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.

Required Qualifications:

• Req Bachelor’s Degree Nursing
• Req 5 years Bone Marrow Transplant and/or Cellular Therapy experience
• Req 5-10 years Nursing experience
• Req 7-10 years Progressive management experience
• Req Project management 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.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Pref Master’s degree Nursing
• Pref Advanced Oncology Certified Nurse - AOCN (ONCC) AOCN, OCN, AOCNS, BMT-CN, or CPHON preferred

Required Licenses/Certifications:

• Req Registered Nurse - RN (CA Board of Registered Nursing)
• 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)