Associate Vice President, Oncology

West Ashley Cancer Center

2085 Henry Tecklenburg Drive
Charleston, SC 29414

Reports to: COO, Ambulatory and Post Acute Operations

# of Direct Reports: 3 Directors

# of Indirect Reports: ~250 FTEs

The Associate Vice President of Oncology provides executive leadership for systemwide oncology operations and serves as the administrative leader of the Oncology Integrated Practice Network (IPN), driving enterprise strategy, growth, operational alignment, and efficiency across the service line in a dyad partnership with the physician IPN leader.

The role oversees daily oncology operations with accountability for patient experience, teammate engagement, financial performance, and clinical outcomes. Operating within a matrixed leadership model, the AVP partners closely with senior system leaders, hospital Chief Nursing Officers, and the executive dyad of the Chief Clinical Officer and COO/CNO to deliver results aligned with organizational strategy. Responsibilities include planning, deploying, and optimizing clinical, financial, and human resources in collaboration with physicians, clinical leaders, and operational teams.

The AVP maintains direct accountability for comprehensive cancer center operations, including radiation oncology, medical oncology and infusion services, oncology clinics, cancer registry oversight, Commission on Cancer (CoC) accreditation and continuous readiness, survivorship governance, cancer genetics, navigation, psychosocial oncology, and coordination with palliative care and other system-level support services. The role ensures consistent compliance with accreditation standards, regulatory requirements, and performance metrics across all oncology sites while establishing and executing operational goals that advance quality, access, growth, care coordination and long-term sustainability.

Essential Job Functions

• Provides executive oversight of oncology service line operations, strategic development, and growth initiatives, partnering with physician and operational leaders to lead and represent the Oncology Integrated Practice Network (IPN).

• In collaboration with oncology physicians and key stakeholders, leads systemwide oncology strategic planning across the IPN and all cancer service sites, with a focus on building and advancing a comprehensive, integrated cancer program.

  • Develops annual oncology service line and site-level business plans with measurable, time-bound goals aligned with organizational strategy and designed to support programmatic depth, clinical integration, and differentiation through accreditation and quality performance.

  • Oversees oncology capital and operating budgets; anticipates long-range capital needs related to cancer program growth, technology, access, and accreditation readiness.

  • Recommends oncology-specific space, staffing, and resource allocations to support comprehensive cancer services and accreditation standards. Identifies opportunities to expand oncology market share, access to care, and service line breadth.

  • Conducts oncology service line and site audits to assess performance, identify risks and drivers of underperformance, and implement turnaround strategies, ensuring effective stewardship of oncology clinical, operational, and financial resources.

  • Cascades strategic and accreditation-driven goals across oncology operations to achieve enterprise objectives and sustained program differentiation.

• Anticipates and plans for regulatory and accreditation changes impacting oncology IPN and hospital-owned outpatient oncology sites, ensuring compliance with all applicable oncology-specific regulatory, accreditation, and quality standards.

  • Maintains oversight of cancer center operations, hospital-based oncology clinics, radiation oncology, infusion services, and oncology-related 340B programs.

  • While operational, pharmacy, compliance, and finance teams support execution, strategic and operational accountability for oncology compliance and readiness resides with this role.

• Monitors oncology patient experience and outcomes across the cancer continuum, driving improvements in access, coordination, communication, and patient-centered care.

  • Partners with oncology leaders to align operations with board goals, national benchmarks, and publicly reported quality measures.

  • Supports oncology accreditation readiness and advances standardized clinical pathways and care models to improve outcomes, quality, and consistency of care delivery.

• Partners with oncology leaders to improve operational efficiency and financial performance across oncology services by assessing trends, volumes, and projections.

  • Ensures oncology departments operate within budget targets and drives accountability for variances.

  • Supports managers in establishing controls for oncology supplies, equipment, and high-cost therapies

  • Develops guidelines to manage physician preference items

  • Ensures appropriate oncology service pricing, optimized reimbursement, and accurate capture of oncology services and charges.

• Maintains ongoing communication with hospital and system leaders regarding oncology operational performance, benchmarking results, and improvement initiatives.

  • Fosters strong teammate engagement across oncology operations through timely performance feedback, transparent communication regarding operational changes, and active solicitation of feedback.

  • Implements strategies to develop oncology leaders and teams while sustaining high levels of teammate engagement.

• Performs other oncology-related duties and responsibilities as required to support cancer program performance, growth, and strategic priorities.

Required Qualifications

• Educational Requirements: Master’s degree in business administration, public health, nursing, health administration or related fields. 

• Work Experience: Ten (10+) years of comprehensive hospital operations experience (preferably clinical and non-clinical operations experience) in a medium or large healthcare system with at least five to seven (5-7) years in hospital and/or oncology management is required.

• Experience with clinical trial management and oversight is preferred.

Required Skills

• Ability to identify problems and recommend solutions

• Analyze data (clinical, financial, and marketing), identify trends, and apply data to decision-making processes.

• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively, both verbally and in writing

• Actively participate and contribute at all levels of the organization, when necessary.

• At a minimum, possesses a working understanding of the clinical care of specialized services within the service lines.

• Fluent in system-wide PC applications Excel, Word and PowerPoint. 

• Working knowledge of clinical systems, where applicable.

• Leadership competencies include daily operations management, managing physician and teammate relationships

• Strategic planning, financial planning, and analysis.

• Reimbursement and contract negotiations

• Construction planning

• Problem solving

• Quality metrics/outcomes

• Lean Six Sigma/High Reliability

• Just Culture

• Performance improvement

• Human resource development and planning