Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Associate Director, Business Strategy

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute$134K — $156K *
US-AnywhereRemote in Boston, MA
Healthcare
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in Business, Healthcare, or related field required; Master's preferred.
  • At least 7 years of related work experience in healthcare strategy, management consulting, or academic medical settings.
  • Experience with large data sets and complex initiatives is essential.
  • Preferred background in the cancer sector and academic medicine.
  • Familiarity with healthcare regulatory and payer requirements is advantageous.

Responsibilities

  • Lead development of comprehensive business strategies and long-range planning initiatives.
  • Create data-driven long-term strategic plans and stakeholder engagement strategies.
  • Oversee the strategic planning process to align with organizational goals.
  • Assist leadership in developing sustainable growth and funding cases.
  • Coordinate cross-functional input and governance for initiatives and projects.
  • Monitor implementation progress and outcomes, ensuring timely accountability.
  • Develop effective change communication strategies and create tailored presentations.

Benefits

  • Fully remote work location with occasional onsite requirements.
  • Engagement with a highly collaborative, cross-functional team environment.
  • Opportunity to impact strategic initiatives in a prestigious cancer research institution.
  • Exposure to senior leadership and hands-on involvement in high-level decision-making.
  • Access to professional development and mentoring in a leading healthcare organization.
Full Job Description
This position's work location is fully remote with the ocassional time onsite as needed. The selected candidate may only work remotely from a New England state (ME, VT, NH, MA, CT, RI).

The Associate Director, Business Strategy advances institute-wide priorities by leading strategic and business activities across clinical, research, education and operational domains. Reporting to the VP, Business Strategy, the role partners with senior leaders to translate organizational goals into actionable strategies, evaluate opportunities, and drive outcomes through robust analytics and disciplined planning. Operating in a highly matrixed environment, the position coordinates complex, cross-functional projects, ensures effective governance and decision-making, and aligns stakeholders around timelines, resources, and metrics. The Associate Director ensures rigorous evaluation of strategic options to balance growth, quality, access, and financial sustainability in support of Dana-Farber's mission.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities
  • Lead the development of business strategies and long-range planning for strategic initiatives across departments, service lines, disease centers, and business units.
  • Develop long-term strategic plans, including scenario analysis, initiative planning, implementation planning and stakeholder engagement.
  • Guide the strategic planning process at various levels of the organization to ensure plans are data-driven and tied to organizational goals.
  • Support leaders in crafting business plans and business/funding cases that promote sustainable growth, operational excellence and the advancement of research or clinical initiatives aligned with leadership priorities and highest impact science and care. As needed, build rigorous business cases for new programs, partnerships, capacity expansions, and technology investments.
  • Transition ownership of strategic initiatives to implementation leads, maintaining collaboration, oversight, and progress/outcomes monitoring.
  • Coordinate input/leadership across clinical operations, disease centers, research, finance, and external partners. Establish initiative charters, KPIs, and dashboards; manage governance forums and decision checkpoints; ensure timely follow-up and accountability.
  • Develop change strategies and communications plans; create clear presentations and materials tailored to executive and operational audiences.


Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
  • Ability to synthesize complex information, frame options, and recommend actionable strategies; Strong judgment and decision-making.
  • Advanced proficiency in Excel-based modeling (volume forecasts, pro formas, sensitivity/scenario analyses); ability to interpret financial statements and operational data; familiarity with cost accounting.
  • Ability to design and track performance improvement initiatives and KPIs.
  • Extensive financial literacy in healthcare and/or research.
  • Ability to plan and execute change strategies; navigate ambiguity, resistance, and competing priorities while sustaining progress and adoption.
  • Exceptional written and verbal communication; skill in presenting complex analyses clearly to executives; strong facilitation and stakeholder management; consensus-building across matrixed teams.
  • Demonstrated success partnering with clinical, research, education, operational, and administrative stakeholders; ability to broker agreements and maintain productive relationships internally and externally.
  • Strong time management, attention to detail, and follow-through; ability to manage confidential information with discretion and integrity.
  • General understanding of healthcare regulatory and payer requirements (e.g., CMS policies) and their strategic/operational implications.


Minimum Job Qualifications
  • Bachelor's degree in Business, Healthcare, or related field required. Master's degree (MHA, MBA, MPH, or related) preferred.
  • At least 7 years of related work experience required in healthcare strategy or management consulting or investment banking, or administrative functions in an academic medical center or cancer center setting, required.
  • Experience working with large datasets required.
  • Experience working across multiple, complex initiatives required.
  • Experience working in a cancer sector/ academic medicine preferred.
  • Experience with research departments/institutions preferred.
  • Experience working with clinical leaders as partners and advisers preferred.
  • Experience in optimizing clinical operations and improving patient care outcomes preferred.


License/Certification/Registration Required: None

Supervisory Responsibilities: No

Patient Contact: No

The hiring range is based on market pay structures, with individual salaries determined by factors such as business needs, market conditions, internal equity, and based on the candidate's relevant experience, skills and qualifications.

For union positions, the pay range is determined by the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

$134,600.00 - $156,400.00

About Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is a non-profit organization that provides cancer treatment and research services. The institute was founded in 1947 and is affiliated with Harvard Medical School. Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is committed to providing the highest quality care to cancer patients, and is dedicated to finding new treatments and cures for the disease. The institute offers a range of services, including chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery. Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is also involved in a number of research initiatives, and has made significant contributions to the field of cancer research.
Learn more about Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Size
5,000 employees
Industry
Founded
1947

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