Executive Director, Cancer Center

Organization:

ABSMC-Summit Campus

Position Overview:

The Stanford Medicine | Sutter Health Cancer Collaborative seeks an experienced cancer care leader to serve as the inaugural Executive Director, Stanford/Sutter Joint Venture Cancer Collaborative (JVCC). Overseeing the building of a $350 million physical plant in Oakland, the Executive Director will be responsible for hiring staff, developing programs and services with a broad array of physicians and ensuring the new site is up and operational in 2026.
This position requires an individual who is highly relational, confident in their abilities, able to build new programs and services, and ensure the new building is configured correctly, built on time and on budget. We are seeking individuals who have experience running oncology services, ideally in a community setting, with some background in academic medicine as well. This individual will lead the strategic growth planning for the Oakland site and determine what resources are needed to support that growth in the next 10 years. The San Francisco East Bay is a very competitive cancer care market and ensuring high quality patient care with an excellent patient experience will be key to continuing to grow market share.

Job Description:

Goals and Objectives
The following goals and objectives have been identified as priorities for this position:

• Develop a seamless partnership between Sutter Health and Stanford Health Care. Establish oneself as a highly credible, collaborative leader who is proactive, trusted, and committed to building out and advancing the JVCC to optimize efficient provision of high-quality services and maximize the patient experience.

• Successfully build out and open the new JVCC building in Oakland, hire staff, and develop the direct and matrixed leadership team. Create an organizational structure in alignment with the Stanford/Sutter structures to ensure that the optimal team is in place to ensure success. Develop a plan for the building's opening, ongoing operations, high employee and physician engagement and excellent patient experience.

• Help develop a well functional physician governance structure for the JVCC.

• Act as an ambassador to the community about the value of the JVCC and builds relationships to further the mission and vision of the JVCC in the local community. Ensures that the JVCC has a special emphasis on serving under-represented minorities for their cancer care and that the JVCC patients have access to the state-of-the-art clinical trials.

• Work collaboratively with and establish clear lines of communication with the various physician groups associated with the JVCC. Develop an outstanding dyad partnership with the JVCC Medical Directors.

• Develop and implement a strategic business plan that focuses on programmatic growth and financial performance for the JVCC. Identify and align with current clinical priorities and include a capital budget, operating budget, manpower plan (both physicians and staff), and new technology forecasting for a five- and ten-year horizon.

• Working closely with the Health System's Quality team, focus resources to continually improve quality metrics and performance across the JVCC.

• Cultivate a strong sense of openness within cancer services by identifying and listening to priorities of physicians and staff. Be proactive and communicative in addressing the concerns of others.

Organization Overview
Sutter Health and Stanford Medicine have formalized a Joint Venture (JV) between the two health systems to expand access to coordinated, state-of-the-art cancer services for patients and their families in the East Bay. The Stanford Medicine | Sutter Health Cancer Collaborative will offer residents and their families an integrated and comprehensive suite of outpatient cancer-related services, including seamless coordination of early detection, cancer care and support programs.
The JV also includes design, development, and construction of an integrated, multidisciplinary outpatient cancer center in the East Bay – The Joint Venture Cancer Center (JVCC), will provide world-class cancer care for over five years to the local community. The new cancer center will serve as a local hub for cancer care and offer East Bay patients and their family’s access to the most advanced, complete and coordinated care from screening through survivorship.
The Joint Venture Cancer Center (JVCC) seeks to

• Provide a scope of services within the JV Cancer Center that is necessary to deliver patient-centered, non-fragmented cancer care.

• Increase speed to treatment for patients diagnosed with cancer and maximize access to cancer screening services, including lower-cost and geographically dispersed points of entry.

• Add value to existing facilities and services in the local community.

• Create shared goals across health systems to promote integrated patient care.

• Develop oncology programs that service the local community needs.

A JV model can promote these objectives by including outpatient cancer-related services rendered to JV defined patients at local Sutter and Stanford sites in addition to the services provided within the JV Cancer Center.

Overview

The site for the JVCC is on the Alta Bates Summit Medical Center campus in Oakland on land owned by Sutter Health. The JVCC will contain comprehensive cancer services, including Radiation Oncology, Imaging, Nuclear Medicine, Oncology Specialty clinics, Infusion, general and specialty laboratory, and infusion services; the building will also house physician offices and an oncology Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC). When completed, the JVCC will serve as a local hub for state-of-the-art cancer care, and by integrating care locations and reducing travel time, the single-destination, and single-team service will help patients focus on treatment and recovery. The building could be completed as early as November 2026 pending approvals.
On the lowest level, Radiation Oncology and Imaging will have three Linear Accelerators, CT, CT-SIM, PET-CT, MRI, and general X-Ray modalities. Due to the topography of the site, the main entrance floor is split-level with a main entry on the first floor at grade with Summit Street and a secondary public entry and service entry on the Peralta Street side about nine feet lower. The first floor contains public facing components including a café, blood draw, public pharmacy, boutique, and a resource center. The ASC will have three Operating Rooms plus one future and two endoscopy procedure rooms. The ASC will be self-supported with central sterile and pharmacy in the building and be managed separately by the regional Sutter ASC leadership. There are two floors of on-stage/off-stage clinics each with 32 exam rooms in two pods and a suite of three procedure rooms. The top floor is an infusion center with 34 treatment spaces and a USP 800 compounding pharmacy. A specialized Breast Clinic and a Complex Care Center are located on the upper floors of the building.
The Stanford Medicine | Sutter Health Cancer Collaborative will greatly enhance both the organizations’ shared commitment to health equity by improving access to exceptional care for underrepresented minorities in the East Bay community who often lack access to advanced care options and the ability to participate in clinical trials. The collaborative also intends to partner with local cancer support organizations to build these relationships to create a safety net of cancer services for the community.
Enhancing community access to high-quality healthcare is a cornerstone of the Stanford Medicine | Sutter Health Collaborative, which plans to establish a joint patient and family advisory council (PFAC) comprised of a diverse group of patients and their families from the community. The PFAC will provide feedback to help guide the cancer center’s programs and services and inform the design and services of the JVCC.
Sutter Health
Sutter Health is a not-for-profit integrated delivery system in Northern California. It consists of 24 hospitals with 5,397 licensed beds and 206,800 annual discharges, 5,000 physician members of the Sutter Medical network, over 53,000 employees, a home health division with over 500,000 annual visits, and 10 million outpatient visits. Within the Sutter Health network are research enterprises and educational programs. Serving more than 100 communities of Northern California, from the Oregon border to the San Joaquin Valley, and from the Pacific Coast to the Sierra Foothills, Sutter Health is a regional leader in cardiac care, cancer treatment, orthopedics, obstetrics, and newborn intensive care, and is a pioneer in advanced patient safety technology. Sutter invested more than $10 billion in the past decade to build and improve healthcare facilities and to launch cutting-edge technologies.
Sutter Cancer Centers
The Sutter Health network offers 13 cancer centers across California that provide leading-edge treatments, access to clinical trials and nationally recognized cancer specialists dedicated to patient care. Certain Sutter locations offer the highly specialized Sutter Cancer Centers that are certified by the American College of Surgeons as well as the Community on Cancer (COC) and American Society of Clinical Oncology Quality and Performance Indicators (QOPI). Nationally recognized cancer specialists and accredited facilities, highly trained oncology nurses and skilled technicians in the Sutter Health network work together so patients have access to leading-edge treatments, progressive clinical trials and a 24/7 multidisciplinary support team. Sutter has nine Centers of Excellence in different sub-specialties of care with over 52 tumor boards that service the local, regional and system patient needs. Sutter oncology invests in patient care from state-of-the-art screening and high-risk programs through survivorship and palliative care, offering rehabilitation, integrative medicine and cancer genetics screening and counseling. Nurse navigation of individual community patients at every cancer center to navigate patients through their oncology care journey.
Stanford Health Care
As part of Stanford Health Care, the Stanford Cancer Center provides advanced medical expertise in an environment that focuses on science, humanity, and compassion. Ongoing collaborations with basic scientists and clinical researchers in the Stanford Cancer Institute mean that patients benefit from the latest discoveries and innovative treatments, leading to better outcomes. The Stanford Cancer Institute comprises cancer-focused faculty from School of Medicine. Top-rated programs in more than 30 biomedical specialties—including cancer biology, genomics, immunotherapy, bioinformatics, stem cell medicine and bioengineering—are delivering insights that have changed how cancer is diagnosed, treated and prevented.
Commitment to Quality
The Stanford Cancer Center is a National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, a testament to its scientific and clinical excellence. It is one of the founding members of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), an alliance of 26 of the world's leading cancer centers dedicated to improving the quality and effectiveness of care provided to patients with cancer. US News & World Report consistently recognizes Stanford as one of the top hospitals in America for cancer care. SHC's Magnet® designation acknowledges the hospital for quality patient care, nursing excellence, and innovations in professional nursing practices.

POSITION SUMMARY
The Executive Director of the Stanford Medicine | Sutter Health Cancer Collaborative (SSCC) is responsible for the strategic planning and operational management of Stanford Sutter Joint Venture Cancer Center and the Stanford Sutter Eden Radiation Oncology Joint Venture (JVCC). The leader works in collaboration with the Medical Director, Stanford Sutter Cancer Collaborative for the oversight and development of the patient safety and clinical quality programs in alignment with the Stanford Healthcare Cancer Destination Service Line and the Sutter Oncology Service Line.

• The leader serves as the primary administrator and chief business officer for the JVCC. This individual works closely with the dyad Medical Director and other physician and program leaders to develop, implement and manage the goals and objectives of the JVCCs and sites including volume, financial management and expectations, and revenue enhancement. Identifies opportunities to improve value, including reducing unplanned care and unnecessary variation.

• Act as the liaison to the Sutter Health System and Stanford Health Care for cancer services that are not provided in the JVCC Medical Office Building (MOB) and participates in related meetings across both health systems.

• Serves as an advocate for the needs of the MOB and its programs.

• Act as an ambassador to the community about the value of the JVCC and builds relationships to further the mission and vision of the JVCC in the local community.

• Ensures that the JVCC has a special emphasis on serving under-represented minorities for their cancer care and that the JVCC patients have access to the state-of-the-art clinical trials.

Reporting Relationships
This is a highly matrixed role, so the Executive Director must work with many constituents to be successful. For day-to-day reporting purposes, the Executive Director of the Stanford Medicine | Sutter Health Cancer Collaborative reports to the CEO of Alta Bates Summit Medical Center.
However, the Executive Director must regularly interact with and make reports to the Oncology Solutions Venture (OSV) Board of Directors; VP, Cancer Destination Service Line, Stanford Health Care and System Cancer VP, Sutter Health.
The Executive Director will oversee all the employees in the SSCC JVCC as well as other oncology departments in the JV. The Executive Director will be responsible for hiring their leadership team and working with Human Resources to hire the JVCC staff in Oakland. The Executive Director will have operational support from project manager(s) from Sutter and Stanford Healthcare in the development of the SSCC JVCC.

Responsibilities

Leadership
Develops, implements, and evaluates plans to achieve desired long-range operational results which meet programmatic, service line, hospital, and OSV Board goals.
Quality, Safety and Health Equity

• Works with Medical Director and collaborating stakeholders between Stanford and Sutter to define quality priorities for the JVCC and executes the plan to improve quality and safety.

• Works directly with and supports the medical director and medical directors of the relevant Cancer Service Line outpatient and inpatient clinical units (as applicable), to develop, maintain, and refine measures of clinical quality and safety in support of the clinical, educational and research mission.

• Works to further the SSCC mission and focus on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for the organization's diverse patient population and staff.

Engagement

• Oversees the day–to-day operations of the SSCC JVCC, responsible for the leadership team and JVCC staff. Works in dyadic partnership with the JVCC Medical Director to operate within the organization's culture to support the teams, ensure success of the JVCC and achieve the goals set forth by the OSV Board of Directors.

• Serves as a connector between all organizational stakeholder groups across Stanford Health Care and Sutter Health. Oversees major program event planning including community partnerships, national/network symposia, annual events, and staff appreciation functions.

Patient Experience

• Establishes relationships in the local and regional community, ensuring the programs and services continually meet the needs of the patients served, including but not limited to financial advocacy, supportive care services and other ancillary resources.

• Makes connections with all organizational patient and caregiver groups with the goal of developing an SSCC patient advisory group program that will balance the needs of patients and caregivers in programmatic and operational decisions.

• Ensure that the JVCC has a special emphasis on serving under-represented minorities for their cancer care and that the JVCC patients have access to the state-of-the-art clinical trials.

Financial Strength

• Provides direction and guidance in planning, management of financial operations, internal policies and procedures, and organizational structure. Works with the team, including business management, administrative support, and applicable leaders to ensure the financial strength of the SSCC JVCC.

• Translates the vision of the OSV Board into overall program strategy and directs this group to develop plans for the operating structure, workflows, capital budgeting, justification of expenses, program development and volume projections.

• Works within the budget outlined by the OSV Board and ensures fiscal stewardship while staying up to date on market trends, shifting reimbursement models and payer landscape.

Education/Certifications

• Bachelor's degree in a work-related field/discipline from an accredited college or university. Master's degree highly desirable.

• With Bachelor's degree twelve (12) years of progressively responsible and directly related work experience at an executive team level.

• With master’s degree ten (10) years of related experience.

Knowledge, Skills and Attributes

• Extensive experience leading an oncology service line with strong operations responsibility overseeing a full range of oncology services would be ideal.

• Oncology background with strong strategic planning, financial management, and business development skills.

• Prior experience opening a cancer center and hiring a team would be highly valued.

• Experience with cancer quality metrics and performance improvement methodologies.

• Broad and extensive experience managing and leading programs, work units or departments of comparable size, scope and complexity.

• Experience with new construction, planning and workflows ideal.

• Demonstrated ability to: develop long-range business plans and strategies; manage a function or multiple departments; provide leadership and influence on others; be a strong relationship builder and effective/comfortable in a matrix environment; solve problems and identify solution; work well with individuals at all levels of the organization.

• Make effective oral presentations and prepare concise written reports to a variety of audiences.

• Establish the strategic direction and business plans for a functional group.

• Manage complex project and resources (people, costs, and time) across multiple departments.

• Demonstrated effective verbal and written communications skills.

• Experience successfully interacting with large and complex physician practices, faculty practice plans and outpatient/ambulatory sites.

• Knowledge of governmental and other regulatory standards, requirements, and guidelines, specifically, Joint commission, CMS Conditions of Participation, Title 22, California Business & Professions code, California Health and Safety Code, American Society of Clinical Oncology, American College of Surgeons, National Quality Forum.

• Knowledge of local, state and federal regulatory requirements related to the functional area.

• Knowledge of computer systems and software used in functional area, including Electronic Health Records (HER). Experience with ARIA Radiation Oncology system, EPIC, and its relevant modules (including BEACON) a plus.

• Leadership Skills and Competencies

• Employees must abide by all Joint Commission requirements including, but not limited to, sensitivity to cultural diversity, patient care, patients’ rights and ethical treatment, safety and security of physical environments, emergency management, teamwork, respect for others, participation in ongoing education and training, communication and adherence to safety and quality programs, sustaining compliance with National Patient Safety Goals, and licensure and health screenings.

• Employees must perform all duties and responsibilities in accordance with SSCC standards for patient-experience.

• Has a high level of ‘personal ownership’ in the future success of the service line. She/he should be a strong advocate for the service line and physicians within the service line, striving to exceed the clinical quality, customer service and cost performance expectations.

• Has a high energy level with an assertive, straightforward ‘can-do’ style and is politically astute.

• Follow-through will be vital in this role, as will be the ability to strongly and persuasively advocate for the needs of the service line.

• Must be a strategic visionary, self-starter and action oriented. Will bring a creative approach to problem solving and the ability to take advantage of emerging opportunities.

• An individual with unquestioned integrity that can build trusting relationships.

• Passionate about realizing the potential for great cancer care in the community setting in collaboration with academic medicine.

• Emotional intelligence and effective interpersonal skills along with confident executive presence.

Job Shift:

Days

Schedule:

Full Time

Shift Hours:

8

Days of the Week:

Monday - Friday

Weekend Requirements:

As Needed

Benefits:

Yes

Unions:

No

Position Status:

Exempt

Weekly Hours:

40

Employee Status:

Regular

Number of Openings:

1

Sutter Health is an equal opportunity employer EOE/M/F/Disability/Veterans.

Pay Range is $125.54 to $200.87 / hour

Qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records will be considered for employment. Applicants for specific positions are still required to disclose certain convictions during the application process, and those convictions may also be considered in determining eligibility for employment in accordance with applicable law.

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