Position Description

Shriners Children’s St. Louis is seeking an experienced, mission-driven physician leader to serve as Chief of Staff – Orthopedics, guiding our dedicated medical teams while advancing clinical excellence and operational performance. The Chief of Staff ensures strategic alignment between departmental operations and organizational objectives, oversees clinical governance functions, facilitates interdisciplinary coordination, and promotes the delivery of high-quality, patient- and family-centered orthopedic care. In addition to clinical responsibilities, the Chief provides executive support to physicians and Advanced Practice Providers, manages departmental initiatives, and oversees clinical quality, compliance, academic affairs, and operational efficiency.

Successful candidates must be a board-certified pediatric orthopedic surgeon, fellowship-trained, and possess progressive leadership experience in clinical operations, administration, or physician leadership roles. Compensation is determined by a combination of years of post-fellowship experience and departmental equity.

Why Shriners Children’s?

Shriners Children's is the premier pediatric burn, orthopedic, spinal cord injury, cleft lip and palate, and pediatric subspecialties healthcare system. With multiple hospitals, outpatient clinics, ambulatory care centers and outreach locations across the globe, we provide excellent care to children up to age 18 regardless of their family’s ability to pay or insurance status. Our mission is to change and improve lives by caring for our patients, conducting research to gain knowledge and develop new treatments, and providing educational opportunities for physicians and other healthcare professionals.

• Ranked top Midsized Employer by Forbes and Statistica Inc. (2025)
• 4 locations ranked on S. News & World Report’s list of Best Children’s Hospitals for pediatric orthopedics
• Winner of 9 Press Ganey Awards for Patient Experience (2025)
• $20 million in annual funding for innovative research in genomics, clinical motional analysis, and other forms of translational research.

About Shriners Children’s St. Louis

Shriners Children’s St. Louis is where hope and healing meet. Our hospital is a nationally recognized pediatric orthopedic specialty center dedicated to providing exceptional, compassionate care to children regardless of their families’ ability to pay.

Our team of highly specialized orthopedic physicians delivers comprehensive inpatient and outpatient care across a broad range of conditions, including pediatric orthopedics, limb lengthening and reconstruction, spinal deformity and scoliosis, neuromuscular conditions, orthotics and prosthetics, and complex fracture care, with close collaboration across surgical and multidisciplinary teams.

In partnership with St. Louis Children’s Hospital, Shriners Children’s St. Louis has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of the nation’s best children’s hospitals for pediatric orthopedics. The hospital serves as a regional, national, and international referral center, caring for patients from surrounding states as well as families from outside the United States.

Shriners Children’s St. Louis maintains a strong global outreach mission, with clinics in Belize, Barbados, and the West Indies, and partnerships with organizations such as World Pediatric Project and Children’s Medical Mission West. Through these efforts, children from countries including Burkina Faso, Haiti, Côte d’Ivoire, and St. Lucia receive life-changing orthopedic care that would otherwise be unavailable to them.

Benefits

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance: Health Savings Account (HSA) and Flexible Spending Account (FSA) options available
• 403(b) Retirement Savings Plan with generous employer match, 457(b) Deferred Compensation Plan, and Defined Contribution Supplemental Retirement Plan
• Generous budget and time off for Continuing Medical Education (CME)
• Employer sponsored professional liability coverage
• Relocation assistance
• School Loan Forgiveness and Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) eligibility
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Basic Life/AD&D and Short-Term Disability Insurance provided at no cost
• Paid Time Off (PTO) and Wellness bank
• Voluntary Benefits: Long Term Disability Insurance, Critical Illness/Accident Insurance, hospital indemnity coverage, identity theft protection, and more.

All employees are eligible to enroll in medical coverage starting on their first day. Other benefit elections may vary based on eligibility and location.

Position Responsibilities

• Administrative, Operational and Organizational Duties
  • Act as the primary administrative liaison between the Orthopedics department and the hospital’s executive leadership team, ensuring effective communication and alignment on organizational objectives.
  • Ensure that the Medical Staff is appropriately represented in meetings of the Board of Governors and assure Medical Staff involvement in Joint Conference committee, Quality Assurance Committee, Medical Staff meetings, and other hospital and committee board meetings
  • Ensure the Board of Governors is adequately informed of medical staff issues and activities
  • Collaborate with local medical staff and other Chiefs of Staff to develop Medical Staff Bylaws and suggest appropriate changes and revisions for approval by the Join Boards
  • Support and implement, as appropriate, hospital regulations and policies as established by the Joint Boards and local Board of Governors
  • Build, support, and grow relationships with sponsoring Shrine Temples and the medical staff
  • Work to develop and maintain relationships within the wider medical community (local, regional, national, and international)
  • Manage physician workforce activities, including recruitment, credentialing, training, performance evaluations, and professional development.
  • Work with hospital administration and Headquarters to develop and manage departmental budget, contracts, and operational expenditures, ensuring the effective use of resources.
  • Oversee daily operations of the orthopedics department, including clinical scheduling, patient flow, staffing, and resource allocation.
  • Represent the orthopedics department on hospital committees and task forces, advocating on behalf of departmental interests and contributing to hospital-wide initiatives
  • Ensure processes are in place to achieve timely and accurate completion of medical records in a manner that supports efficient, quality clinical care, research, and compliance with meaningful use

• Clinical, Educational, and Research Duties
  • Support the orthopedics department in developing and implementing strategic plans for the Department, including growth initiatives, quality improvement, and clinical outcomes tracking.
  • Lead and monitor quality improvement initiatives within the department, focusing on enhancing patient care, safety, and outcomes, and ensuring compliance with regulatory standards.
  • Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams including surgeons, nurses, therapists, social workers, and support staff to ensure optimal, coordinated patient care.
  • Oversee the implementation and adherence to clinical protocols, guidelines, and best practices, ensuring evidence-based practices are incorporated into patient care.
  • Promote research within the orthopedics department, supporting faculty and staff in their academic and scholarly pursuits.
  • Supervise and support ongoing education and training programs for staff, including resident and fellow education, continuing medical education (CME), and interdisciplinary team development.
  • Ensure compliance with legal, regulatory, and hospital-specific policies, including HIPAA, patient safety, and ethical standards.
  • Address patient or family concerns regarding treatment and care, facilitating resolution through appropriate channels.

• Personal Surgical Activities
  • Demonstrate quality and competency in the performance of surgical specialty
  • Modulate personal surgical activity in order to provide adequate leadership for the hospital’s overall goals

Education

• Doctor of Medicine (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) from an accredited medical school
• Advanced degree in healthcare administration, business administration, public health, or related field preferred (e.g., MBA, MHA, MPH, CPE).
• Completion of an ACGME accredited residency in Orthopedic Surgery or Neurosurgery
• Completion of fellowship training in Pediatric Orthopedic Surgery or Pediatric Spine Surgery

Experience

• Minimum of 8–10 years of clinical practice in orthopedic surgery or spine surgery, preferably with experience in a pediatric setting.
• Minimum of 5-7 years of progressive leadership experience in clinical operations, administration, or physician leadership roles.
• Experience in academic medicine, research administration, and/or graduate medical education preferred.

Certification and Licensures

• Board certification in Orthopedic Surgery by the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery (ABOS), with subspecialty training in Pediatric Orthopedics. Those with a neurosurgical background should be board certified in Neurological Surgery by the American Board of Neurological Surgery (ABNS), with subspecialty training in pediatric neurosurgery.
• Must possess eligibility for active and unrestricted medical licensure in the state of practice
• Must possess eligibility for active DEA
• Must possess Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers (BLS for HCP) and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) certification
• Credentialing and privileging by the medical staff in accordance with hospital bylaws

Additional Knowledge and Skills

• Demonstrated knowledge of healthcare operations, clinical quality improvement, and physician workforce management.
• Strong organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills with the ability to manage complex relationships and competing priorities.
• Proven ability to lead multidisciplinary teams and drive clinical and operational excellence.
• Understanding of hospital accreditation standards, healthcare regulatory requirements, and compliance frameworks.
• Commitment to the mission of pediatric healthcare, patient advocacy, and service excellence.
• High level of discretion, professionalism, and ethical integrity.

About Shriners Children's St. Louis

Shriners Children's is the premier pediatric orthopedic, burn, spinal cord injury, cleft lip and palate, and pediatric subspecialties healthcare system. With multiple hospitals, outpatient clinics, ambulatory care centers and outreach locations across the globe, we provide excellent care to children up to age 18 regardless of their family’s ability to pay or insurance status. Our mission is to change and improve lives by caring for our patients, conducting research to gain knowledge and develop new treatments, and providing educational opportunities for physicians and other healthcare professionals. •Ranked top Midsized Employer by Forbes and Statistica Inc. (2025) •4 locations ranked on U.S. News & World Report’s list of Best Children’s Hospitals for pediatric orthopedics •Winner of 12 Press Ganey Guardian of Excellence Awards and 5 Pinnacle of Excellence Awards for Patient Experience (2024) •$20 million in annual funding for innovative research in genomics, clinical motional analysis, and other forms of translational research.

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