Chief Executive Officer, Alta Bates Summit Medical Center

We are so glad you are interested in joining Sutter Health

Organization
SHSO-Administrative Payroll

Position Overview
Sutter Health is a leading not-for-profit healthcare system in Northern California, serving over 3.5 million patients through a network of hospitals, clinics, and care services. With a legacy of more than 100 years, our 57,000+ employees and 12,000+ physicians are united by a mission to care for our patients first—and our people always.

Sutter Health's Alta Bates Summit Medical Center (ABSMC) is located on three campuses in Oakland and Berkeley and offers comprehensive services designed to meet the healthcare needs of the diverse communities of the greater East Bay Area. ABSMC is the East Bay's largest private, not-for-profit medical center.

ABSMC is licensed for 825 acute care beds and 69 psych beds. ABSMC operates Medical Center Magnetic Imaging, a freestanding imaging center, and Alta Bates Perinatal Center. Specialty hospital services include the following: Acute rehabilitation, bariatrics, behavioral health, cardiovascular surgery, comprehensive community cancer center, East Bay Advanced Care (EBAC), and Level III NICU.

Alta Bates Summit's 120-year tradition of commitment and service continues today, with recognition as one of the nation's top hospitals for clinical excellence and patient safety.

ABSMC's Summit Campus is the only hospital in the East Bay to earn the highest possible five-star rating for overall hospital quality from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Only 10 percent of hospitals in the U.S. received a five-star rating.

In 2025, Alta Bates Summit was ranked as one of the best hospitals in the San Francisco Bay Area region (ranked #5 in the San Francisco Metro Area) and Alta Bates Summit received "high performer" recognition in the following procedures/conditions: Leukemia, Lymphoma, & Myeloma; Colon Cancer Surgery, Heart Attack, Heart Failure, Gastroenterology Surgery, Stroke and Hip Replacement.

ABSMC has also been recognized by Healthgrades as one of America's 100 Best Hospitals for cardiac care, earned designations from the California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative (CMQCC) and achieved the Target Stroke Elite Honor Roll Award from the American Stroke Association.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Alta Bates Summit Medical Center (ABSMC), directs and facilitates operations throughout the acute care campus and aligns ABSMC's strategy with Sutter Health's strategic plans. The CEO assures integration among medical staff, nursing, clinical and support services professionals to achieve optimal patient care and internal services excellence. The CEO provides leadership direction and administration of operations to ensure compliance with current established policies and strategic objectives while supporting the realization of Sutter's future objectives. Assures quality of care and cost-effective services are provided to the community. Exercises necessary, appropriate authority and accountability for the operations and long-range planning for ABSMC and other associated health services business entities. Maintains effective employee, medical staff. community and ABSMC Board relations. Promotes positive community contacts and relationships. Serves as the operational liaison between medical staff leadership, ABSMC Board members and ABSMC and system leaders. Reporting directly to the Division President, the CEO will work in collaboration with the CME and CNE and other senior ABSMC leaders, as well as serve as a member of the Sutter Division Leadership Team. This position is accountable for oversight of the quality of care, cost-effective services, and exercises necessary and appropriate authority and accountability for all ABSMC departments. The CEO works collaboratively with Foundation Administrators and other division leadership to develop integrated approaches to service area growth and development.

The CEO is also responsible for directing patient care efforts through the ABSMC's senior leadership team to guide managers and supervisors within acute care and the service lines. The position has overall responsibility for the managers and supervisors' development and implementation of plan(s) for the ABSMC staffing, program development, directing and monitoring ABSMC operations, quality improvement programs and sound fiscal management of the departments. The CEO may also have responsibility for outpatient and ambulatory operations, including but not limited to clinics, urgent care centers, surgery centers, specialty care, same-day/walk-ins, clinical service lines and support and shared services. The CEO sets the tone and processes for a culture that rewards leadership, teamwork, innovation, and accountability, and promotes productive collaboration among senior team members, departments, and all other management levels.

Education
Job Description
:

• Bachelors in healthcare or related field required.
• Master's Degree in Business, Hospital, Healthcare Administration preferred.

Experience

• Must have significant experience in healthcare administration at the administrator, assistant/associate administrator or similar level.
• Experience must demonstrate competence and success in financial operations, new business planning, development, implementation and management, board and physician relations and management development.
• Executive level experience in a multi-facility/matrix management healthcare system strongly desired.
• Demonstrated track record in delivering excellence in the Triple Aim (access, affordability and quality).
• Strong experience engaging employees, physicians and community leaders.
• Prior demonstrated philanthropy experience desired.
• Experience in health care business development and acquisition activities.
• Experience in developing business and strategic plans for health care service lines.
• Strong knowledge and experience in understanding operational impact on finances, costs, and efficiency.
• Demonstrated understanding and experience in the use of lean to drive management and operational processes.
• Experience providing leadership to operations teams in an ambulatory setting.

Knowledge

• Must have an in-depth working knowledge of healthcare administration, operations and departments, with a strong emphasis on and understanding of multi-specialty medical group operations, financial management, strategic planning, physician relations, patient care, quality assessment and improvement, risk management and human resource management.
• Have a solid working knowledge of applicable laws and operating guidelines.
• Strong understanding of the trends and issues affecting the healthcare industry, including managed care, clinical integration and quality outcomes.
• Working knowledge of all legal guidelines and requirements of accrediting bodies.

Skills

• Must have excellent interpersonal and communication skills (written, verbal and presentation/public speaking). Demonstrated skills in leadership, conflict identification and resolution, group problem solving and group process as well as organization and prioritization.
• Effective as a team leader and team member, with a bias toward timely and appropriate action.
• Possesses a customer service excellence orientation, with emphasis on continuous quality improvement.
• Demonstrated effective organizational performance improvement skills, in-depth working knowledge of integrated healthcare organization and administration, agency standards/compliance, and laws applicable to healthcare operations is required.
• Ability to balance clinical and financial goals with the health care needs and challenges facing targeted audiences and their related communities.
• Strong skills in identifying, planning, and executing appropriate and successful health care business strategies to meet changing organizational and community needs, and regulatory requirements.
• Politically savvy and an excellent communicator with a successful track record of leading strategic initiatives and building innovative, high quality, health care delivery systems in collaboration with professional and community partners.
• Well-developed skills in problem-identification, persuasion, and negotiation.
• Effective team leader and team member skills, with a bias toward timely and appropriate action.
• Demonstrated skills in leadership, conflict identification and resolution, group problem solving and group process as well as organization and prioritization.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills, with the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with foundation management, physician providers, nursing, key departments and individuals at all levels inside and outside of Sutter Health.
• Well-developed and engaging communication skills (written, verbal and presentation/public speaking), including the ability to tailor presentations to a specific audience, and address and interact with large groups.
• Proven ability explaining complex medical/clinical information and concepts in simple terms.
• Excellent customer service orientation, with emphasis on continuous quality improvement.

Job Shift
Days

Schedule
Full Time

Days Of The Week
Monday - Friday

Weekend Requirements
As Needed

Benefits
Yes

Unions
No

Position Status
Exempt

Weekly Hours
40

Employee Status
Regular

Sutter Health is an equal opportunity employer EOE/M/F/Disability/Veterans.

Pay Range is $270.73 to $366.29 / hour

The salary range for this role may vary above or below the posted range as determined by location. This range has not been adjusted for any specific geographic differential applicable by area where the position may be filled. Compensation takes into account several factors including but not limited to a candidate's experience, education, skills, licensure and certifications, department equity, training and organizational needs. Base pay is just one piece of the total rewards program offered by Sutter Health. Eligible roles also qualify for a comprehensive benefits package.