Clinical Operations Manager

Department

CSL SHS: Clinical Practice Management

About the Department

The University of Chicago is one of the nation’s leading institutions of higher education and research. Student Wellness (SW) is part of the division of Campus and Student Life and serves the student body by providing primary care, wellness, counseling, and psychiatric services in support of achieving holistic care of the student.

Job Summary

The Clinical Operations Manager (COM) serves as a key operational leader within Student Wellness. Reporting to the Director of Clinical Practice, the COM partners closely with , the Director of Quality, the Accreditation Manager, and the Medical Director to ensure efficient, student-centered clinical services. They manage a clinical team of nurses, medical assistants, and phlebotomy staff, coordinating workflow processes that promote the delivery of high-quality medical care for students. They focus on optimizing clinical workflows, advancing program development, strengthening cross-functional coordination, and supporting data-informed operational decision-making. Working closely with the Medical Director and the Director of Clinical Practice, they are responsible for overseeing clinical process improvement initiatives, vendor and service line management, and implementation of new clinical programs or operational enhancements. The Clinical Operations Manager also serves as a liaison between the nursing clinical staff and the medical providers to promote seamless care delivery in accordance with institutional guidelines. This position requires strong systems thinking, operational judgement, excellent supervisory skills, and the ability to anticipate and resolve barriers that impact access, efficiency, and the student experience. The Clinical Program and Operations Manager plays a central role in ensuring operational stability, scalability, and continuous improvement across Student Wellness.

Responsibilities

• Manages a team of nurses, medical assistants, and phlebotomy staff responsible for comprehensive direct patient care management.
• Responsible for the direct daily supervision of the nursing and non-provider clinical staff.
• Oversees nursing and support staff workflows to ensure care is delivered efficiently, effectively, and in a timely manner.
• Monitors staffing education and training needs, and is responsible for the development, delivery, and completion of appropriate education, training programs, and competency validations.
• Promotes the professional growth of staff through coaching, mentoring, and support.
• Applies best practice guidelines to clinic operations, patient care, and safety.
• Creates a work climate that encourages positive staff morale, motivation, and commitment.
• In collaboration with the Director of Clinical Practice, conducts performance reviews of clinical (non-provider) staff and provides behavioral performance feedback.
• Direct involvement in the interviewing and hiring of clinical (non-provider) staff.
• Able to perform the work of direct reports when necessary.
• Applies interpersonal skills to maintain open and effective communication among staff members, other clinic providers, and Student Wellness leadership.
• Works with the Director of Clinical Practice to coordinate various compliance requirements, including CLIA/CAP certification, facilities compliance with University of Chicago Medicine and University of Chicago policies and procedures, as well as those of various healthcare, professional, and governmental organizations.
• Monitors quality and safety of laboratory and point-of–care testing and maintains regulatory compliance.
• Collaborates with the Director of Quality and the Quality Management Nurse Supervisor on QI projects, including process and implementation.
• Tracks operational data and prepares reports.
• Identifies operational risks and improvement opportunities through data translation.
• Draft operational communications and protocol updates.
• Manages incident reports as assigned.
• Monitors emergency medical equipment to ensure proper functioning.
• Monitors cycle times (appt access, message response).
• Maintains documentation, workflows, and SOP.
• Partners with IT/PnC teams to optimize templates and build updates.
• Evaluates and coordinates vendor contracts, contract renewals, and service agreements.
• Conducts cost-benefit analyses for new services, supplies, or equipment.
• Serves as liaison between departmental operations teams, including serving on various committees as assigned by the Director of Clinical Practice.
• Serves on the Risk Management Committee to identify, assess, and mitigate potential clinical and operational risks.
• Serves on the accreditation committee working group to write and review medical staff-related policies.
• Manages the protocols for screening patients, providing referrals to other disciplines, and delivering treatment to patients.
• Manages personnel issues, including interviewing, hiring, setting salaries, and administering annual performance evaluations. Develops annual budget. Monitors expense projections and provides decision-making for overall financial management and resource allocation. Develops and implements operational policies. Manages the training of staff members.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

Education:

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 7+ years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Certifications:

Registered Nurse (RN) - State of Illinois

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Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in Nursing or Master's degree.

Experience:

• Five years of nursing experience.
• Ambulatory or clinic experience is desirable.
• Two years in a formal/informal leadership role.

Certifications:

• Current Registered Nurse license in Illinois or ability to acquire an RN license in Illinois as a condition of employment.
• Current Healthcare Provider CPR certification.
• Specialty certification is desirable.

Technical Skills or Knowledge:

• Use Standard Office Equipment and knowledge of Microsoft suite.
• Condense complicated issues into simple summaries that can be understood by a variety of constituents.
• Develop and manage interpersonal relationships.
• Exercise absolute discretion regarding confidential matters.

Preferred Competencies

• Leadership skills.
• Teamwork and collaboration.
• Strong communication skills.
• Effective and appropriate application of medical knowledge.
• Professionalism.
• The ability to give directions.
• Handle sensitive matters with tact and discretion.
• Handle stressful situations with sound judgment.
• Give performance evaluations.
• Work with frequent interruptions.
• Work with people from diverse cultures and backgrounds.
• Active listening skills.
• Decision-making skills.
• Problem-solving skills.

Working Conditions

• Must be able to manage multiple tasks under time constraints, model strong service orientation, and promote team cooperation.
• Strong written and oral skills.
• Ability to work with a diverse population to provide exceptional customer service, all working within a departmental budget.
• Ability to sit or stand for 4 hours or more.
• Ability to use computers extensively for 4 hours or more.
• Work may involve assisting patients in transferring to and from chairs, wheelchairs, and exam tables. Current lifting procedures must be followed. 
• Duties performed require potential exposure to bloodborne pathogens.
• Occupational risk for exposure to infectious material and communicable diseases.
• Required annual TB control training and/or other health screenings.
• Scheduled work hours may change depending on clinic needs. While primarily open during regular business hours, some evening and weekend hours.
• Work may be performed in varied locations inside/outside of the clinical setting, including other campus locations.

Application Documents

• Resume (required)
• Cover Letter (preferred)
• List of Three Professional References (required)

Job Family

Healthcare & Medical Services

Role Impact

People Manager

Scheduled Weekly Hours

40

Drug Test Required

Yes

Health Screen Required

Yes

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required

No

Pay Rate Type

Salary

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FLSA Status

Exempt

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Pay Range

$130,000.00 - $140,000.00

The included pay rate or range represents the University’s good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting.

Benefits Eligible

Yes

The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook.

Posting Statement

The University of Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or expression, national or ethnic origin, shared ancestry, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

 

Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

 

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history.  A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment.  Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

 

The University of Chicago's Annual Security & Fire Safety Report (Report) provides information about University offices and programs that provide safety support, crime and fire statistics, emergency response and communications plans, and other policies and information. The Report can be accessed online at: http://securityreport.uchicago.edu. Paper copies of the Report are available, upon request, from the University of Chicago Police Department, 850 E. 61st Street, Chicago, IL 60637.