to leadership. The incumbant is expected to service as a leader and ensure financial reporting is broadly understood by faculty leadership, Department and School of Medicine and Dentistry control points to support data-driven decision making. The incumbent is responsible for the oversight of the financial and revenue cycle teams to enure that the activites of both groups are working to support the required day -to-day financial activiites of the University and to assist when required with reporting and analysis.

20

Y

Provides financial leadership to clinical and / or research programs. Oversees clinical revenue processes, physician financial reporting and RVU analysis. Develops metrics to evaluate clinical performance and productivity and reports results.

Revenue Cycle Management:  The incumbent is responsible for the planning and management of the Service’s healthcare revenue cycle management (RCM) function. The incumbent will need to have excellent knowledge of clinical finance and understanding of revenue cycle activity and processes. This work will require close management and partnership with the billing service provider and the Revenue Cycle Team who are responsible for the daily work of the unit’s clinical finance The incumbent delegates projects, directs and monitors work efforts, identifies resource needs, performs quality review; and escalates functional, quality and timeline issues.  This is accomplished by ensuring the RCM team is working efficiently with the billing service provider and that the established processes, metrics and monitoring systems to maximize reimbursement and cash collections are effective.  The incumbent also is responsible for providing recommendations and corrective action as appropriate for patient insurance or discovery, patient (self-pay) financial responsibility, cash or courtesy discounts, collection agency referrals, organizational client billing and collections, and insurance or client bad debt write-offs in partnership with the billing service provider. The incumbent ensures implementation of all revenue cycle policies; establishes and revises procedures as needed and trouble shoots any issues that arise in revenue cycle (e.g. insurance denials, contracting needs, etc). They are responsible for maintaining data dashboards on professional fees, accounts receivable analysis, monitoring systems for the flow of revenue from insurers, clients; and patients to ensure financial stability and related cash management activities. The incumbent is responsible for working with the teams to ensure timely billing and follow-up on patient accounts. It is expected that the incumbent provides regular billing reporting to key stakeholders for transparency to ensure smooth workflow and operations.

10

Y

Directs administration of faculty and staff personnel programs ensuring compliance with policies and procedures. Facilitates and implements change management initiatives. Develops training programs. Ensures staff compliance with annual training requirements. Analyzes workforce data and reports future needs.

Personnel Management The incumbent has primary responsibility for maintaining an effective and efficient organization, including the management of all personnel issues.  The incumbent is responsible for maintaining compliance with University policies pertaining to academic and staff searches, hires, promotions, merits, terminations, grievances etc.  Ensures that technical staff possess the proper certification, credentials and education required of their position. Performs other human resource related projects as assigned.

5

Y

Oversees facilities management and space planning including renovations and relocation. Manages lease negotiations. Ensures environmental health and safety standards are maintained and facilities meet licensure and accreditation requirements.

Facilities Management As needed, the incumbent plans construction, renovation and remodeling projects that meet Dermatopathology needs. Oversee quality assurance programs. Oversees compliance with certifications and clearances from external regulatory agencies ie. State and federal regulators, Fire Marshal, EH&S. Ensures that Dermatopathology is in compliance with the policies and requirements of the University, the Joint Commission, CLIA, OSHPD, Cal-OSHA and EH&S..

10

Y

Marketing

The incumbent coordinates with the Marketing Director and Client Services Manager to develop a marketing strategy for the expansion of programs and services to non-university providers throughout California and the United States. Oversees design and content of website and marketing brochures. Negotiates contracts with third parties who wish to utilize clinical services, as such vendors and contracts are outside of the scope of the UCSF Medical Group.  Works with appropriate internal teams to resolve ongoing client issues. Works with Marketing Tema to establish performance operational goals and keep metrics for patient and client relations activities.

5

Y

Oversees information systems, equipment and IT support. Ensures approval, access and training for information systems. Implements procedures to protect IT equipment. Oversees website(s).

Information Systems

The incumbent develops enhancements and maintains Dermatopathology’s laboratory information system (LIMS). Oversees interfaces with referring physician offices, governmental agencies, and the Medical Center. Oversees systems implementation, computer system conversions, and IT project management. 

100%

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in related area and 7-10 years of relevant experience and/or equivalent experience/training, to include laboratory operations
• Demonstrated leadership and managerial skills, with the ability to create and maintain a goal-oriented climate of teamwork and cooperation across departments for effective problem-solving, conflict resolution, support for organizational values, and consistent achievement of targets and objectives.
• Advanced knowledge of financial analysis and reporting, accounting, budgeting, audit and payroll.
• Strong knowledge of healthcare revenue cycle operations, concepts, and policies and their impact throughout the organization, with an in-depth understanding of related functions and issues, including coding, registration, billing, reimbursements, aging accounts, contractual adjustments, and charge capture.
• Advanced analytical, organizational, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Advanced ability to develop, communicate, and implement strategic plans.
• Advanced skill in HR administration.
• Excellent project management skills.
• Advanced ability to identify, develop, and prioritize objectives.
• Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communications skills to prepare and present reports and convey complex information and instructions in a clear, concise, and specific manner. Ability to work with multiple stakeholders while cultivating a strong commitment to quality, teamwork, professionalism, collaborative problem-solving, and achievement of objectives.

• Strong knowledge of metrics, analytics, and data synthesis in healthcare financial management and their use to identify trends, produce reliable forecasts and projections, and create reports, dashboards, and presentations.

  
  

Preferred Qualifications:

• Graduate degree in business, accounting, public health, health administration, or similar
• 10+ years in the health care environment
• 10+ years in management and supervision of clinical and administrative staff
• Experience with change management and/or other similar organizational behavior systems
• Experience working in an academic healthcare system or system of similar complexity.
• Experience working with or in a clinical laboratory operational management setting
• Prior experience in fostering positive customer relations
• Prior experience in medical billing.