The Opportunity

In August 2023, The University of Texas System announced the creation of the $2.5B University of Texas at Austin Medical Center, the first academic medical center in Austin, which will include an MD Anderson owned and operated cancer hospital as well as a UT Austin Hospital which will be fully staffed by the faculty medical group of UT Austin Dell Medical School. The proposed project timeline includes groundbreaking by 2026 and opening the facility for patient care by 2030.

The announcement in August 2023 about the planned UT Austin Medical Center marks a major, multibillion-dollar investment by the UT System, MD Anderson, philanthropic donors, and others to advance UT Austin’s bold plan to lead in health and health care transformation — an important step in realizing its vision to be the world’s highest-impact public research university. To achieve this vision, the inaugural role of Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) for UT Austin Medical Center has been created to support the needs of the existing Dell Medical School as well as its evolution into a leading academic medical center.

The Organization

The University of Texas?at Austin?is a highly rated public research university and the flagship institution of the University of Texas System with more than 51,000 students. Named after the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, which pledged $50 million over ten years to the school, the?University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School opened to the inaugural class of 50 students in the summer of 2016 as the newest of 18 colleges and schools on the UT Austin campus. 

UT Health Austin, Dell Medical School’s outpatient clinical practice, currently consists of approximately 330 subspecialists, with plans in motion to recruit specialty physicians in alignment with the clinical specialties and service lines anticipated within the new hospital and ambulatory care settings; initial plans estimate doubling the faculty medical group in a phased approach over the next five years.

The Position

This is an exciting time for a bold, future-forward, visionary HR executive leader with a track record of successfully innovating within dynamic and complex organizations to join UT Austin Dell Medical School. Reporting directly to Dr. Claudia Lucchinetti, Senior Vice President of Medical Affairs and Dean, Dell Medical School, the CHRO will be a critical and visible member of the leadership team, interfacing regularly with other top leaders, both on the Medical Center campus as well as the UT Austin campus.

The incoming CHRO will have a truly unique, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to build an agile HR organization, not only shaping the future of how HR operates and supports UT Medicine but also make a lasting, transformational impact on the care delivered to patients in central Texas. In the era of rapid workforce evolution, this leader will help reimagine the healthcare workforce structure, roles, and incentives at Dell Medical School by leveraging flexible staffing models, investing in continuous upskilling and cross-functional teams. Supporting an existing workforce of over 1,600 employed faculty and staff, the CHRO will oversee rapid transformation and expansion efforts which will more than triple their employed workforce over the next five years, with an anticipated several thousand employees onboarding in the months prior to hospital opening. Developing successful pipeline programs which work in coordination with strong onboarding and training programs will be critical to enable success of the recruitment timeline.

As the leader of the Human Resources function, the CHRO will also develop and guide a strategy that prioritizes well-being and retention through better designed workflows and team-based models. The CHRO will also play a central role in developing a resilient workforce supported by restorative spaces, interdisciplinary collaboration, and technology.

The Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate should possess 15+ years of HR experience within large, multi-faceted, decentralized and complex organizations, ideally from within academic health systems. Reasonable domain expertise across all critical HR functions, ability to rapidly grow teams, tolerance for ambiguity or incertitude, and enjoyment working in fast-paced environments will be paramount for success.

The City of Austin

The greater Austin region has seen significant population growth, rising from 1.8 million in 2017 to 2.2 million in 2023, with projections of over 2.4 million by 2030. Currently, 25% of patients seek complex care outside the region. Dell Medical School and UT Health Austin aim to meet these needs locally by providing high-quality, accessible specialty care and transforming healthcare delivery models.

Austin, the state capital of Texas, is known for its open-minded, friendly, and innovative culture. It attracts talented individuals globally due to its high quality of life, abundant resources, lively entertainment, and active lifestyle. The city is recognized as a national creative center with a strong entrepreneurial spirit and a commitment to personal freedom and discovery.

Nominations, including self-nominations, are greatly appreciated. Please submit a current CV to the contact below. To request the full position overview, please contact:

Beth Ross

AMN Healthcare | Executive Search – Physician and Leadership Solutions

beth.ross@amnhealthcare.com

At AMN Healthcare, we strive to be recognized as the most trusted, innovative, and influential force in helping healthcare organizations provide quality patient care that continually evolves to make healthcare more human, more effective, and more achievable.