Chief of Applications

The Chief of Applications sets the strategic direction and holds operational oversight for the enterprise application portfolio supporting UCLA Health hospitals, clinics, the Faculty Practice Group, and the School of Dentistry. The role leads a team of more than 300 staff and is responsible for an application budget of approximately $55 million.

The portfolio includes CareConnect, clinical ancillary applications, laboratory systems, business and administrative applications, and shared UC-hosted applications. Core ownership covers application management, build and configuration, development, testing, deployment, stabilization, optimization, new implementations, upgrades, and expansion driven by organic growth, partnerships, and acquisitions.

This role also leads project and program management (PMO), enterprise testing services, and application governance across UCLA Health IT. The Chief of Applications ensures the stability, security, and quality of applications while keeping priorities aligned with organizational strategy.

Finally, the role directs IT finance, including the annual operating and capital budget processes, financial performance tracking and compliance, procurement and vendor contract oversight, and adherence to UCLA financial policies.

Reporting Relationship

Reports to the Chief Information Officer, UCLA Health Sciences. Expected to work independently with minimal supervision.

Pay Range: $207,900.00 - $511,900.00

Education

* Bachelor's degree in computer science, business administration, or a related field is required.

* Master's degree in health or hospital administration, public health, or business administration (or equivalent substantial business knowledge) is preferred.

Experience

* 15+ years of progressive experience managing functions and departments handling information, workflow, and systems.

* 10+ years of direct management of a major IT operation.

* 7+ years of experience in a health care setting, preferably in IT planning to support strategic business goals.

* Experience leading large teams in complex, enterprise-level implementation of vendor-supplied software.

* Experience advancing a large IT organization toward a service-delivery model using best-practice frameworks such as ITIL or COBIT is preferred.

* Experience managing large IT budgets in a complex health system environment including multi-year capital planning, operational cost control, and vendor financial oversight.

Knowledge and Skills

* In-depth knowledge of Epic's suite of applications and the underlying platform.

* In-depth knowledge of best-practice testing processes and software development project lifecycles.

* Understanding of health care service delivery, preferably in an academic medical center.

* Advanced project management skills, including prioritization, conflict resolution, risk mitigation, and managing complex project plans.

* Demonstrated ability to develop and execute multi-year strategic plans and technology roadmaps aligned to organizational priorities.

* Strong financial acumen, including budget development, monitoring, and stewardship across a complex organization.

* Proven experience managing and developing large, multi-functional teams - including building leadership pipelines, holding teams accountable, and sustaining a high-performance culture across an organization.

* Strong vendor and contract management skills, including oversight of complex vendor relationships and negotiations.

* Strong ability to influence and build consensus with clinical and business operations leaders across the organization.

* Excellent communication, organizational, and analytical skills, with a strong customer-service orientation.

* Familiarity with emerging technologies, including AI, and their application in health system operations and clinical workflows.

* Ability to remain calm under pressure and manage multiple priorities across many assignments.