Cancer Center Director

The Opportunity:

SUNY Upstate Medical University seeks a Cancer Center Director (Director) who will provide visionary strategic, clinical and administrative leadership for cancer care across the enterprise, spanning from prevention and advocacy, diagnostic and treatment, through survivorship programs.

The Director will lead strategic planning and program development across all facets of cancer care service delivery, fostering a focus on academic growth and research development. The Director will develop and support clinical activities that advance research-driven, multi-disciplinary, patient-centered care, and promote excellence in quality, patient experience, associate engagement and faculty development. Serving as a key member of SUNY Upstate Medical University Senior Leadership Team, the Director will represent the Upstate Cancer Center externally to regulatory agencies, other healthcare organizations and providers, and the public.

The Position:

Reporting to the Dean and the University Hospital CEO, the Director will Chair the Cancer Center Leadership Committee, and serve as a member of the Cancer Center Research Committee and the Clinical Management and Operations Committee. The Director will work collaboratively with the Chairs of the Departments of Medicine, Surgery, and other programmatically related Departments (Radiation Oncology, Urology, Neurosurgery, Neurology, OB-GYN, Otolaryngology, Pediatrics), and Upstate University Hospital leadership to ensure efficient, effective cancer care service provision and promote program and service growth. The Director will work collaboratively with SUNY Upstate Clinical Chairs and Basic Science Department Chairs to advance alignment, coordination, and integration across the clinical and research enterprises.

The Ideal Candidate:

The ideal candidate will have an MD/DO from an accredited school of medicine, be board certified in his/her cancer-related specialty and licensed or eligible for licensure in the State of New York. He/she must demonstrate scholarly and professional achievement meriting the academic rank of Professor or Associate Professor, with a continuing appointment in the Department and Division of his/her medical specialty.

Additional required experience includes:

  • A minimum of ten years of postgraduate clinical experience in his/her medical or surgical specialty. This may include hematology/oncology, radiation oncology, surgical oncology, or other related specialty with a strong clinical focus in the care of cancer patients.
  • Demonstrated relevant leadership accomplishment in an academic medical center or tertiary teaching institution as a program Medical Director, Section/Division Head, Department Chief/Chair, or Associate Chief/Chair role.
  • Knowledge of and experience in the support and conduct of research, preferably with current or prior participation in a competitive program of grant-funded research.
  • Knowledge of and experience in the development, growth, and clinical leadership of a fully integrated, inter-professional and interdisciplinary cancer treatment service line or specialty program.
  • Knowledge of and experience in the recruitment of diverse faculty and faculty development/mentoring.


The Organization:

SUNY Upstate Medical University is one of five academic medical centers of the State University of New York. SUNY Upstate employs more than 10,000 people making it the largest employer in Central New York. Each year, SUNY Upstate educates nearly 1,600 students in more than 30 highly specialized upper division and graduate programs. As a clinical system, SUNY Upstate sees patients at its two hospital campuses and through an extensive network of outpatient sites.

The SUNY Upstate Cancer Center is the leading cancer program in central New York, providing the highest caliber treatments and protocols and world-class multidisciplinary care for the nearly 1.2 million residents of central New York. The Upstate Cancer Center is accredited by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer (ACOS CoC) and is among the 1 percent of accredited cancer programs in the country which have achieved the Outstanding Achievement Award for four consecutive survey cycles.

Cancer Care services at SUNY Upstate Medical Center are provided at several locations across a 17-county service area in central New York. The flagship among these is the SUNY Upstate Cancer Center located on the campus of University Hospital in Syracuse. This $74 million freestanding center, opened in 2016 and expanded in 2020, is a beautiful, state-of-the-art facility with five floors dedicated to comprehensive, team-based, compassionate care for patients and their families.

The Location:

SUNY Upstate is located in Syracuse, the fifth most populous city in the state. Syracuse is the economic and educational hub of central New York. It is located at the intersection of Interstates 81 and 90. Its airport, Syracuse Hancock International Airport, is the largest in the region and is served by several major air carriers that provide non-stop service to most major cities on the East coast and in the Midwest. Syracuse is also home to Syracuse University, located adjacent to the campus of SUNY Upstate on University Hill. Cultural and recreational opportunities are abundant in the region. And, Syracuse is within a 4.5-hour drive of New York City, Philadelphia, Ottawa, Toronto, and Montreal, and less than a day’s drive of Washington DC, Baltimore, Boston, Cleveland, Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut and Maine. The overall quality of life in the Syracuse area is exceptional.

SUNY Upstate Medical University is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer committed to inclusive excellence through diversity. Upstate does not discriminate on the basis of any protected category. At SUNY Upstate Medical University, we strive to promote a professional environment that encourages varied perspectives from faculty members with diverse life experiences. A respect for diversity is one of our core values. We are committed to recruiting and supporting a rich community of outstanding faculty, staff and students. We actively seek applications from women and members of underrepresented groups to contribute to the diversity of our university community in support of our teaching, research and clinical missions.

Please direct all inquiries, applications, and referrals to:

Katie Mazzuckelli

Katie.mazzuckelli@amnhealthcare.com

About AMN Leadership Solutions, Executive and Physician Leadership Search

Formerly Phillips DiPisa, AMN Leadership Solutions, Executive and Physician Leadership Search is a retained executive search firm serving the healthcare and life sciences industries. Ranked as one of the top healthcare recruiting firms in the country, AMN Leadership Solutions is known for leading healthcare into the future by its growing base of clients across the country, drawing on a national pool of candidates. For more information, please visit their website at www.phillipsdipisa.com .