Position Description

Position: Vice President of Human Resources

ORGANIZATION: Swedish Health Services (www.swedish.org)

LOCATION: Seattle, WA

REPORTING RELATIONSHIP

The Vice President, Human Resources reports to Swedish Health Services President & CEO, Richard Peterson, and is a member of the Senior Leadership Team. Direct reports include Directors of: Executive and Retirement Services, Employee & Labor Relations, Workforce Planning (includes staffing), Compensation and Benefits, and Human Resource Operations (includes HRIS). The Human Resources team employs approximately 60 FTE's. The Vice President, Human Resources is directly responsible for an operation budget of $5.4 million and benefit budget of $104 million.

COMPANY BACKGROUND

Swedish Medical Center is the largest, most comprehensive, nonprofit health provider in the Pacific Northwest. Since its inception in 1910 as a 24-bed hospital, Swedish now encompasses three hospital campuses, (First Hill, Ballard, and Providence) totaling 1,254 beds; a new community-based emergency room and specialty center in Issaquah; Swedish Home Care Services; and Swedish Physicians - a network of 12 primary-care clinics located throughout the greater Seattle area. In addition to providing general medical and surgical care, Swedish is a regional referral center for treatment in the areas of oncology, cardiac care, high-risk obstetrics, neurosciences, orthopedic surgery, and organ transplant. Swedish also has an impressive array of specialty programs that include: sleep medicine, addiction recovery, pediatric services, pain management, and home-care services. Swedish is 7,000 employees strong. SEIU 1199NW represents approximately 4500 Swedish employees, including nurses, technicians, and service workers. Engineers (60 employees) are also represented by a bargaining unit. The current SEIU contract will expire in June 2008. The medical staff of more than 2,000 private-practice physicians represent virtually every medical, surgical and diagnostic specialty and sub specialty.

Throughout its considerable growth, Swedish Health Services has adhered to its mission: "To be the best nonprofit medical facility in the region and to improve the health and well-being of each person we serve." The Swedish commitment to quality care and programs that set community standards exceeds patient expectations in a caring, convenient, cost-effective and accessible manner has earned them the "Ernest Amory Codman Award" in 2005 for Exemplary Stroke Care. Only six hospitals out of more than 5,700 nationwide are chosen.

Founded as a not-for-profit institution, Swedish continually reinvests in facilities and new equipment to provide patients with quality of care and state-of-the-art facilities. .In addition, in 2005, Swedish invested $33m in community activities, including: $5.4m in charity care, $16.1m in Medicaid subsidies, $2.1m in health research, $6m in medical education, $3.3m in community health activities and non-billed services.

POSITION SUMMARY

The next Vice President (VP), Human Resources for Swedish will be an imaginative human resources leader who is challenged by designing a strategically engaged, innovative, and operationally sound Human Resource (HR) function for one of Seattle's pre-eminent health care organizations. Beyond HR strategy and operations, the Vice President, often leads significant change initiatives (i.e. implementation of the Studer Group process) that impact organizational growth and transformation in accordance with the mission, vision, and values of Swedish Health Services.

The Vice President, Human Resources will assume a significant leadership role in the realization of implementing the Studer Group process (www.studergroup.com). An exciting organizational transformation, the Studer Group process is a cultural change effort that provides tools and training to all employees who will work together to create an organization commitment to excellence. Based on the six pillars of success - service, quality, people, finance, growth and community - the people of Swedish will strive to make the organization the best place to work, practice medicine, and receive care. By giving employees the training they need to determine how they can best focus on customer service; the Studer process enables the employees to be the driving force in achieving outstanding patient and employee satisfaction, while contributing positively to the bottom line.

The VP is accountable for modeling best practices and enabling the organization to meet regulatory standards regarding workforce planning, performance management and outcome-oriented systems. Overall, the VP is expected to create and maintain a nimble, proactive, and easy to access HR department that is inclusive of all customer constituents.

INITIAL PRIORITIES

• Create value proposition for HR and weave service excellence initiatives throughout HR. Establish HR as a high performing function that is appreciated by management, labor, and all employees.
• Establish connections with, and a healthy respect for labor representatives.
• Establish effective succession planning for leadership and management positions; as well as effective career progression for the entire Swedish workforce.
• Review current performance management (review) process and create system that supports high performance work which contributes to the overall achievement of the organization.
• Implement HR attributes of the Studer Group process for patient satisfaction and quality, with a special focus on training and performance management.
• Ensure information technology is leveraged effectively throughout HR function.
• Review the need for new processes, systems, and procedures (i.e. drug testing for all employees, licensure and credentialing). Improve existing HR processes and staff productivity while eliminating waste, reducing redundancies and cycle time. Clarify team roles, responsibilities and career paths.
• Assist in the transition from geographic management to the implementation of new service line management structure.
• Effectively address strategic design of career planning and work closely with Vice President of Quality Integration & Improvement around design and implementation of employee/leadership development programs.

CORE ACCOUNTABILITIES

• Conceive and implement the HR vision; develop tactical and strategic HR programs and services that enable HR to help the organization achieve business objectives and proactively meet HR challenges.
• Oversee all of HR administration, including compensation, benefits, workforce planning, education and training, employee union and labor relations, HR operations, staffing, HRIS, and employee advancement center.
• Provide expert advice and consultation particularly for sensitive, complex issues to Swedish management.
• Create work systems and HR programs which capitalize on diverse ideas, cultures, and thinking of the staff and constituents HR serves.
• Recruit a quality workforce that reflects the communities' Swedish serves. Focus on recruitment efforts on attracting top talent to the organization at all levels. Increase capability to deliver culturally competent care and enhance the reputation of Swedish Health Services as an employer of choice among diverse groups.
• Implement and support effective retention strategies that include equitable compensation, benefits, work environment improvement, recognition, and proactive relationship building between employees, managers and physicians.
• Ensure organizational compliance with legislation and regulations. Build relationships with and represent the organization to government or external agencies, regulatory bodies and the medical and hospital community.
• Establish, monitor and achieve financial goals and measures.
• Foster a customer-oriented work environment with emphasis on quality, service, and respect for individuals, innovation and teamwork.
• Support and stand for an empowered environment for staff, provide ample opportunities for growth and development of employees according to their strengths and interests.
• Monitor changes and trends in Washington and King County, including business challenges, HR issues, etc. Formulate short- and long-term strategies to address the impact of change on human resources in response to trend information.

KEY ATTRIBUTES

The preferred candidate will be a bright, seasoned, charismatic and highly qualified human resources leader whose experience includes, balancing strategic issues with HR operations. The ideal candidate's management style must exhibit integrity, collaboration, openness and an orientation for results.

• Generate unique and progressive ideas; uses these ideas to develop new or improved approaches, systems, or processes; is seen as a champion for change as necessary.
• Ability to work collaboratively with organized labor.
• Works well with the Studer Group process for health care quality and patient care satisfaction improvement.
• Partners well with senior leaders; demonstrates confidentiality and sound business judgment.
• Bring focus and direction to the HR function. Advocate for HR staff and resources, and be willing to take a strong position.
• Holds HR to a high standard of customer service and process improvement.
• Promote cooperation and teamwork while working to achieve collective outcomes, is inclusive of peers and/or key stakeholders when making decisions that affect organizational operations.
• Demonstrate ability to inspire confidence and trust through communications and leadership.
• Is a dynamic, energetic, highly respected, motivated, and results-oriented individual with the ability to balance a multitude of short and long-term priorities.
• Skills in team building and developing consensus are critical.
• Ability to lead change while preserving culture. Effective in selling ideas and influencing thought process across the organization.
• Possess unquestionable professional and personal integrity and has an honest candid style which reflects credibility, compassion and inspires confidence.
• Demonstrate fortitude and does not hesitate to introduce novel ideas or take risks.
• Comfortable with, and adept at maneuvering within, a large organization with complex, matrixed, relationships that require expert negotiation skills and an ability to manage through influence.

CANDIDATE QUALIFICATIONS

• Seasoned HR leader with a successful career track record. A minimum of 10 years executive HR experience with a successful track record in increasingly responsible roles.
• Strong background in labor relations and proven working relationships with labor unions. Broad background as a generalist. Substantial experience in a complex or integrated healthcare delivery system is preferred.
• Depth of experience building pay practices, benefit programs and other HR initiatives that affect the organization's competitiveness, as well as the bottom line is essential.
• Experience in working with labor unions.

EDUCATION

• Master's degree in Human Resources, Business or related field is required.

COMPENSATION

Salary will be commensurate with experience, and an attractive benefits package will be offered.

Kate Kingsley or Barbara Walker
KLKingsley Executive Search
1333 No. California Blvd., Suite 570
Walnut Creek, CA 94596

Email: kate@klkingsley.com or barbara@klkingsley.com
Web: www.klkingsley.com

Phone: 925-934-4306
Fax: 925-934-4327