"Director of Patient Support Program"

Director of Patient Support Program

Job Summary

The Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the University of Utah, John A. Moran Eye Center, is actively seeking a director for the Patient Support Program.

This position includes psycho-social and counseling support to patients with visual impairment and blindness. Responsibilities include supervising a small multidisciplinary staff, individual and group counseling for patients with visual impairment/blindness and their families, providing information and referrals, collaborating with community programs and agencies that support people who are blind, educating ophthalmology residents and fellows, and offering supportive and crisis counseling to department staff as needed. The skills required for this position include: crisis counseling, rehabilitation counseling, group work, teaching, and community education.

Responsibilities

Essential Functions:

• Directs the development and implementation of social service objectives that are consistent with the University of Utah's goals and objectives.
• May oversee recruiting, interviewing, training and scheduling of volunteer workers.
• Builds and adapts programs to a point of long term sustainability.
• Provides strategic direction by setting short and long-term goals, estimating budgetary requirements for staff, space and equipment planning, and implementing special projects and policies.
• Develops strategies consistent with the University of Utah's continuous quality improvement program.
• Forecasts program staffing, program operating budget needs, staff performance evaluation, etc.
• Ensures customer/patient satisfaction by analyzing complaints, concerns and suggestions and providing appropriate follow-through.
• Ensures competency of management/supervisory staff through the development and/or presentation of educational programs and through on-going staff performance evaluation.
• Markets and promotes new and existing programs and services to internal and external customers.
• Participates in university-wide committees to establish customer/patient service and administrative plans and policies.
• Facilitates cooperative and collaborative community and institutional relationships.
• Individual and group counseling for patients with visual impairment/blindness and their families, providing information and referrals, collaborating with community programs and agencies that support people who are blind, educating ophthalmology residents and fellows, and offering supportive and crisis counseling to department staff as needed.
• The skills required for this position include: crisis counseling, rehabilitation counseling, group work, teaching, and community education.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Social Work, or related area, or equivalency (one year of education can be substituted for two years of related work experience); eight years of progressively more responsible management experience; and demonstrated leadership, human relations and effective communications skills required.

Master's degree in Social Work, or related area preferred.

This position is patient-sensitive and must fulfill all associated vaccination requirements, or be approved for an exemption, prior to the first day of work. We protect our patients, coworkers and community by requiring all patient-sensitive employees to be immunized according to CDC standards and hospital policy. Limited exemptions may be made for documented medical contraindications or religious beliefs that object to vaccinations.

Preferences

Candidates must have LCSW or LCMHC if candidate also has with a PhD or DSW that is ideal but not necessary. Salary will be commensurate with experience and credentials.

Special Instructions

Please request 3 letters of recommendation from outside the University of Utah on your behalf.
Have them emailed to susan.brown@hsc.utah.edu and addressed to Jeff Pettey, MD, Professor and Department Chair, 65 Mario Capecchi Drive, SLC, UT 84132

Requisition Number: PRN43587B
Full Time or Part Time? Full Time
Work Schedule Summary: Monday - Friday
Department: 00267 - Ophthalmology-Services
Location: Campus
Pay Rate Range: $75,000 - $95,000
Close Date: 2/27/2026
Open Until Filled: