Vice President, Network Development & Strategic Initiatives

About this role

Reporting to the Executive Vice President of Strategy, Transformation, and Corporate Partnerships, the Vice President of Strategy & Network Development is a senior leader within Albany Med Health System's Strategy and Transformation Office. This role holds significant accountability for advancing Albany Med's enterprise strategic priorities, overseeing the development of clinical service line strategies, leading ambulatory care strategy, and driving the regional network development efforts that support system growth across the Hudson Valley and Capital Region.

The VP serves as a key operational and strategic leader within the EVP's portfolio — translating enterprise priorities into executable plans, building alignment across clinical and operational leadership, and maintaining active relationships with community hospital partners, physician leaders, and key regional stakeholders. This role requires both strategic depth and execution discipline, with accountability for measurable outcomes across a broad and interconnected portfolio.

Key Responsibilities

1. Network Development & Regional Growth

• Lead Albany Med’s regional network development efforts, establishing and advancing relationships with community hospitals, physician organizations, and health system partners across the service area.
• Cultivate and sustain senior-level relationships with community hospital leaders, physician executives, and key regional stakeholders.
• Oversee clinical affiliation negotiations, physician service agreements, and partnership contracts, ensuring alignment with system mission, financial targets, and legal requirements.
• Establish performance frameworks to evaluate the clinical quality, financial, and strategic value of network relationships and growth investments.
• Oversee CRM systems and referral tracking tools to monitor network activity and provide actionable insights to inform strategy.

2. Clinical Service Line Strategy

• Lead the development and implementation of strategies across twelve-plus clinical service lines, ensuring each reflects Albany Med’s competitive positioning, market opportunity, and financial sustainability goals.
• Collaborate with clinical department chairs, service line leaders, and the CCO to develop service line strategies that integrate clinical program priorities, volume growth targets, workforce considerations, and capital investment needs.
• Establish a consistent framework for service line strategic planning, including market analysis, gap assessments, competitive benchmarking, and multi-year roadmaps.
• Ensure service line strategies are coordinated with the enterprise strategic plan, network development priorities, and ambulatory growth strategy to drive integrated system-wide growth.
• Track and report on service line strategy execution, providing leadership with regular updates on progress against defined milestones and performance targets.
• Support the advancement of high-priority service lines — including Cardiovascular, Neuroscience, Orthopedics, Oncology, and others — through targeted network expansion, programmatic planning, and partnership development.

3. Ambulatory Strategy

• Lead the development of Albany Med’s system-wide ambulatory care strategy, establishing a multi-year vision for access, growth, and care delivery across ambulatory, outpatient, and community-based settings.
• Define strategic priorities for ambulatory network expansion, including site-of-care optimization, new location development, and partnership with community providers to extend Albany Med’s ambulatory footprint.
• Develop business cases and investment frameworks for ambulatory growth initiatives in partnership with operations and finance, ensuring alignment with service line strategies and system financial goals.
• Integrate ambulatory strategy with digital health, telehealth, and consumer access initiatives to ensure Albany Med’s ambulatory network is positioned for evolving patient expectations and care delivery models.
• Establish performance frameworks to track ambulatory strategy execution, monitor volume trends, and drive accountability for growth outcomes.

4. Strategy Office Operations & Cross-Functional Integration

• Serve as a key operational leader within the Strategy and Transformation Team, supporting coordination across Strategy, PMO, Network Development, Communications, Government Relations, and Innovation.
• Integrate work across the EVP’s portfolio, helping to resolve resource conflicts, eliminate duplication, and drive execution of shared priorities.
• Represent the EVP in senior leadership meetings, governance forums, and key internal and external engagements as needed.

5. Organizational Transformation & Major Initiative Leadership

• Lead or co-lead high-priority strategic initiatives on behalf of the EVP, ensuring organizational commitment, cross-functional alignment, and measurable results.
• Support change management efforts tied to major strategic programs, building readiness and alignment across clinical and operational leadership.
• Partner with the COO, CFO, CMO and operational leaders to integrate strategy with financial and operational planning cycles.
• Identify barriers to execution and recommend solutions to the EVP and senior leadership team.

Qualifications & Experience

Required

• Master’s degree required (MBA, MHA, MPH, or equivalent).
• Ten or more years of progressively responsible healthcare leadership experience, with a minimum of three to five years in a VP-level or senior director role at a health system, academic medical center, or comparable organization.
• Demonstrated experience leading strategic planning, service line strategy development, and/or network development in a complex, multi-specialty healthcare environment.
• Experience developing or executing ambulatory care strategy, including network expansion, site-of-care planning, or outpatient growth initiatives.
• Proven ability to build alignment and influence results with physician leadership and senior management in a matrixed organization.
• Exceptional organizational and communication skills; ability to synthesize complex information into clear, executive-ready materials.
• Valid driver’s license; regular regional travel required.

Preferred Skills & Competencies

• Deep knowledge of regional healthcare market dynamics, clinical network strategy, or academic medical center operations.
• Experience with affiliation, acquisition, or joint operating arrangement processes.
• Strong financial acumen, including experience developing business cases and managing departmental budgets.
• Familiarity with digital health, telehealth, and consumer-facing ambulatory care delivery models.
• Strong executive presence with demonstrated ability to represent organizational leadership in external settings.

Leadership Attributes

• Strategic thinker who connects day-to-day execution to long-term system priorities and enterprise growth goals.
• Trusted advisor to the EVP and senior leadership, known for sound judgment, discretion, and integrity.
• Influences and leads effectively across organizational boundaries, without relying on formal authority.
• Brings clarity, structure, and accountability to complex, multi-workstream initiatives.
• Communicates with executive-level precision, translating complexity into compelling insights and actionable recommendations.
• Develops talent and fosters a culture of high performance, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

Supervisory & Fiscal Responsibility

• Directly supervise and develop a team of professionals supporting strategy, network development, and ambulatory and service line planning functions.
• Accountable for performance management, talent development, and succession planning within the team.
• Own the development and stewardship of the department’s annual operating budget.
• Ensure resources are allocated effectively and investments deliver measurable strategic value.

Working Conditions

• Remote or hybrid work model with onsite hoteling space available at system locations.
• Regular travel throughout the Hudson Valley, Capital Region, and surrounding areas.
• Frequently required to sit, talk, and use standard office equipment; occasionally required to lift up to 20 pounds.