Director, Digital Engagement

University of Wisconsin Health (UW Health) has retained Kirby Partners to conduct a nationwide executive search for candidates for their Director, Digital Engagement.

About UW Health:

UW Health is an integrated health system with a total of nine hospitals (six main hospitals, one joint operating agreement hospital,  and two hospitals within the main Illinois hospital), and four medical centers in Wisconsin and Illinois. UW Health is affiliated with the University of Wisconsin–Madison.  

UW Health partners with the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health to advance patient care, research, education, and community service to patients from across the U.S. and around the world. 

UW Health is nationally recognized by Newsweek and Statista as one of the world’s best specialized hospitals and was named the #1 hospital in Wisconsin for the 13th consecutive year by U.S. News & World Report. 

Position Overview

Reporting to the Chief Marketing Officer and leading a team of twenty with two direct reports, the Director of Digital Engagement is responsible for the adoption, usage, and advancement of key consumer-facing digital experiences for the UW Health system.

The Director will play a pivotal role in shaping the digital strategy and ensuring the successful execution of projects to enhance UW Health’s digital capabilities and deliver on the UW Health customer experience. These user-centered technologies include patient-centered technologies such as:

• Public-facing websites
• Marketing automation and integration technologies
• Find a Doctor functionality
• Online scheduling
• Mobile application experience
• Content management and delivery

The Director will lead marketing ideation, development, and execution for digital experience tools, serving as a key partner to the system’s IS teams in aligning platforms and priorities across the system. The Director will champion UW Health’s agile approach to drive efficiency, velocity, and quality while continuously improving work methods.

Collaborating closely with cross-functional stakeholders, the Director will leverage consumer insights, usage patterns, and technology advancements to build and expand digital experience tools and capabilities within UW Health. This involves establishing, meeting, and continuously monitoring goals and objectives while maintaining alignment with UW Health’s strategic vision.

The Director will ensure critical milestones and deliverables around adoption are met on time and within budget. They will provide high levels of internal communication on project strategies, deliverables, and plan schedules. The Director will also ensure all outcomes and deliverables align with UW Health’s organizational goals, objectives, and quality standards.

After successful implementation of the digital experience strategy, the Director will manage ongoing initiatives through continual optimization and identification of new opportunities.

Upcoming Projects:

• Potential redesign of the uwhealth.org website
• Designing landing pages for hyper-focused, targeted campaigns
• Build a cohesive, unified platform using Salesforce, Kyruus and Gozio

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Healthcare, IT, Engineering, Data Science, Business, Design, or a related field
• Proven experience in project leadership, including enterprise-wide agile initiatives
• Success in leading product teams and agile technology development
• Track record of implementing user-centered, multi-technology solutions
• Experience in change management for adopting new technologies
• Proficiency in working with various Digital Experience technology vendors, from startups to enterprise-level
• History of successful partnerships with stakeholders in deploying new technologies

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in Healthcare, Information Technology, Engineering, Data Science, Business, Design, or a related field
• Ten (10) years of experience in a large academic or complex health program
• Epic application certification or proficiency

Leadership Competencies:

• Highly collaborative nature
• Strategic mindset with the ability to influence and build consensus
• Experience managing and building relationships within remote teams
• Propensity to think beyond traditional methods
• Track record of progressive responsibility and leadership
• Skill in storytelling and translating IS concepts for non-IS audiences
• Effective communication across all levels of organizational leadership
• Ability to develop strong relationships with key stakeholders
• Maintains a robust industry network with digitally-minded marketing leaders
• Aptitude for identifying gaps and improving digital experiences
• Patient-focused philosophy
• Proactive approach to work

About Madison, Wisconsin

Capital city and vibrant college town

Located in south central Wisconsin and nestled between Lakes Mendota and Monona, Madison is the capital of Wisconsin and the second largest city in the state. The city offers numerous museums, arts & music venues and festivals, unique local shopping, award-winning restaurants, and sporting events. 

A highly desirable place to live

Ranked as one of the best places to live in the U.S. for the second year in a row by Livability, Madison offers an eclectic mix of big-city amenities with scenic attractions. The city is named as one of the five best cities for biking in the U.S., providing easy access to beautiful rural spots and nearby communities. Madison has highly rated public schools and is ranked one of the top 20 safest cities in America. 

The greenest city in America

Madison is renowned for its green environment and eco-conscious residents. This city has become an example of how to maintain a green environment. There are about 11.6 parks per 10,000 residents, one of the highest rates in the U.S. The city has also been ranked #3 Happiest City in America by WalletHub in 2023. 

Procedure for Candidacy

Final candidates should expect two interviews with Kirby Partners recruiters (including a video conference interview). You may be asked to complete our “Executive Profile” and submit references to be considered for presentation to the search committee.