Chief Health Equity & Community Impact Officer

CommonSpirit Health is a nonprofit, Catholic health system dedicated to advancing health for all people. It was created in February 2019 by Catholic Health Initiatives and Dignity Health. With its national office in Chicago and a team of over 150,000 employees and 25,000 physicians and advanced practice clinicians, CommonSpirit operates more than 2,000 care sites from clinics and hospitals to home-based care and virtual care services. Our world needs compassion like never before. Our communities need caring and our families need protection. With our combined resources CommonSpirit is committed to building healthy communities, advocating for those who are poor and vulnerable, and innovating how and where healing can happen -- both inside our hospitals and out in the community.

The Senior Vice President, Chief Health Equity & Community Impact Officer (SVP, CHECIO) promotes the mission and core values of CommonSpirit Health by driving the development, implementation, and measurement of the CommonSpirit health equity Plan, as well as overseeing both the Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (ODEIB), and the Lloyd H. Dean Institute for Humankindness and Health Justice. The team is composed of 11 experienced and committed professionals.  Further, the SVP, CHECIO will closely collaborate with the Office of the Chief Physician Executive Officer, the Chief People Officer, and the Office of Community Affairs (within the Mission Team) on health equity, community partnership, and employee engagement. 

The CHECIO will establish and lead the health equity Council and the Diversity Leadership Council ensuring that the appropriate infrastructure is in place to meet key performance objectives related to health equity. These objectives will center on driving health equity (fundamental to which is culturally competent care for patients and families), education and training of clinical and administrative teams, employee engagement, community partnership and leveraging supplier and community diversity efforts. This role will report to the Chief Administrative Officer, who leads the Office of the CEO in partnership with the CEO.

More specifically:

The ideal leader is a visionary and dynamic leader ready to drive transformative change nationally in the communities we serve and for our team members. More specifically, you will champion initiatives that amplify our Employee Resource Groups (Belonging Circles), fostering inclusion and belonging among our team members and clinicians to enhance patient care and outcomes.

You will bring a sophisticated ability to navigate the nuances of this critical role, establishing specific and measurable outcomes for our health equity plan. This role demands exceptional interpersonal skills to engage effectively at the C-suite level and drive our national equity agenda forward with tangible outcomes. If you are passionate about health equity, inclusion, and making a material difference in the lives of patients and communities, we invite you to lead this important work.

1. Strategic Leadership and Planning:
- Develop, implement, and monitor the health justice strategic plan, which directly incorporates the efforts of the Lloyd Dean Institute for Humankindness and Health Justice and ODEIB, and partners on the alignment of efforts within the clinical enterprise and community affairs teams.
- Lead the creation of the Health justice Council and the Diversity Leadership Council, ensuring the establishment of an infrastructure that supports health justice and ODEIB objectives.
- Collaborate with National and Region leaders to integrate health equity, diversity, and inclusion goals across the organization.

2. Health Justice Initiatives:

- Lead the development and implementation of initiatives that address health disparities and promote equitable access to healthcare services across all communities served by CommonSpirit Health.

- Collaborate with physician and nursing leadership, Mission Integration, and Healthy Communities to assess and address cultural competency and health justice needs within clinical care.
- Partner with the Office of Community Affairs and other stakeholders to foster community engagement and partnerships that advance health justice.

3. Championing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB):
- Serve as the primary advocate for DEIB across the organization, driving initiatives that promote an inclusive and equitable environment for all employees, patients, and visitors.
- Partner with Human Resources to develop recruitment, selection, and retention strategies that foster a diverse and inclusive workforce.
- Collaborate with Human Resources, Mission Integration, and Supply Chain to assess the organizational climate and develop action plans to address concerns related to DEIB.

4. Training and Education:
- Lead the training and education of clinical leaders and staff on the CommonSpirit Health path to Health Justice leveraging the tools and talent of the Lloyd Dean Institute for Humankindness and DEIB.
- Develop and implement educational programs that equip clinical and administrative leaders with the knowledge and tools needed to identify and address health disparities and promote health justice.
- Promote continuous learning and development in health justice and DEIB to ensure staff at all levels are informed and engaged.

5. Community Engagement and Partnerships:
- Act as a liaison between CommonSpirit Health and community organizations, business leaders, and agency leaders, creating connections and partnerships that enhance the organization’s health justice efforts.

- Collaborate with Healthy Communities and the Total Health Roadmap Initiative to identify and address issues of health disproportionately and disparity.
- Support the organization's efforts to improve access and inclusion of qualified, historically underutilized businesses, Minority and Women Business Enterprises (MWBEs), and supplier diversity vendors.

6. Research, Metrics, and Best Practices:
- Develop metrics for measuring the effectiveness of health justice, diversity, and inclusion initiatives and programs across the organization.
- Serve as an expert and resource for the organization on current best practices and benchmarking in health justice, diversity, justice, and inclusion.
- Establish and maintain ongoing relationships with peers and partners in key organizations, including professional associations, educational groups, and professional development efforts.

7. Governance and Advisory Role:
- Collaborate with and advise members of the executive team on issues and strategies related to health equity, diversity, and inclusion. Report to the Executive Leadership Team (ELT), the CEO and Board of Directors on the progress of health equity initiatives, including successes, challenges, and areas for improvement.

Required Education and Experience:

● Education: Master’s degree in Public Health, Healthcare Administration, or a related field; Doctorate or Medical Degree preferred.
● Experience: Minimum of fifteen (15) years of experience in healthcare leadership, with a strong focus on health equity, DEIB, and community engagement. Experience in a large, complex healthcare organization is highly desirable.
● Skills:
- In-depth understanding of health justice issues, social determinants of health, and DEIB best practices.
- Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and drive organizational change.
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence and engage stakeholders at all levels.
- Experience in developing and implementing strategic plans, educational programs, and metrics for success.

- Ability to travel to various CommonSpirit Health locations as well as other locations to represent CommonSpirit Health.

Essential Knowldge and Abilities:

- Passionate about health equity with subject matter expertise sufficient to advance discussion and impact for the communities served by CommonSpirit Health.

- Visionary leader with the ability to think strategically,  execute effectively, and lead with integrity.

- Collaborative, inclusive, and capable of building strong relationships across diverse teams.

- Resilient and adaptable, able to navigate complex challenges and drive continuous improvement.

- Ability to explain information to leadership, the organization, and the community drive more broadly utilizing the appropriate change management tools. 

- Thrives in a dynamic, fast-paced environment; relishes managing multiple priorities and deadlines effectively.

- Equity-Minded Leadership. Deep commitment to understanding the role that DEIB, clinical education and research, community affairs, the clinical enterprise, supply chain, human resources and countless others play in advancing health equity, with measurable results.

Benefits include Medical, Dental, Vision, Paid Time Off, Holidays, Retirement Program, Disability Plans, Tuition Reimbursement, Adoption Assistance, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Discount Programs, Life Insurance Plans, Worker Compensation, Dress for Your Day Policy, Voluntary Benefits. Position is eligible for incentive pay based on company performance. 

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