Dept Admin/Ophthalmology/UKHC

UK HealthCare; Kentucky; On-site; USD 95,000 - 186,000; Full time

Job summary

UK HealthCare's Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences Department seeks a strategic, collaborative Department Administrator. Reporting to the Department Chair, this role oversees finances, operations, HR, faculty affairs, facilities, and long-range planning in a complex academic medical setting.

You will partner with faculty and leadership to advance clinical, educational, and research missions while ensuring fiscal stewardship, regulatory compliance, and operational excellence.

Qualifications

• BA required.
• 8 years of related experience required.
• Progressive leadership experience in academic medicine, healthcare administration, or a similarly complex organization.

Responsibilities

• Direct the department’s financial and business operations, including budgeting, forecasting, financial reporting, and resource allocation.
• Monitor financial performance and operational metrics to support departmental goals and long-range planning.
• Ensure compliance with University, College of Medicine, UK HealthCare, and regulatory requirements.
• Partner with the Department Chair and leadership team to develop and implement strategic priorities.
• Identify opportunities to improve operations, enhance efficiency, and support departmental growth.
• Lead special initiatives and provide recommendations related to organizational structure, staffing, and resource management.
• Provide leadership and oversight for faculty and staff affairs.
• Support workforce planning, recruitment, onboarding, employee relations, performance management, and professional development activities.
• Coordinate faculty recruitment, appointment, promotion, and retention processes.
• Oversee facilities, space planning, equipment management, and administrative support functions.
• Support the department’s educational, research, and clinical activities through effective operational management.

Skills

Financial management

Analytical skills

Strategic thinking

Leadership

Relationship building

Microsoft Office

Epic

Tableau

Axiom

Education

BA

Tools

Epic

Tableau

Axiom

Job description

Posting Details

Job Title

Dept Admin/Ophthalmology/UKHC

Requisition Number

RE55423

Working Title

Ophthalmology Department Administrator

Department Name

MG360: Ophth & Visual Science

Work Location

Lexingon, KY

Grade Level

15

Salary Range

$95,056-185,848/year

Type of Position

Staff

Position Time Status

Full-Time

Required Education

BA

Required Related Experience

8 yrs

Required License/Registration/Certification

None

Physical Requirements

Ability to work in a sedentary position utilizing keyboard, mouse, computer and telephone. Ability to travel across campus for meetings.

Shift

Monday – Friday, 8am to 5pm with occasional early or late meetings as needed

Job Summary

The University of Kentucky College of Medicine seeks a strategic and collaborative leader to serve as Department Administrator for the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences. Reporting directly to the Department Chair, the Department Administrator serves as the department’s senior administrative leader and provides leadership for financial management, operations, human resources, faculty affairs, facilities, and strategic planning.

As a key member of the department’s leadership team, the Department Administrator partners with faculty, staff, and institutional leaders to advance the department’s clinical, educational, research, and outreach missions while ensuring sound fiscal stewardship, operational excellence, and regulatory compliance.

Position Overview

The Department Administrator is responsible for the overall administration of a complex academic department and serves as a principal advisor to the Department Chair. This position provides leadership and oversight for departmental finances, operations, human resources, faculty affairs, facilities, and business planning activities, while supporting the department’s strategic priorities and long-term growth.

Primary Responsibilities

Financial Leadership & Business Operations

• Direct the department’s financial and business operations, including budgeting, forecasting, financial reporting, and resource allocation.
• Monitor financial performance and operational metrics to support departmental goals and long-range planning.
• Ensure compliance with University, College of Medicine, UK HealthCare, and regulatory requirements.

Strategic Planning & Administration

• Partner with the Department Chair and leadership team to develop and implement strategic priorities.
• Identify opportunities to improve operations, enhance efficiency, and support departmental growth.
• Lead special initiatives and provide recommendations related to organizational structure, staffing, and resource management.

Human Resources & Faculty Affairs

• Provide leadership and oversight for faculty and staff affairs.
• Support workforce planning, recruitment, onboarding, employee relations, performance management, and professional development activities.
• Coordinate faculty recruitment, appointment, promotion, and retention processes.

Operations & Facilities Management

• Oversee facilities, space planning, equipment management, and administrative support functions.
• Support the department’s educational, research, and clinical activities through effective operational management.
• Foster a collaborative, service-oriented culture focused on continuous improvement.

About The Department

The Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine is a rapidly growing academic department dedicated to improving eye health through excellence in patient care, education, research, and community outreach. The department includes 38 faculty members representing all major ophthalmology subspecialties and supporting broad clinical, educational, and research missions across the Commonwealth.

Since 2017, the department has experienced significant growth, including a 74% increase in faculty, 71% growth in patient visits, and a 93% increase in clinical productivity (wRVUs)

The department maintains a substantial statewide clinical and outreach presence. During FY26, faculty and providers delivered care more than 103,000 patient encounters through UK Shriners Children’s Ophthalmology services, seven community clinic locations, and twelve outreach locations across Kentucky. In addition, the department performed nearly 4,700 surgical cases across eight operating room locations.

The department’s educational programs include an ACGME -accredited ophthalmology residency program, multiple fellowship programs, and an optometry residency. Faculty and trainees also contribute to research, community outreach, telemedicine initiatives, and global ophthalmology programs that expand access to vision care in Kentucky and beyond.

As a key member of the department’s leadership team, the Department Administrator will partner closely with the Department Chair and faculty leaders to support continued growth, strengthen operations, and advance the department’s strategic priorities.

Skills / Knowledge / Abilities

The successful candidate will possess strong financial and analytical skills, strategic thinking, organizational leadership, and the ability to build collaborative relationships across diverse constituencies. Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications is required. Experience with Epic, Tableau, Axiom, or similar healthcare and financial reporting systems is preferred.

Does this position have supervisory responsibilities?

Yes

Preferred Education/Experience

Preference will be given to candidates with:

• Progressive leadership experience in academic medicine, healthcare administration, higher education administration, or a similarly complex organization.
• Experience supporting an academic clinical department, faculty practice, health system, or healthcare enterprise.
• Demonstrated success in financial management, strategic planning, operational oversight, and organizational leadership.
• Experience leading administrative teams and managing human resources functions.
• Knowledge of faculty affairs, graduate medical education, and research administration.
• Demonstrated ability to build effective relationships with physicians, faculty leaders, administrators, and other stakeholders.
• A master’s degree in business administration, healthcare administration, public administration, higher education administration, or a related field.

Deadline to Apply

09/01/2026

Our University Community

We value the well-being of each of our employees and are dedicated to creating a healthy place for everyone to work, learn and live. In the interest of maintaining a safe and healthy environment for our students, employees, patients and visitors, the University of Kentucky is a Tobacco & Drug Free campus.

The University follows both the federal and state Constitutions as well as all applicable federal and state laws on nondiscrimination. The University provides equal opportunities for qualified persons in all aspects of institutional operations and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnic origin, religion, creed, age, physical or mental disability, veteran status, uniformed service, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information or social or economic status.

Any candidate offered a position may be required to pass pre-employment screenings as mandated by University of Kentucky Human Resources. These screenings may include a national background check and/or drug screen.