Renal Physicians Association » Sterling

Executive Director

The Opportunity

The Renal Physicians Association (RPA) is a national medical specialty society established in 1973 as a 501(c)(6) nonprofit. Based in Rockville, MD, with annual revenues of approximately $3M, RPA’s vision is to ensure the nephrologist’s ability to provide the best care possible to kidney patients and to forge a bright future for nephrology professionals by delivering on its strategic priorities of advocacy, professional and business success, and high-quality patient care. The society’s membership of over 3,500 nephrology professionals serves kidney patients across the US by carrying out its mission to empower nephrology professionals through:

Leadership development and mentorship
Regulatory and legislative advocacy
Development and promotion of best business and care delivery practices

RPA’s members include physicians, advanced practice professionals (physician assistants and nurse practitioners), and practice administrators who share a commitment to improving health care within the nephrology specialty. RPA’s programs focus on the business of practice management, public policy and advocacy, and the provision of high-quality patient care.

RPA seeks an Executive Director (ED) to drive the strategic direction for the organization and to implement plans in support of its mission to support and empower nephrology professionals working through transformative change within the US health-care system. As the senior staff executive, the ED will report to and work closely with the RPA Board of Directors to identify the strategic priorities for the association. The ED will be the face of RPA, which is the respected voice of nephrology practice leaders and a dedicated advocate to the kidney community, payors, and federal policy makers. The ED also has oversight responsibility for the Renal Physicians Association Research and Education Foundation, the 501(c)(3) educational organization affiliated with RPA, as well as the organization’s Political Action Committee (PAC.) Additionally, the ED is responsible for budget development and fiscal oversight, staff management, and general administrative functions.

About RPA

RPA is unique among nephrology associations in its focus on supporting practitioners in the business of running practices as well as being a trusted advocate and effective driver of health-care policy. Pivotal in forming kidney care policy from the beginning of the Medicare end stage renal disease (ESRD) benefit to the latest value-based care proposals from Medicare’s Innovation Center (CMMI), RPA is at the forefront of kidney policy. Additionally, RPA is the only kidney society representing nephrologists on the American Medical Society’s Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) and Relative Value Update (RUC) Committees, where codes are created and valued. As value-based care emerges as the focus of health-care reform in the US, it holds the potential for providing better health outcomes while also potentially reducing costs of care for patients including those with kidney disease, who account for a large portion of health-care costs within the traditional fee-for-service model of care. As a forward-looking association, RPA is leading its members through the changing landscape of care delivery, payor models, and overall payment reform.

The Executive Director Role

Key Strategic Priorities for the Executive Director

In partnership with the RPA Board of Directors, provide vision and support to determine the association’s strategic direction and priorities; the ED will then oversee the execution of the strategic priorities.
Understand trends within the specialty that affect care delivery, quality, and outcomes and oversee the development of programs and education resources to enhance RPA’s value proposition, support and grow its members, and to fulfill RPA’s mission.
Establish and execute communications plans designed to effectively define and articulate RPA’s value proposition to nephrology practitioners and the kidney community at large.
Develop financial strategies to support the RPA’s mission and create and diversify revenue streams.
Develop and maintain effective relationships with external stakeholders in research, care delivery, payor, government, and non-government organizations.
Develop and maintain relationships with industry partners and oversee the solicitation and management of the Corporate Patrons program.
Oversee the Renal Physicians Association Research and Education Foundation, the 501(c)(3) educational organization affiliated with RPA.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Volunteer Leadership and Governance

Provide support and guidance to Board members and RPA volunteers to aid them in understanding and executing responsibilities and ensure adherence to governance policies.
Ensure that the Board of Directors is kept fully informed of the activities and operations of the association including proactive communication around progress towards strategic goals and financial performance.
Provide staff support to the RPA Board of Directors, the Executive Committee, and other Committees as needed. Facilitate planning of Board meeting and Executive Committee meetings by developing agenda items and presentations and compiling meeting summaries.
Oversee staff support to all RPA Committees and Task Forces.

Advocacy

Provide strategic oversight of advocacy efforts and serve as the face of RPA and nephrology professionals.
Establish and maintain effective relationships with external stakeholders in research, care delivery, payor, government, and non-government organizations.
Preserve RPA’s reputation as an unbiased and trusted advisor to internal and external stakeholders.
Promote RPA’s reputation as the expert on value-based care and the thought leader positioned at the cutting edge of all emerging health-care policy trends.
Represent RPA at hearings, conferences, meetings, and public events.

Contribute to Member and Organizational Success

Understand trends within the specialty that affect care delivery, quality, and outcomes and oversee the development of programs and education resources to support RPA’s members.
Establish and execute communications plans designed to effectively define and articulate RPA’s value proposition to practitioners and practice managers in the nephrology specialty.
Foster and maintain a culture that is sensitive and responsive to the needs, interests, and professional development of RPA’s members.
Continuously evaluate opportunities to provide support to RPA’s members.
Create and diversify revenue streams by developing relationships with stakeholders such as industry partners and corporate patrons, and through the evaluation of membership category structures, grants, etc.
Oversee membership services, education, training, conferences, and product development.
Direct the development of opportunities pertaining to research, health equity, health-care models, corporate patrons, and program innovation.
Oversee publication of the RPA News, including developing topics and drafting articles, assigning copy, editing, and serving as point of contact with publisher.

Management/Administration

Supervise, motivate, develop, and hold staff accountable, ensuring staff members have appropriate skills and resources to further the work of the organization.
Work with the staff to foster values and mutual trust throughout RPA. Build a strong, progressive, inclusive, motivated, and collaborative team.
Oversee contract support for accounting services, computer services, graphic design, membership database maintenance, and federal affairs/advocacy, and other services as needed.
Negotiate and enter into agreements for RPA as needed and/or authorized and approved by the Board.
Other duties as assigned by the RPA Board of Directors.

Financial Leadership

Develop financial strategies necessary to support the association’s mission.
Develop annual budget and assist with reserve fund and fiscal oversight, including reviewing invoices and authorizing disbursements in accordance with the established budget and the accounting policies and procedures.
Budget for RPA initiatives and work with the Board for support on commitments to those initiatives budgeted.
Ensure that appropriate fiscal controls and procedures are in place to ensure transparency and accountability.
Ensure that RPA and its affiliates comply with all legal and regulatory requirements.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Create opportunities to weave the threads of diversity, equity, and inclusiveness throughout RPA’s policies, initiatives, programs, and activities.
Foster an inclusive culture that welcomes and appreciates different perspectives.

Required Skills, Experience, and Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred.
At least five years of experience as executive leader or at senior management level of a society or association, strongly desired.
Experience within the health-care sector, preferred.
Track record of quickly establishing credibility with a variety of internal and external stakeholders including large organizations and government entities at state and national levels.
Experience acting as the spokesperson for an organization desired.
Established ability to define strategies and drive performance across an organization.
Experience leading and motivating a staff and a track record of achieving results through remote staff members.

Personal Qualities and Competencies

Ability to weave membership throughout all activities to both cultivate new members and retain and engage current members.
Ability to articulate RPA’s value proposition and ROI to members, potential members, industry, other kidney organizations and the larger the nephrology community.
Skilled in new business development and/or fundraising.
Strong relationship building skills and ability to understand how to approach advocacy to be successful within a complex landscape of diverse stakeholder groups.
Influencing skills; the ability to persuade, convince or gain the commitment of others to accept a point of view, adopt a specific direction, or take a course of action.
Mastery of communication skills that include listening as well as articulating a specific point of view.
Strong strategic-thinking, critical-thinking, and analytical skills.
Ability to confront difficult situations and have difficult conversations.
Ability to develop the organizational culture and promote transparency and collaboration throughout the organization.
Ability to identify, recruit, train, and develop a talented team of employees who can lead critical departments and manage strategic business functions.
Ability to innovate and support innovation from staff and leadership.
Ability to build a team within a small staff (Including: communication, time management, problem-solving, listening, critical thinking, collaboration, leadership).
Drive and ability to create a workplace and association that reflects RPA’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout its membership, leadership, staff, and activities.

Compensation

A competitive compensation package will be offered to attract an outstanding candidate.

To Apply

To apply, please send a cover letter and current resume (Microsoft Word® format preferred) here. The cover letter should outline how your experience fits the requirements of the position as this will be an important factor in considering your candidacy.

Sterling Martin Associates is committed to providing equal opportunity for employees and applicants in all aspects of the employment relationship, without regard to race, religion, color, age, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), marital status, parental status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, ancestry, national origin, citizenship, political affiliation, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit, and business need.