Description
The David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA seeks a highly accomplished academic administrative leader to serve as Executive Director of Academic Department Administration within the Dean’s Office. Reporting directly to the Senior Associate Dean for Finance and Administration and Chief Financial Officer, this executive will play a central leadership role in advancing administrative excellence, financial stewardship, and enterprise alignment across the School of Medicine.
This position is designed for a senior leader from a peer academic health system or research-intensive university who brings deep experience in academic finance, departmental administration, and complex organizational operations. The Executive Director will partner closely with department chairs, chief administrative officers, finance leaders, and campus stakeholders to strengthen administrative infrastructure, enhance operational performance, and support the long-term vitality of the School’s academic, research, and clinical missions.
Operating with broad autonomy under general direction, the Executive Director will translate institutional priorities into coordinated, sustainable operational strategies across the School’s academic departments and research units.
About the David Geffen School of Medicine
The David Geffen School of Medicine (DGSOM) is one of the nation’s leading academic medical institutions, comprised of:
- 24 academic departments
- 5 organized research units
- 5 interdisciplinary research centers
- Approximately 4,800 faculty
- 2,500 students, trainees, and fellows
- 7,500 staff and non-faculty academics
The School manages approximately:
- $3.8 billion in annual revenue
- $1.8 billion in expendable net assets
- $2 billion in endowment and quasi-endowment assets
Within this large, decentralized, and mission-driven environment, the Dean’s Office provides strategic oversight and enterprise coordination to ensure consistency, accountability, and operational excellence.
Position Scope and Impact
The Executive Director serves as a senior advisor within the Dean’s Office and provides strategic leadership across academic department administration. The role directly oversees a team of 13 administrative professionals and leads a broader network of senior departmental administrators and chief administrative officers.
This executive will:
- Guide enterprise administrative priorities across academic departments.
- Strengthen consistency and alignment in financial and operational practices.
- Advance scalable models that support growth, compliance, and long-term sustainability.
- Partner with the DGSOM Controller and Executive Director of Finance to enhance financial planning and operational performance frameworks.
- Foster an environment of accountability, transparency, and service excellence.
The Executive Director will play a pivotal role in evolving administrative models to meet the increasing complexity of modern academic medicine, ensuring that infrastructure keeps pace with strategic ambition.
Key Responsibilities
Enterprise Administrative Leadership
- Serve as a strategic partner to the Senior Associate Dean on matters of academic department administration.
- Develop and implement coordinated operational strategies aligned with the School’s long-term goals.
- Provide leadership and direction to senior departmental administrators to promote best practices and shared standards.
- Advance alignment across departments while respecting local operational needs within a federated environment.
Academic Finance and Operational Optimization
- Collaborate with finance leadership to strengthen business planning, resource allocation, and financial modeling for academic departments.
- Promote disciplined financial management and sustainable operating models.
- Identify opportunities to enhance efficiency, effectiveness, and service delivery across administrative functions.
- Establish performance metrics and dashboards that support data-informed decision-making.
Organizational Effectiveness and Change Leadership
- Lead complex, enterprise-wide initiatives that modernize administrative structures and processes.
- Cultivate a culture of adaptability, continuous improvement, and professional development.
- Engage faculty and administrative leaders to build shared ownership of operational evolution and performance outcomes.
Stakeholder Engagement
- Partner closely with department chairs, vice chairs, chief administrative officers, and UCLA Health and campus leaders.
- Serve as a trusted advisor capable of navigating diverse perspectives and aligning stakeholders toward common objectives.
- Strengthen communication channels between the Dean’s Office and academic departments.
Qualifications
Education
Master’s degree required, preferably in business administration, health administration, public administration, or a related field.
Experience
- Minimum of ten years of progressively responsible leadership experience in academic finance and administration.
- Significant senior-level experience within a large, research-intensive school of medicine, academic health system, or complex university environment.
- Demonstrated success leading multi-department or enterprise administrative initiatives.
- Experience operating effectively within decentralized or matrixed governance models.
Knowledge, Skills, and Leadership Attributes
- Deep understanding of the financial, research, clinical, and educational dimensions of academic medicine.
- Proven ability to drive alignment across departments while honoring academic culture and faculty governance.
- Strong executive presence with the ability to influence at the chair, dean, and health system leadership levels.
- Demonstrated expertise in academic budgeting, funds flow models, and complex revenue structures.
- Experience building high-performing administrative teams and developing future leaders.
- Analytical rigor combined with pragmatic decision-making.
- Commitment to transparency, integrity, and service excellence.
