Gilchrest-Inova Director, Community Partnerships & Programs

Gilchrist-Inova Hospice | Northern Virginia

Location: Based at Inova Fairfax Medical Campus, with travel throughout Northern Virginia

Schedule: Primarily Monday-Friday, with occasional evening or weekend responsibilities

Salary Range: $89,456.67-$161,022.00 annually

About the Opportunity

Gilchrist-Inova Hospice is seeking an experienced healthcare operations leader to help build and expand hospice services throughout Northern Virginia. Bringing together Gilchrist’s hospice expertise and Inova’s hospital network, the partnership supports compassionate, high-quality care for patients and families facing serious illness and the end of life.

The Director, Community Partnerships & Programs will oversee regional hospice operations and help guide the phased expansion of inpatient and community-based services across five Inova hospitals: Fairfax, Alexandria, Mount Vernon, Fair Oaks, and Loudoun. This position offers the opportunity to shape a growing program, developing teams, establishing processes, strengthening hospital and community relationships, and expanding access to care. The director will have access to Gilchrist’s established recruiting, financial, revenue cycle, marketing, and operational resources.

Position Summary

The director is accountable for operational performance, team leadership, financial stewardship, quality, patient access, and sustainable growth. Working through clinical managers and a dedicated Business Development Manager, this leader ensures that services meet patient and family needs while supporting the priorities of the joint venture. The position reports to Gilchrist leadership and works closely with Inova hospital executives, clinical leaders, and joint venture stakeholders. Success requires sound judgment, strong communication, and the ability to coordinate across organizations with shared responsibilities.

Key Responsibilities:

Operations and Program Development

• Lead daily operations for inpatient and community-based hospice services as the program expands across Northern Virginia.

• Guide implementation at additional hospital locations, including operational readiness, staffing

coordination, workflows, and service delivery.

• Oversee patient access, referrals, admissions, care transitions, and coordination between hospital and community settings.

• Establish consistent practices while adapting to each hospital’s patient population, community resources, and operational needs.

• Develop and improve goals, processes, policies, and programs that support quality care and effective operations.

Team Leadership

• Lead, coach, and hold clinical managers and the Business Development Manager accountable for

performance.

• Partner with recruiting and administrative resources to align staffing plans with patient needs and program growth.

• Foster collaboration across interdisciplinary teams and support leadership development.

• Resolve escalated operational issues and coordinate resources across locations.

Hospital and Community Partnerships

• Build productive relationships with hospital executives, physicians, clinical teams, case management, and discharge planning leaders.

• Strengthen partnerships with assisted living communities, skilled nursing facilities, community

organizations, and other referral sources.

• Oversee business development priorities and referral strategies in coordination with the Business

Development Manager.

• Identify barriers to care and develop approaches that reflect the needs of the communities served.

• Represent the joint venture accurately and effectively in cross-organizational discussions.

Financial and Operational Performance

• Manage operating budgets and review profit-and-loss statements, financial reports, and performance against projections.

• Explain variances, identify operational drivers, and implement corrective actions.

• Collaborate with finance and revenue cycle teams to address issues involving contracts, payer information, reimbursement, and operational processes.

• Align staffing, resources, and growth with financial sustainability and the capacity to provide high-quality care.

Quality, Safety, and Compliance

• Maintain accountability for regulatory and contractual compliance, survey readiness, patient and workforce safety, and quality improvement.

• Apply knowledge of hospice requirements when evaluating workflows, resolving concerns, and

coordinating with hospital partners.

• Oversee processes supporting accurate documentation, health information management, and appropriate patient transitions.

• Monitor patient and family experience and use performance data to guide improvement.

• Balance growth with staffing capacity, care quality, and patient safety.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in nursing, healthcare administration, or a related field.

• At least 10 years of progressive leadership experience in healthcare.

• Demonstrated responsibility for healthcare operations, including staffing, quality, compliance, and financial performance.

• Experience leading teams and developing managers or other leaders.

• Experience interpreting profit-and-loss statements, managing budgets, and explaining financial variances.

• Demonstrated success collaborating with hospital leaders, healthcare organizations, or community

partners.

• Strong communication, analytical, problem-solving, and organizational skills.

• Ability to exercise independent judgment, manage competing priorities, and lead through organizational change.

• Ability to travel among the five Inova hospitals and respond to occasional after-hours operational

escalations.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in a related field.

• Registered Nurse licensure in Virginia or eligibility to obtain it.

• Meaningful hospice, palliative care, or serious illness experience, including familiarity with hospice

operations and regulatory requirements.

• Hospital administrative or operational leadership experience.

• Experience overseeing multiple locations and geographically dispersed teams.

• Experience launching or expanding healthcare programs.

• Familiarity with Northern Virginia’s healthcare landscape and community resources.

• Experience in nonprofit healthcare or a joint venture environment.

Compensation

The annual salary range is $89,456.67-$161,022.00. The final salary offer will be based on the candidate’s qualifications, education, experience, and alignment with organizational needs.