Chief Business Officer, Business Operations

Vanderbilt Health; Nashville (TN); On-site; USD 300,000 - 450,000; Full time

Job summary

Vanderbilt Health, based in Nashville, is conducting a national search for a Chief Business Officer in the Office of the COO - Business Operations. The CBO will translate strategy into operational execution across finance, workforce planning, procurement, governance, and performance improvement.

Reporting to department heads and collaborating with leaders across eight departments, the role emphasizes financial stewardship, data-driven decision making, and a culture of collaboration and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required and seven years of strategic management experience including budgets, financial reports and cross‑department collaboration.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, administrative leadership experience, strong interpersonal skills, and high‑level problem‑solving abilities required.

Responsibilities

• Lead leadership, strategy and governance for multiple departments.
• Oversee operating and capital budgets; provide financial analysis and reporting.
• Manage workforce planning, personnel governance, and HR collaboration.
• Drive operational excellence, data governance and process improvements.
• Oversee procurement, contracts and vendor management with compliance.

Skills

Leadership

Communication skills

Problem solving

Interpersonal skills

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Discover Vanderbilt Health: With eight hospitals and over 180 clinics, we are the region's largest comprehensive academic health system. Vanderbilt Health has a long tradition of providing world-class care to the people of the Mid-South, living out our mission of moving medicine forward through preeminent programs in patient care, education and research. Here you'll find a spirit of collaboration and a supportive community where your expertise is valued, your knowledge expanded and your uniqueness celebrated. We are committed to fostering an environment where talented, compassionate people are united in bringing the most advanced care to our neighbors throughout the region.

Organization: Office of COO-Business Operations

Job Summary: Vanderbilt Health - Executive Search Team is conducting a national search for a Chief Business Officer, Business Operations, Office of the COO (Chief Operating Officer).

Overview of the Business Operations, Office of the COO:

Business Operations serves as the shared services engine of the Office of the COO, enabling departments to focus on their core missions while strengthening the business processes that support them. Through centralized expertise, the team helps ensure that operations are financially sound, efficient, compliant, scalable, and aligned with organizational strategy.

Business Operations supports a diverse portfolio of departments reporting to the Office of the COO and the Office of the Chief Digital Information Officer. Through a centralized shared services model, the department provides financial, workforce, procurement, asset management, governance, and operational support that enables these organizations to focus on their core missions while benefiting from standardized processes, stronger controls, improved compliance, and data-driven decision support.

The Chief Business Officers (CBOs) of Business Operations work in close partnership with their department heads, who are at the Vice President and higher level (currently across eight departments). As a member of Business Operations, the CBO will work at the intersection of strategy and execution, partnering with leaders to drive operational excellence, strengthen financial stewardship, optimize workforce and resource management, and support informed decision‑making.

The CBO serves as a member of their department heads' leadership teams and is accountable for translating institutional strategy into operational execution.

This role exercises delegated authority on behalf of the department heads for designated operational, financial, and administrative decisions and serves as the primary escalation point for business matters.

The CBO will have responsibility in the following domains:

Leadership, Strategy, and Governance

• Partner with leaders to develop and execute business strategies
• Build strong relationships with internal stakeholders and external partners
• Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement
• Monitor business risks and develop mitigation strategies

Finance

• Work strategically with leaders on operating and capital budget development
• Provide financial analysis, forecasting, and variance reporting
• Provide timely financial insight and recommendations to support decision‑making
• Ensure compliance with organizational financial policies and procedures
• Oversee departmental fiscal and administrative matters

Personnel Management, Workforce Planning, and Organizational Culture

• Foster an organizational culture that provides a safe, inclusive, satisfying, and enriching environment for employees
• Provide sound guidance on personnel, payroll, and performance matters
• Perform workforce planning assessments aligned with strategic priorities
• Partner with Human Resources

Operational Excellence

• Lead continuous improvement initiatives to enhance operational efficiency, service quality, and stakeholder experience
• Promote and facilitate data‑informed decision‑making
• Ensure appropriate data governance, system access controls, and information security practices for operations

Procurement, Contracts & Vendor Management

• Oversee purchasing and payment workflows
• Coordinate vendor relationships and contract administration activities
• Support statements of work (SOW) development, review, routing, and monitoring
• Ensure procurement activities align with organizational sourcing and compliance requirements

Minimum Qualifications: This position requires a Bachelors' degree and a minimum of seven years demonstrated strategic management experience including budgets, financial reports and the ability to navigate and interface with multiple departments in the organization. Must have excellent written and oral communication skills, demonstrated administrative leadership experience, strong interpersonal skills, and high-level problem‑solving skills.

Preferred experience and skills:

• Administrative leadership experience in an Academic Medical Center is preferred.

Our professional administrative functions include critical supporting roles in information technology and informatics, finance, administration, legal and community affairs, human resources, communications and marketing, development, facilities, and many more.

At our growing health system, we support each other and encourage excellence among all who are part of our workforce. High‑achieving employees stay at Vanderbilt Health for professional growth, appreciation of benefits, and a sense of community and purpose.

Core Accountabilities:

• Organizational Impact: Implements strategies for a sub function with direct impact to the function results.
• Problem Solving/ Complexity of work: Resolves highly complex business issues that are often unprecedented that have immediate impact on own sub‑function or entity and wider implications to the organization.
• Breadth of Knowledge: Applies expertise within professional/technical area and uses advanced business knowledge to develop objectives.
• Team Interaction: Leads a sub‑function serving the organization at large or across one or more entity(s).

Supporting Colleagues:

• - Develops Self and Others: Acts upon constructive feedback from all levels of the organization and initiates strategies to develop talent in others.
• - Builds and Maintains Relationships: Leverages relationships and insight to forecast potential future needs and influence delivery of work to exceed expectations.
• - Communicates Effectively: Anticipates difference audience concerns, styles and finds mutually beneficial solutions across conflicting and sensitive issues.

Delivering Excellent Services:

• - Serves Others with Compassion: Demonstrates in-depth knowledge of broad‑based issues and considers the interests of others to improve satisfaction of services.
• - Solves Complex Problems: Critically evaluates complex information and identifies trends/risks to make recommendations to improve processes across areas.
• - Offers Meaningful Advice and Support: Provides ongoing feedback and development discussions to motivate and support team members to maximize performance.

Ensuring High Quality:

• - Performs Excellent Work: Anticipates problems or obstacles which may interfere with quality standards and develops plants to ensure area's quality standards are met.
• - Ensures Continuous Improvement: Routinely draws upon valuable learning from others, past experiences, and new information to determine key opportunities.
• - Fulfills Safety and Regulatory Requirements: Develops appropriate corrective actions for unsafe environments in order to ensure operational and safety compliance.

Managing Resources Effectively:

• - Demonstrates Accountability: Identifies potential obstacles to goal achievement and develops solutions to address those obstacles.
• - Stewards Organizational Resources: Creates the appropriate systems and processes to effectively manage resources.
• - Makes Data Driven Decisions: Applies in‑depth knowledge of data to recommend and implement new approaches to improve decision‑making capabilities.

Fostering Innovation:

• - Generates New Ideas: Identifies opportunities and leads development of new initiatives that create value across areas.
• - Applies Technology: Creates the energy and drive for self/others to identify and leverage technology in new, innovative ways to drive greater efficiencies.
• - Adapts to Change: Anticipates the change process and clearly communicates impact on others/own team(s), assisting them in embracing the change.

Work Experience:

Relevant Work Experience

Experience Level:

7 years

Education:

Bachelor's

This role offers the opportunity to make a meaningful impact within Vanderbilt Health, supported by a comprehensive benefits package which may include health, disability, retirement and/or wellness offerings to enhance your well-being and professional growth.

Vanderbilt Health is committed to fostering an environment where everyone has the chance to thrive and is committed to the principles of equal opportunity. EOE/Vets/Disabled.