The Senior Director for Cellular and Advanced Therapies serves as the senior enterprise leader responsible for the strategical direction, operating model design and performance outcomes for immunotherapy initiatives at Norris Cancer Hospital (NCH), including bone marrow transplant, advanced cellular therapy, immune effector cell therapy, as well as gene therapy services. The Senior Director will establish the strategic long-term clinical direction, system-wide priorities, develop policies, and work in partnership with Norris and Nursing Leadership along with Physician Leaders to ensure service line excellence in alignment with system-wide initiatives, regulatory requirements, and hospital/ambulatory operations. The role is also responsible for the alignment and strategic approach for the Cellular and Advanced Therapies service line across Keck Medicine locations. The Senior Director is responsible for overseeing these therapeutic programs for hematologic malignancies, solid tumor malignancies, auto immune disorders, and any other future diagnoses. The Senior Director is responsible for organizational design, talent strategy, performance management, succession planning, and directing the work of directors, managers, and program leaders supporting the service line. The Senior Director collaborates with stakeholders across Nursing, Finance/Revenue Cycle, Managed Care, Health IT, Pharmacy, Hematology/Oncology, the Clinical Trials Office, and other service lines to expand patient access to advanced therapies, maintain accreditation standards, and drive innovation in care delivery. The Senior Director will be responsible for directing partnerships and relationships with external companies and vendors related to the cellular and gene therapy programs, including joint ventures and management arrangements.

Essential Duties

• Exercises a high degree of independent judgment and discretion to strategically direct and oversee the development and implementation of cell and gene therapy initiatives, including BMT, CAR T, Bi-Specifics, TILs, and emerging cellular therapies ensuring alignment with system-wide targets and clinical best practices.
• Develops comprehensive support systems that ensure maximum performance, including patient identification, revenue cycle excellence, favorable payer contracts, pharma engagement, hospital partnerships.
• Directs service line leadership to BMT and Cell Therapy initiatives, including patient intake practices, clinical operations, financial integrity, and regulatory compliance.
• Manages partnerships and relationships with external companies and vendors related to the cellular and gene therapy programs, including joint ventures and management arrangements. Responsible for performance metrics, steering committees, and governance structures related to joint venture.
• Strategically leverages data systems for advanced therapies, developing a robust data repository and tracking standard.
• Develops and implements large-scale initiatives, targets, organizational policies, budgets/resource allocation, and staffing models with significant financial and operational impact to ensure operational excellence.
• Develops and approves performance metrics throughout service line operations.
• Oversees FACT alignment, audits, accreditation site visits, and regulatory compliance with TJC, CDPH, and other accrediting bodies.
• Partners with physicians, clinical leaders, ancillary departments and administrative leaders to establish and maintain policies, protocols, and standards of care.
• Shapes and communicates the strategic direction for BMT and Cell Therapy initiatives by identifying, evaluating and operationalizing new therapies.
• Interacts with practices, providers, key stakeholders, and various business partners to ensure specified strategies and support are met, by providing service line leadership over reporting and analytics.
• Drives appropriate strategies to ensure value delivery via a high-touch, high-quality, efficient, and cost-effective models.
• Leads collaboration across the Norris Cancer service line ecosystem to align on common missions and optimizes access to advanced therapies. Develops cross-continuum, system-wide pathways and processes for hematology, cell therapy and gene therapy patients.
• Partners with Pharmacy Revenue Cycle and exercises authority over high-cost drug processes and reimbursement strategies.
• Partners with quality and performance teams to review escalated reports analyzing clinical and business outcomes; directs and implements continuous improvement initiatives.
• Ensures provision of education and resources for patients, families, and staff.
• Establishes governance structure for BMT, Cell Therapy and Gene Therapy Candidate Selection and Steering Committees including review of escalated matters and key recommendations on committee deliverables.
• Travels and performs work at system-wide onsite locations in order to cultivate and meet target initiatives with various stakeholders and staff, including appropriate locations across the Keck Medicine system.
• Performs all other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Req Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing, Business Administration, Public Health, Health Care Administration, or relevant field.
• Pref Bachelor’s Degree Nursing
• Pref Master’s degree in Nursing, Business Administration, Public Health, Health Care Administration, or relevant field.
• Req 5 years Bone Marrow Transplant and/or Cellular Therapy experience
• Req 7-10 years Progressive management experience
• Req Project management experience
• Pref 5-10 years Nursing experience

• Req Ability to work effectively with and lead enterprise-wide alignment amongst key stakeholders including but not limited to physicians, staff, ancillary departments and patients.
• Req Strong leadership, communication, and diplomacy skills.
• Req Ability to work independently and exercise substantial independent judgment and discretion in interpreting policy, setting strategic priorities, allocating resources, and making decisions on matters of significance.
• Req Proficiency in Microsoft Office and EMR systems.
• Req Experience in research utilization for patient-care improvements.
• Req Strong data and analytical skills and ability to translate complex clinical, operational, financial, and market data into enterprise strategy and accountable action plans.
• Req Strong project management and business strategy skills, with demonstrated experience leading enterprise initiatives involving organizational change, program expansion, financial planning, regulatory readiness, and cross-functional implementation.

• Req Fire Life Safety Training (LA City) If no card upon hire, one must be obtained within 30 days of hire and maintained by renewal before expiration date. (Required within LA City only)
• Pref Registered Nurse - RN (CA Board of Registered Nursing)
• Pref Advanced Oncology Certified Nurse - AOCN (ONCC) AOCN, OCN, AOCNS, BMT-CN, or CPHON preferred

USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center and Hospital delivers exceptional, personalized care in 14 key areas of cancer treatment: breast cancer, cancerous brain tumors, gastrointestinal cancer, genetic counseling, gynecologic cancers, head and neck cancers, hematology, lung cancer, melanoma, neuro-oncology, radiation oncology, sarcoma, skin cancer and urologic oncology. The 60-bed hospital is an integral part of our academic medical center. Using a multidisciplinary team approach, the world-renowned physicians and scientists of USC Norris treat and prevent cancer by developing new therapies, enhancing existing treatments and providing personalized, precision care that is the most advanced available. Join this world-class team providing highly specialized care, up-to-the-minute research, and innovative clinical trials.

The annual base salary range for this position is $181,709.00 - $299,820.00. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state, and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.

                                                  

USC is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law or USC policy. USC observes affirmative action obligations consistent with state and federal law. USC will consider for employment all qualified applicants with criminal records in a manner consistent with applicable laws and regulations, including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for employers and the Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, and with due consideration for patient and student safety. Please refer to the Background Screening Policy Appendix D for specific employment screen implications for the position for which you are applying. 

We provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. Applicants with questions about access or requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should contact USC Human Resources by phone at (213) 821-8100, or by email at uschr@usc.edu. Inquiries will be treated as confidential to the extent permitted by law.

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