Description
The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Utah Health Sciences Center is seeking a board-certified Academic Specialist in Obstetrics and Gynecology to serve as Division Director.
The ideal Division Director candidate will be an experienced, active clinician-scientist with strong leadership qualities, communication, and team-building skills. In this complex matrix model, the Division Director will have proven clinical skills, an outstanding teaching record, mentoring experience, and an established track record of NIH or other extramural research funding. The minimum academic rank required is Associate Professor. Documentation of effective leadership and communication skills from multiple sources will be expected in the application process.
The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Utah is an internationally recognized academic center in women’s health and child development. The Department is routinely ranked among the top 15 OB/GYN departments for research in the US. The department currently holds 2 endowed chairs and is staffed by 48 clinicians/researchers, 55 midwives, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants, and trains 31 residents and four accredited fellowships with 12 fellows. We are extremely proud of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Research Network (OGRN), a research infrastructure that provides comprehensive administrative services and research staffing across multiple hospital and clinician offices. The OGRN facilitates clinical research in our specialty and merits substantial NIH and other extramural funding.
The University of Utah Health system has been consistently recognized for excellence in patient care and quality. In September 2025, it was honored as a top performer in the Bernard A. Birnbaum, MD, Quality Leadership Study by Vizient, Inc., marking its 16th consecutive year of such recognition. Additionally, University of Utah Health ranked fourth nationally in Vizient’s Ambulatory Care Quality and Accountability Awards, maintaining a top-ten position for eleven consecutive years. U.S. News & World Report’s 2025-2026 Best Hospitals Rankings placed University of Utah Hospital as the number one hospital in Utah for the 12th consecutive year. Furthermore, the John A. Moran Eye Center secured the 9th spot nationally for ophthalmology care, and the Craig H. Neilsen Rehabilitation Hospital ranked 34th for rehabilitation care. In Newsweek’s World’s Best Hospitals 2024 rankings, University of Utah Hospital was ranked 34th in the United States. These accolades underscore the institution’s unwavering commitment to delivering high-quality patient care and maintaining a culture of excellence.
The Utah OB/GYN Academic Specialist Division currently consists of 25 OB/GYNs, including minimally invasive gynecologic surgeons. The Department also offers a Women’s Global Health two-year fellowship that is typically occupied by an OB/GYN specialist and currently has a funded K12 Scholar. Our state-of-the-art facilities in Salt Lake City, Utah, include a main hospital campus with inpatient and outpatient operating rooms and multiple community clinics across the Salt Lake Valley. The Division Director will be a key leader in the ongoing development of patient-centered care, with anticipated growth into the community setting, with the ongoing building of a new outpatient and inpatient facility in West Valley, and further anticipated growth with a new hospital planned in Draper, UT.
The Director of the Academic Specialist Division of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Utah will provide leadership, oversight, and direction to the faculty, staff, and trainees in clinical care, education, and research. The Division Director is expected to have an emphasis on clinical and/or foundational research and work in a highly collaborative manner with all clinical, educational, and research leaders. Working with the Chair, the Division Director will focus on improving, developing, and implementing quality monitoring of clinical services. The Division Director will have fiscal and budgetary responsibility for the Division and will plan annually with the Department Chair and the executive committee to determine quality, productivity, expense, and margin targets. This position will offer a high degree of autonomy, as well as ample opportunities for collaboration and challenges.
Requirements
Principle Duties and Responsibilities
1. The Division Director will manage the administrative, clinical, teaching, research, and service activities of the Division, including personnel, operations, and finances.
2. Develop short, intermediate and long-term goals with implementation plans designed to position the department and division as a national leader in clinical care, education, and research.
3. The Division Director will be a key leader in the development of a patient-centered care initiative that will encompass all aspects of OB/GYN care.
4. Recruit, energize, and retain existing high-caliber faculty, staff, and trainees into the current healthcare paradigm.
5. Demonstrate commitment to fiscally sound management and prudent allocation of available resources.
The Director will develop and monitor appropriate deliverables and accountabilities for the faculty, staff, and trainees.
6. Develop entrepreneurial and extramural funding opportunities for the Division.
7. Identify and promote initiatives, programs, and specialized services that will distinguish the Specialist Division as well as specialized services that attract physician and patient self-referrals.
8. Supervise all OB/GYN Specialist Clinics.
9. Strengthen educational programs and mentoring for trainees.
10. Participate in medical student clerkship instruction, resident and fellow supervision and instruction, and journal clubs.
11. Expand the actively funded research programs within the division with the goal of increasing extramural research funding.
12. Oversee the conduct of NIH and industry-sponsored clinical studies related to OB/GYN.
13. Develop and implement mentoring and career development processes, including research projects, for all new hires as well as for current faculty.
14. Develop positive working relationships with the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology faculty, administrative leadership, other Division Directors and Vice Chairs, as well as with the leadership of satellite clinical sites, hospital partners and the University of Utah Medical Group (UUMG).
15. Promote the Division of Academic Specialists as a national leader in clinical care, research and continuing medical education.
16. Attend Divisional Faculty Meetings, Divisional Patient Care Advisory Meetings, Departmental weekly staff meetings, Departmental Executive Committee meetings, M&M conferences, and Grand Rounds.
17. Serve as the point of contact for Public Relations on issues related to OB/GYN.
Required Skills and Abilities
1. Excellent written and verbal communication skills Engaging leadership style
2. Deep commitment to the trifold mission of clinical care, research, and education
3. Financial competencies in planning, budgeting, control, and organization,
4. Ability to operationalize a comprehensive mission and vision plan
Minimum Level of Preparation and Training
1. MD or DO from an accredited institution
2. Board certification in Obstetrics & Gynecology
3. Associate or Professor level
4. Documented evidence of administrative leadership skills
Reporting Relationship
1. Chair/Co-Chairs, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Effort Distribution
1. 20% Administrative
2. 80% Research and Clinical Activities
The University of Utah values candidates who have experience working with students and a strong commitment to improving access to higher education.
The University of Utah Health is a patient-focused center distinguished by collaboration, excellence, leadership, and respect. The University of Utah values candidates who are committed to fostering and furthering the culture of compassion, collaboration, innovation, accountability, acceptance, integrity, quality, and trust that is integral to our mission.
