Senior Director of Clinical Operations

HPU Health, the clinical arm of High Point University’s Workman School of Dental Medicine (WSDM), operates a dynamic network of general dentistry practices, surgical specialty hubs, and integrated clinical education sites that deliver comprehensive patient care while supporting experiential learning for dental students. The Senior Director of Clinical Operations is a full-time, 12-month staff position.

The Senior Director of Clinical Operations and Growth Strategy provides strategic leadership, operational oversight, and growth management across HPU Health’s expanding clinical network. This senior leader drives operational excellence, network expansion in partnership with the Senior Associate Dean through acquisitions and De Novo development, and integration of clinical operations, while ensuring daily practice environments support both patient care delivery and robust student learning experiences.

Partnering closely with the Dean, Chief Dental Officer (CDO), Executive Leadership Team (ELT), and academic leaders, this role builds scalable business models that integrate single-site practices, specialty hubs, and multi-specialty care delivery. The Senior Director plays a key role in aligning clinical operations with HPU Health (WSDM) Experiential Educational mission, ensuring that students engage meaningfully in real-world clinical environments while the network grows in a financially sustainable, patient-centered, and compliance-driven manner.
The Senior Director also provides leadership oversight for the onboarding function, directly supporting the Director of Onboarding and collaborating to ensure efficient integration of new practices into HPU Health’s operational model, aligning onboarding processes with clinical operations, growth strategy, and long-term sustainability.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Education

• Master’s degree in healthcare administration, Business Administration, Public Health, or a related field preferred.
• Doctoral degree (e.g., DHA, PhD) desirable.

Experience and Training

• 7-10 years of progressive leadership experience in clinical operations management, preferably within academic health centers, multi-site dental/medical groups, or hospital systems.
• Demonstrated success leading acquisitions, de novo development, integration, and network growth.
• Extensive knowledge of healthcare regulations, accreditation processes, financial management, and clinical operations.
• Proven ability to collaborate across academic, clinical, and administrative leadership.
• Dental or dental education experience highly desirable.
• EPIC or similar EHR/EDR system experience preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, Ability:

• Robust strategic thinking, growth strategy, planning, and execution skills.
• Expertise in managing practice integration, onboarding, and alignment of new clinical sites.
• Excellent leadership, interpersonal, and organizational skills.
• Superior verbal and written communication skills.
• Exceptional problem-solving and decision-making capabilities.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret complex data.
• Poised and professional representation of HPU Health (WSDM).
• Receptive to feedback and committed to continuous improvement.
• Deep understanding of HPU Health (WSDM) core values and mission.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:  

The Senior Director of Clinical Operations will perform all duties directed by the Dean, CDO, with input from the leadership team. Key responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Strategic Leadership & Growth Strategy

• Develop and execute comprehensive strategic plans for operations, practice network expansion, and integration, fully aligned with HPU Health (WSDM) mission, vision, and long-term growth objectives.
• Lead initiatives focused on clinical service line expansion, cross-network integration, and optimization of practice performance across general dentistry, surgical specialty hubs, and multi-specialty models.
• Direct growth strategy initiatives in collaboration with legal, financial, academic, and operational stakeholders, driving expansion through targeted acquisitions, De Novo site development, and the buildout of specialty hubs to meet evolving patient care and educational demands.
• Partners and supports all phases of acquisition and expansion activity, including market assessment, due diligence, financial analysis, operational integration, credentialing, onboarding, and full practice assimilation into the HPU Health (WSDM) network.
• Evaluate market opportunities and partnership models, ensuring each growth initiative supports financial sustainability, strategic alignment, clinical excellence, and enhanced student learning experiences.
• Build scal