Senior Director, Strategic Initiatives - Anesthesiology

Location
SAINT LOUIS, MO 63110Scheduled Hours
40

Position Summary
Develops and manages strategies, key initiatives and business partner relationships, ensuring stakeholders are aligned and common goals are achieved within established time frames to drive optimization. Supports the Chair in advancing departmental priorities by coordinating complex, cross-functional initiatives, providing executive-level analysis and reporting, and ensuring effective communication and follow-through across the organization.

Job Description

Primary Duties & Responsibilities:

• Serves as a trusted strategic partner to the Chair and member of the Chair's Office team, coordinating across departmental leadership, faculty, staff, institutional partners, and other stakeholders to advance the Chair's and department's strategic priorities and ensure alignment, accountability, and timely execution. Develops and deploys strategies to successfully implement strategic initiatives and proactive strategic sourcing.
• Serves as primary contact for designated strategic business partners and facilitates strategic communications as part of the Chair's Office, building strong relationships across diverse stakeholder groups and exercising exceptional judgment and discretion in matters involving senior leadership, sensitive information, and complex organizational dynamics.
• Oversees preparation of strategic initiative reports and organization of business review meetings with strategic partners. Develops executive-level presentations, dashboards, briefing materials, talking points, reports, and analyses that synthesize complex information and support decision-making by the Chair and departmental leadership.
• Establishes and continually monitors and manages initiative expectations with teams; identifies issues for resolution to ensure optimal team effectiveness. Proactively identifies risks, barriers, and competing priorities and escalates issues to leadership with proposed solutions.
• Prepares and maintains status reports and schedules; tracks milestones, deliverables, critical paths, and dependencies; and resets expectations as needed based on project progress and outcomes. Uses data and performance measures to monitor progress, identify trends, and communicate outcomes clearly to leadership.
• Collaborates with internal and contracted team members to ensure optimal outcomes and builds, develops, and maintains relationships vital to initiative and partnership success. Works effectively across organizational boundaries and with individuals at all levels of the organization to build consensus and advance shared priorities.
• Works collaboratively with stakeholders, leadership, and other related staff to define and identify required infrastructure needs to ensure successful launches and ongoing operations. Coordinates cross-functional workstreams and ensures appropriate owners, timelines, and decision rights are established.
• Supports implementation of new departmental priorities and initiatives by developing implementation plans, engaging affected stakeholders, identifying barriers to adoption, coordinating communication and education, and monitoring progress through implementation and stabilization.
• Ensures sustainability is a key focus within projects and partnership initiatives, including clear ownership, operating models, resources, and measures of success.
• Organizes business review meetings with strategic partners, departmental leadership, and internal and external stakeholders, ensuring meeting outcomes are translated into documented decisions, action plans, accountabilities, and follow-up.
• Facilitates administrative policies and work groups, including development of agendas, coordination of participants, documentation of decisions, and follow-through on action items. Ensures decisions and commitments are translated into execution and appropriately tracked to completion.
• Communicates with other departments and university administrators and resolves or assists with the resolution of sensitive issues. Serves as a point of coordination for high-priority and sensitive matters requiring careful communication, appropriate stakeholder engagement, and alignment with departmental and institutional priorities.
• Develops executive communications and materials for the Chair and departmental leadership, ensuring consistency, accuracy, appropriate context, and alignment across internal and external audiences.
• Anticipates issues that may require leadership attention and works proactively with appropriate stakeholders to ensure the Chair is well prepared for meetings, presentations, communications, and other high-priority engagements.
• Exercises sound judgment regarding the appropriate handling, distribution, and communication of sensitive information and maintains a high level of discretion in all interactions.
• Develops high-quality executive presentations, reports, dashboards, and analytical materials using PowerPoint, Excel, and data visualization and reporting tools.
• Performs other duties as assigned. Supports the Chair on special projects, executive priorities, organizational planning, and other time-sensitive initiatives.

Working Conditions:
Job Location/Working Conditions

• Normal Office Environment

Physical Effort

• Typically Sitting at a desk or table

Equipment

• Office Equipment

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all job duties performed by the personnel so classified. Management reserves the right to revise or amend duties at any time.

Required Qualifications

Education:
Bachelor's degree or combination of education and/or experience may substitute for minimum education.

Certifications/Professional Licenses:
No specific certification/professional license is required for this position.

Work Experience:
Administrative (6 Years), Supervisory (4 Years)

Skills:
Not Applicable

Driver's License:
A driver's license is not required for this position.

More About This Job

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience supporting senior executives and leading complex, cross-functional strategic initiatives.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence, with demonstrated ability to establish trust, influence without direct authority, navigate sensitive situations, and work effectively with a broad range of stakeholders.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate complex information into concise executive-level communications and presentations.
• Exceptional judgment, discretion, and situational awareness, with demonstrated ability to navigate sensitive and high-visibility matters.
• Strong executive communication skills and the ability to adapt messaging, presentations, and briefing materials for diverse internal and external audiences.
• Demonstrated ability to anticipate stakeholder concerns, understand organizational dynamics, and communicate effectively in complex or sensitive situations.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft PowerPoint and Excel, with demonstrated ability to develop executive presentations and analytical reports.
• Experience developing dashboards, performance reports, and data visualizations using Power BI and/or Tableau.
• Experience using SQL or similar tools to query, analyze, and interpret data is desirable.
• Strong organizational and prioritization skills, including demonstrated ability to manage multiple high-priority initiatives simultaneously and drive work to completion in a complex environment.

Preferred Qualifications

Education:
Master's degree

Certifications/Professional Licenses:
No additional certification/professional licenses unless stated elsewhere in the job posting.

Work Experience:
No additional work experience unless stated elsewhere in the job posting.

Skills:
Budgeting, Change Management, Communication, Data Analytics, Decision Making, Developing Proposals, Diversity and Inclusion (D&I), Group Presentations, Implement Training Programs, Leadership, People Management, Presentation Development, Problem Resolution, Project Development, Project Implementations, Project Management Essentials, Public Speaking, Respect Diversity, Strategic Planning, Student Success, Supervisory Management, Sustainability, Training and Development, Work Relationships

Grade
G18

Salary Range
$129,800.00 - $228,400.00 / Annually

The salary range reflects base salaries paid for positions in a given job grade across the University. Individual rates within the range will be determined by factors including one's qualifications and performance, equity with others in the department, market rates for positions within the same grade and department budget.

Questions

For frequently asked questions about the application process, please refer to our External Applicant FAQ.

Accommodation

If you are unable to use our online application system and would like an accommodation, please email [redacted] or call the dedicated accommodation inquiry number at [redacted] and leave a voicemail with the nature of your request.

All qualified individuals must be able to perform the essential functions of the position satisfactorily and, if requested, reasonable accommodations will be made to enable employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their job, absent undue hardship.

Pre-Employment Screening
All external candidates receiving an offer for employment will be required to submit to pre-employment screening for this position. The screenings will include criminal background check and, as applicable for the position, other background checks, drug screen, an employment and education or licensure/certification verification, physical examination, certain vaccinations and/or governmental registry checks. All offers are contingent upon successful completion of required screening.

Benefits Statement

Personal

• Up to 22 days of vacation, 10 recognized holidays, and sick time.
• Competitive health insurance packages with priority appointments and lower copays/coinsurance.
• Take advantage of our free Metro transit U-Pass for eligible employees.
• WashU provides eligible employees with a defined contribution (403(b)) Retirement Savings Plan, which combines employee contributions and university contributions starting at 7%.

Wellness

• Wellness challenges, annual health screenings, mental health resources, mindfulness programs and courses, employee assistance program (EAP), financial resources, access to dietitians, and more!

Family

• We offer 4 weeks of caregiver leave to bond with your new child. Family care resources are also available for your continued childcare needs. Need adult care? We've got you covered.
• WashU covers the cost of tuition for you and your family, including dependent undergraduate-level college tuition up to 100% at WashU and 40% elsewhere after seven years with us.

For policies, detailed benefits, and eligibility, please visit: https://hr.wustl.edu/benefits/