Assoc Director, Administration & Partnerships - 136331

The Moores Cancer Center (MCC) is one of just 57 NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers in the United States and the only one in San Diego County. As a consortium cancer center, it is a collaborative partnership between UC San Diego, encompassing 41 departments, 6 schools (Schools of Medicine, Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Public Health, Engineering, Biological Sciences and Physical Sciences); the UCSD Health Oncology Network; San Diego State University (SDSU), and the La Jolla Institute of Immunology (LJI)- all dedicated to fulfilling the Moores Cancer Center's mission of reducing cancer's burden in the San Diego community and beyond.

The Moores Comprehensive Cancer Center (MCC) at UCSD Health has embarked on a new trajectory to leverage its significant research and clinical strength embedded in an environment that values innovation and collaboration. We are re-envisioning how we prevent, detect, and treat cancer to improve the lives of cancer patients and the communities we serve. The MCC enjoys a strong commitment from UC San Diego executive leadership, attractive resources to accomplish its mission, including a beautiful, freestanding cancer center facility, a uniquely robust San Diego biotech environment, and highly synergistic consortium partnerships. New Cancer Center Director Diane Simeone, MD. (hired April 1, 2024), has appointed a dynamic new senior leadership team, resulting in an already dramatic trajectory of accomplishment, including the May 2025 submission of the NCI P30 Cancer Center Support Grant. The MCC seeks an Associate Director for Administration and Strategic Partnerships to fill a key leadership role as we launch the next era of impact.

The UC San Diego Moores Comprehensive Cancer Center (MCC) Associate Director for Administration and Strategic Partnerships (ADA) is the senior administrative executive who oversees all research activities across the MCC Consortium, including oversight of the CCSG grant, oversees strategic affiliations with drug development and industry partners, and partners with the MCC Cancer Center Director to envision, map out, and execute the MCC 2024-2029 strategic plan. This position also partners with the MCC Director and the other members of the MCC senior leadership team, as well as UC San Diego Health System (HS) and School of Medicine (SOM) leaders to advance the MCC to a position of academic and clinical eminence by fostering exceptional cancer research, patient care, education and training, community outreach and engagement. The ideal candidate is a creative and dynamic leader with the ability to inspire, collaborate, and work effectively in a complex academic health system. The ADA is responsible for strategic planning and evaluation, research administration, personnel management, budgeting, and financial operations, space and shared resources management, training and education, community outreach, and engagement.

Key Responsibilities

The ADA s responsible for financial and administrative leadership for large, or multiple, health sciences interdisciplinary/research departments or centers with clinical subdivisions. A deep understanding of the CCSG components and requirements is required. The position partners with other senior leaders to establish strategic plans and objectives. Makes decisions on operational matters and ensures achievement of clinical, educational, and research objectives. Reviews and approves recommendations for operational planning and control.

Strategic Planning

Partners with the MCC Director and senior leadership to execute, refine and evaluate the MCC 2024-2029 strategic plan.

Oversees activities of MCC consortium partners to maintain strategic alignment of MCC mission and vision and further optimize the many synergies of UCSD, SDSU and LJI.

Oversees current and facilitate new strategic affiliations with drug development and industry partners.

Partners with MCC Director to plan and support philanthropic, community outreach, government relations and public relations efforts.

Partners with the MCC Director and senior leaders and UC San Diego Health System (HS) and School of Medicine (SOM) leaders to advance the MCC to a position of national academic and clinical eminence by fostering exceptional cancer research, patient care, education and training, community outreach, and education.

Administration

Directs, plans and manages the comprehensive business affairs of the MCC, including human resources, operations, finance, budget, Clinical Trials Office, and overall administrative structure.

Manages and develops organizational structure, job roles and functions, recruitment, compensation, and employee development to ensure MCC is attracting and retaining the requisite talent to achieve organizational goals in a positive culture.

Partners with the MCC Director, Medical Director, Administrative Director of Oncology and Radiation Therapy Services, and other clinical administrator(s) to effectively integrate MCC research activities and resources with those of the MCC clinical enterprise.

Assumes a leadership role in articulating the IT priorities and strategic initiatives of the Cancer Center to advance both the administrative and scientific goals of MCC.

Oversees space allocation for research activities in the MCC freestanding facility.

Manages External Advisory Board visits, leadership and scientific retreats.

Fiscal Management

Responsible for financial oversight related to MCC including but not limited to CCSG, institutional, and philanthropic funds.

Oversees management of expenditures and financial projections and forecasting related to MCC academic activities.

Prepares budget reports for MCC Director and UCSD Health as needed.

Cancer Center Support Grant (CCSG)

Responsible for the oversight and management of the CCSG, which includes two basic research programs (Cancer Signaling and Biology, Structural and Functional Genomics), two clinical research programs (Hematologic Malignancies, Solid Tumor Therapeutics), a population sciences program focused on Cancer Control, a Clinical Trials Office, a Community Outreach and Engagement program, a Cancer Research Training and Education component, and eight Shared Resources.

Serves as the primary contact and liaison to the NCI Program Director and other NCI-designated cancer centers for CCSG related communications.

Manages the submission of annual CCSG progress reports, renewal applications, and end-of-cycle final reports.

Maintains, develops or implements new systems to track data for CCSG specific information such as Cancer Center membership, cancer-related grants, and member publications.

Oversees administration of Shared Resources ensuring value-added services and new cutting-edge technologies and resources to benefit members, and further cancer-focused research.

• A Masters degree in a related area (Health Services, Hospital or Business Administration, or a science-related field), plus eight years of relevant experience including CCSG leadership experience; or 12 years of combined relevant experience, education and training.
• Excellent interpersonal skills to lead, facilitate relationships, collaborate, persuade and influence. Ability to successfully model and foster a true sense of teamwork, as well as innovation through collaboration.
• Excellent leadership skills to oversee numerous programs through oversight of program directors and/or managers.
• Advanced skills in strategic planning and implementation of large strategic initiatives
• Advanced knowledge of financial analysis and reporting techniques, accounting principles, forecasting, budgeting, audit and internal control systems.
• Ability to inspire and build strong, collaborative relationships with colleagues, physician leaders and a staff in a complex, multi-site environment. Ability to interact with key stakeholders across the organization to identify and solve problems.
• Demonstrated excellence in analytical, organizational, problem solving, and decision-making skills.
• Highly advanced skills in systems planning and change management. Advanced negotiating skills.
• Highly advanced HR administration skills.
• Highly advanced project management skills
• Highly advanced ability to identify, develop, and prioritize objectives.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, and strong grant writing skills in particular.
• Ability to engage and motivate a diverse senior professional team and provide the necessary guidance, mentorship, and direction to achieve strategic goals and high employee engagement and productivity
• Demonstrated managerial and business acumen, with exceptional analytical skills. In particular, strong business and financial aptitude, with the experience and demonstrated understanding of complex pressures facing academic health systems and NCI-designated comprehensive cancer centers.
• Experience identifying, supporting and developing future leaders. Demonstrated ability to work well with people at all levels. Culturally sensitive and compassionate. Skill to creatively solve problems and resolve difficult situations.
• Ability to achieve consensus for change management/implementation of performance improvements and innovations to achieve optimal success in both the academic and research enterprise. Ability to manage through ambiguity to create effective solutions.
• Experience to drive operational excellence by contributing to innovation and through the creation and tracking of data metrics, built upon a foundation of broad- based collaboration and sustained through the facilitation of an effective governance model.
• Management experience in research administration in a multi-faceted research or clinical department/division in an academic environment, preferably in the field of cancer. Thorough knowledge of grants administration, management principles, business finance, strategy, change management and applicable laws/regulations.

• Five or more years of progressive leadership experience in cancer research administration.
• Leadership experience within a NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, including leadership in CCSG activities.

• Employment is subject to a criminal background check.
• Must be able to work various hours and locations based on business needs.