Children's Healthcare of Atlanta (Children's) seeks a dynamic and experienced leader to serve as its next Chief Operating Officer (COO). Consistently named as one of the top pediatric hospitals in the nation by U.S. News and World Report, Children's is a Magnet-designated, academic integrated pediatric healthcare system with a storied history of excellence and dedication. This is an outstanding opportunity for a seasoned operations leader to join one of the country's premier independent, freestanding pediatric institutions. This is an unprecedented time as Children's recently opened a transformative state-of-the-art facility, Arthur M. Blank Hospital, in September 2024, designed to improve the quality of care, leading-edge research, patient experience, and clinical outcomes.
Children's is comprised of three hospitals – Arthur M. Blank, Children's at Scottish Rite and Children's at Hughes Spalding; the Marcus Autism Center, one of the largest transformative autism centers in the country; the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center ranked as the No. 12 pediatric cancer program by US News and World Report; the Center for Advanced Pediatrics, Zalik Behavioral and Mental health Center, 8 urgent care centers and numerous neighborhood locations. Arthur M. Blank Hospital is a 19-story facility with 446 beds, 22 operating rooms serving as Georgia's only Level 1 pediatric trauma center. Children's at Scottish Rite consists of 273 beds, and Children's at Hughes Spalding is a 24-bed acute care and outpatient hospital.
Children’s is deeply committed to being consistently excellent in the outcomes and experience it delivers to children and their families in the region and serves as a leader nationally in its clinical, research and educational missions. Its outstanding team includes over 2,300 physicians who provide care across 60 specialties and more than 14,000 employees. In addition to fulfilling its role as the community’s trusted source for pediatric healthcare, Children's trains the best pediatric physicians in the world and conducts groundbreaking research to discover new cures. Children's research partner, the Emory University School of Medicine Department of Pediatrics, is ranked No. 5 nationally in National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding for pediatric departments. Their research program has maintained a top five ranking for NIH funding since 2016.
The next COO will carry on Children's rich history while continuing to position the organization for future growth and service to its many diverse communities. This leader will oversee the clinical care organization with the ability to assess new care delivery models, cultivate a culture of accountability and high performance, and lead continued operational efficiencies. There will be a focus on system-wide integration, process improvement initiatives, cost containment, improving ambulatory care services across the system, and building a more robust primary care network. The ability to balance strategy and innovation with stability and structure in a service-oriented manner will be essential for success.
The successful candidate will have a minimum of fifteen years of substantive leadership experience in a complex, high-performing, multifaced environment. They will be a highly engaging, data-driven individual with strong business and financial acumen with a style aligned with Children's mission. This executive will lead through influence, be collaborative, and results-oriented, with demonstrated success in achieving positive outcomes.
Applications, inquiries, and nominations are welcome. Contact Jim King, Linda Komnick and Molly Solomon, the WittKieffer consultants working on this search, at msolomon@wittkieffer.com or through the WittKieffer Candidate Portal by clicking here.
