Director of Ambulatory Services

University of Missouri Health Care; Columbia Township (MO); On-site; USD 134,000 - 219,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, vision and dental insurance

Paid leave and 10 holidays

100% matching retirement up to 8%

Tuition assistance (75%))

Discounts on cell phone plans, rental,

Job summary

MU Health Care is seeking a Director of Ambulatory Services to lead the Department of Family & Community Medicine. You will oversee 11 clinic locations, 271 FTEs, and 230k+ annual visits, partnering with faculty, residents, and executives to advance access, quality, and financial performance.

The ideal candidate has extensive ambulatory operations leadership in an academic health system, with proven results in growth, workforce engagement, and service quality.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree preferred or equivalent experience.
• Seven years of progressively responsible leadership experience.
• Three years of ambulatory operations or healthcare administration experience.

Responsibilities

• Oversees daily ambulatory clinic operations, including scheduling, registration, billing, and front-end processes.
• Leads budgeting, expense control, and revenue optimization for clinic operations.
• Implements process improvements to enhance patient access and workflow efficiency.
• Collaborates with clinical leadership to align operations with patient care objectives.
• Develops and monitors KPIs to evaluate efficiency, staff productivity, and quality of service.
• Ensures compliance with MU Health Care policies, regulatory requirements, and payer guidelines.
• Leads space utilization planning and coordinates facility-related needs with facilities and planning.
• Supports change management related to technology adoption or workflow redesign.
• Coordinates implementation of systems and technology to support operational excellence and patient satisfaction.
• Provides guidance and development opportunities to managers and supervisors.
• Drives operational efficiency through planning, budgeting, and stakeholder engagement.
• Expertise in ambulatory clinic operations, including scheduling systems, revenue cycle, and patient access strategies.
• Utilizes data analytics and performance metrics to drive continuous improvement.

Education

Bachelor's degree in a related area

Master's degree in a related area or equivalent

Job description

ABOUT THE JOB

MU Health Care is seeking an accomplished Director of Ambulatory Services to provide strategic and operational leadership for the Department of Family & Community Medicine, one of the largest and most comprehensive primary care networks in the region. This leader will oversee operations across 11 clinic locations, approximately 271 FTEs, and more than 230,000 annual patient visits while partnering closely with physician leadership, faculty, residents, fellows, and health system stakeholders to advance access, quality, patient experience, and financial performance. As an integral leader within Missouri's premier academic health system, this role will help shape the future of primary care delivery while supporting the clinical, educational, and research missions of the University of Missouri School of Medicine.

Top candidates will bring proven ambulatory operations leadership experience within an academic health system or academic medical center environment. Experience outside an academic healthcare setting is unlikely to provide the breadth of exposure necessary for success in this role. Successful candidates will demonstrate a track record of leading large, multi-site ambulatory networks; partnering effectively with faculty physicians, clinical leaders, and executive stakeholders; and navigating the unique complexities of faculty practice operations, graduate medical education, and academic healthcare. The ideal candidate is a visible, relationship-driven leader with strong financial and operational acumen who has successfully improved access, patient experience, workforce engagement, and practice performance while leading organizations through growth, change, and increasing complexity. This is an exceptional opportunity for a proven academic ambulatory leader to influence the future of primary care delivery across a growing and highly respected academic health system.

Shift

Exempt Employee – Standard Day Shift

Work Arrangement

On Site – Columbia, Missouri

Department: Ambulatory Administration

Compensation

• Base Pay Range: $133,945.00 - $218,511.00 per year, based on experience

ABOUT MU HEALTH CARE

MU Health Care is proud to be named one of Forbes’ Best-in-State Employers seven years in a row, and that’s largely a result of the incredible culture and team we’ve built. At MU Health Care, we have an inspired, hard-working and collaborative environment driven by our mission to save and improve lives. Here, we believe anything is possible and rally around solutions. We celebrate innovation and offer opportunities to be a part of something bigger — to have a voice and role in the work that is serving our community and changing the field of medicine.

Our academic health system — the only in mid-Missouri — is home to seven hospitals, including the region’s only Level 1 Trauma Center and region’s only Children’s Hospital, as well as over 90 specialty clinics. Here you can define your career among our many clinical and nonclinical positions — with growth, opportunity and support every step of the way.

Learn more about MU Health Care.

Learn more about living in mid-Missouri.

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

• Health, vision and dental insurance coverage starting day one
• Generous paid leave and paid time off, including ten holidays
• Multiple retirement options, including 100% matching up to 8%and full vesting in three years
• Tuition assistance for employees (75%) and immediate family members (50%)
• Discounts on cell phone plans, rental cars, gyms, hotels and more
• See a comprehensive list of benefits here.

DETAILED JOB DESCRIPTION

• Oversees daily business operations of ambulatory clinics, including scheduling, registration, billing, and front-end processes to ensure efficient and effective workflows.
• Leads financial planning and management activities for clinic operations, including budgeting, expense control, and revenue optimization.
• Implements process improvement initiatives to enhance patient access, reduce wait times, and streamline administrative functions.
• Collaborates with clinic managers, medical leadership, and support departments to ensure alignment between operational activities and patient care objectives.
• Develops and monitors key performance indicators to evaluate operational efficiency, staff productivity, and service quality.
• Ensures compliance with MU Health Care policies, regulatory requirements, and payer guidelines across all administrative functions.
• Leads space utilization planning and coordinates facility-related needs in collaboration with facilities and planning departments.
• Supports change management initiatives related to technology adoption, new services, or workflow redesign.
• Coordinates the implementation of systems and technology that support operational excellence and patient satisfaction.
• Provides guidance and development opportunities to managers and supervisors, promoting a culture of accountability and high performance.
• Collaborates with Centralized Timekeeping and Scheduling to ensure accurate staff scheduling and alignment with operational needs.
• Utilizes UKG WFM to monitor employee attendance via the attendance tab, verify attendance-related occurrences requiring disciplinary action, and review departmental staffing reports to assess efficiency, policy adherence, and appropriate meal break usage.
• Reviews and approves late timecard and schedule edit requests submitted through AskHR. Address patterns of late submissions that may require corrective action.
• Leads a culture of safety through proactive risk mitigation and continuous quality improvement, taking measures to evaluate regulatory readiness routinely. Monitors and analyzes safety and performance metrics to identify trends and implement corrective actions for staff and/or patients as appropriate.
• Oversees the development, coordination, and maintenance of daily staffing schedules to ensure the appropriate level of coverage and continuity of care across units.
• Directs the implementation and oversight of MU Health Care time and attendance policies and practices.
• Progressive advancement in leadership roles and scope, showcasing competency and mastery of the field.
• Applies broad clinical and administrative knowledge to align departmental strategy with health system goals and patient outcomes.
• Leads managers and supervisors to foster accountability, develop talent, and ensure high performance across service areas.
• Drives operational efficiency through advanced planning, budgeting, and stakeholder engagement across internal and external initiatives.
• Expertise in ambulatory clinic business operations, including scheduling systems, revenue cycle processes, and patient access strategies.
• Utilizes data analytics and performance metrics to drive continuous improvement in service delivery, financial performance, and operational workflows.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in a related area. Master's degree in a related area or an equivalent combination of education and experience from which comparable knowledge, skills, and abilities can be acquired.
• Seven (7) years of progressively responsible leadership experience.
• Three (3) years of experience in ambulatory operations or healthcare administration.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Significant experience working in ambulatory operations in an academic health system.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met with or without reasonable accommodation. The performance of these physical demands is an essential function of the job. This position is very active and requires ambulating, reaching, and moving objects weighing up to and over 20 lbs.

This role also routinely comes into contact with patients who may have contagious illnesses. This position is in a health care facility open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Rotating shifts as well as holiday and work during inclement weather will be required.

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Equal Employment Opportunity

The University of Missouri is an Equal Opportunity Employer.