Vice President, Business Operations & Strategy - Healthcare (Food & Environmental Services)

Job Description

The Vice President of Business Operations & Strategy is a senior system-level leader responsible for the strategic direction, financial stewardship, operational excellence, and performance oversight of Food & Nutrition Services (FNS) and Environmental Services (EVS) across a multi-hospital health system, affiliated specialty centers, and a network of outlying clinics.  This position will also function in a hands-on role individually managing both local and remote locations.

This executive ensures consistent quality, patient experience, regulatory compliance, and cost-effective operations. The VP leads systemwide transformation initiatives to optimize service delivery, enhance financial performance, and modernize operations across all facilities.

Job Responsibilities

Systemwide Strategic Leadership

1. Develop and execute a multi-year strategic plan for FNS and EVS aligned with financial, operational, and growth objectives of the health system.
2. Standardize service delivery, performance frameworks, and cost models across hospitals, specialty centers, and outpatient clinics.
3. Evaluate market trends and emerging technologies to inform long-term investment and operational strategies.

Operational Excellence Across Diverse Settings

1. Oversee daily operations and ensure consistent service delivery across multiple hospitals and regional clinics.
2. Develop systemwide KPIs and dashboards integrating financial and operational metrics (e.g., cost per meal, cost per square foot cleaned, productivity targets).
3. Lead continuous improvement and resource optimization initiatives to reduce waste, streamline workflows, and improve margin performance.

Financial Leadership & Resource Stewardship

1. Own all financial aspects of FNS and EVS, including multi-site budgeting, forecasting, capital planning, and long-range financial modeling.
2. Analyze cost structures, identify savings opportunities, and implement strategies for labor efficiency, supply chain optimization, and cost-per-unit reductions.
3. Negotiate and manage vendor contracts to achieve systemwide financial value, quality performance, and budget alignment.
4. Provide financial insights and recommendations to executive leadership and the Board to support strategic decision-making.

People Leadership & Culture Building

1. Lead and mentor system directors, regional managers, and support service teams across diverse locations.
2. Build a culture of financial accountability, service excellence, and operational ownership.
3. Implement workforce strategies that improve productivity while maintaining quality, patient experience, and staff engagement.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

1. Partner with clinical leaders, ambulatory leadership, finance, supply chain, facilities, infection prevention, and patient experience to align support services with system priorities and resource constraints.
2. Lead systemwide initiatives involving capital investment, operational redesign, and regulatory readiness.
3. Ensure support services contribute positively to organizational goals such as length of stay, throughput, and overall patient satisfaction.

Innovation & Service Modernization

1. Drive modernization of food service programs, including enhanced patient dining, retail strategy, and nutrition-focused initiatives.
2. Advance EVS innovations such as automated cleaning technologies, sustainability programs, and infection prevention enhancements.
3. Implement digital tools, analytics platforms, and dashboards to improve financial visibility, operational transparency, and decision-making.

Qualifications

Education

1. Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Healthcare Administration, Finance, Hospitality Management, or related field required.
2. Master’s degree (MBA, MHA, MPH or related discipline) strongly preferred.

Experience

1. 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in healthcare operations or a complex multi-site support services environment.
2. Proven success managing Food & Nutrition Services and/or Environmental Services within a hospital or health system.
3. Demonstrated ability to lead financial planning, operational budgeting, cost reduction initiatives, and performance optimization across multiple facilities.
4. Managing multiple remote locations is strongly preferred
5. Experience with systemwide integration,