Director, Optometry - 140151

About the role

The Director, Optometry is the chief optometrist for the Department of Ophthalmology, responsible for overseeing, evaluating, and advancing the performance of the optometry service, including in the areas of primary eye care, urgent eye care, diabetic eye care, dry eye, glaucoma, low vision, neuro-ophthalmic disorders, specialty contact lenses, pediatrics, and myopia control. The role provides strategic and operational leadership for the optometry service, ensuring high-quality, efficient patient care while supporting and guiding optometrists and technical staff in the optometry clinics.

Responsibilities

• Provides critical leadership support across clinical, operational, and administrative functions.
• Is responsible for optometrist recruitment and contributes to workforce development and performance management.
• Develops, implements, and executes plans to expand optometry care services, including at satellite clinic locations.
• Affords oversight and guidance to ophthalmology and family medicine residents in urgent eye care and ocular disease management.
• Applies advanced optometric principles to diagnose, treat, and manage diseases, injuries, and disorders of the visual system and associated structures, and to identify systemic conditions with ocular manifestations.
• Performs examinations and procedures, uses medical devices and technologies, and prescribes pharmaceutical agents in accordance with California State Board of Optometry regulations.

Requirements

• Doctoral degree in optometry issued by an accredited school/college of optometry.
• Completion of optometry residency, or equivalent experience.
• Licensure by the California State Board of Optometry.
• California Topical Pharmaceutical Agents and Glaucoma Certification.
• Seven or more years of relevant experience in the practice of optometry.
• Broad knowledge and skills of optometry essential to managing the clinic and associated services.
• Strong knowledge associated with diagnosing eye diseases and various eye conditions, which may be unusual and/or complex in nature.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Skills to present complex information in a clear and concise manner.
• Effective decision-making and project leadership skills.
• Strong management skills. Oversight of important projects and initiatives.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills. Able to work in a collaborative manner with campus management, patients, staff, and faculty at all levels across campus.
• Proven ability to organize and manage multiple priorities, and to delegate work functions efficiently.
• Broad skills associated with managing HR and fiscal resources in a manner necessary to achieve unit objectives and goals.
• Demonstrated ability to provide supervision, guidance and discipline to staff members.
• Advanced knowledge and skills of optometry essential to successful performance of duties assigned to this position. Experience in optometry standard operating procedures and policies.
• Advanced knowledge and expertise in medical optometry and urgent eye care in order to treat and manage ocular diseases.
• Must be able to communicate complex findings of examination to patients to patients in a clear and concise manner.
• Ability to work with diverse patient population. Skill to develop relationships and communicate with diverse groups of people using tact, judgment, diplomacy and flexibility.
• Exercises judgment to interpret University and Department policies. Participates in the implementation of processes.
• Knowledge of and adherence to the UCSD Principles of Community.
• Demonstrate professionalism in dress, conversation, attitude, behavior, and attentiveness to people. Conducts duties with honesty, accountability, fairness, and professionalism.

Qualifications

• Doctoral degree in optometry issued by an accredited school/college of optometry.
• Completion of optometry residency, or equivalent experience.
• Licensure by the California State Board of Optometry.
• California Topical Pharmaceutical Agents and Glaucoma Certification.
• Seven or more years of relevant experience in the practice of optometry.
• Broad knowledge and skills of optometry essential to managing the clinic and associated services.
• Strong knowledge associated with diagnosing eye diseases and various eye conditions, which may be unusual and/or complex in nature.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Skills to present complex information in a clear and concise manner.
• Effective decision-making and project leadership skills.
• Strong management skills. Oversight of important projects and initiatives.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills. Able to work in a collaborative manner with campus management, patients, staff, and faculty at all levels across campus.
• Proven ability to organize and manage multiple priorities, and to delegate work functions efficiently.
• Broad skills associated with managing HR and fiscal resources in a manner necessary to achieve unit objectives and goals.
• Demonstrated ability to provide supervision, guidance and discipline to staff members.
• Advanced knowledge and skills of optometry essential to successful performance of duties assigned to this position. Experience in optometry standard operating procedures and policies.
• Advanced knowledge and expertise in medical optometry and urgent eye care in order to treat and manage ocular diseases.
• Must be able to communicate complex findings of examination to patients to patients in a clear and concise manner.
• Ability to work with diverse patient population. Skill to develop relationships and communicate with diverse groups of people using tact, judgment, diplomacy and flexibility.
• Exercises judgment to interpret University and Department policies. Participates in the implementation of processes.
• Knowledge of and adherence to the UCSD Principles of Community.
• Demonstrate professionalism in dress, conversation, attitude, behavior, and attentiveness to people. Conducts duties with honesty, accountability, fairness, and professionalism.

Skills

• Extensive expertise in ocular disease, and urgent eye care.
• Strong knowledge associated with diagnosing eye diseases and various eye conditions, which may be unusual and/or complex in nature.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Skills to present complex information in a clear and concise manner.
• Effective decision-making and project leadership skills.
• Strong management skills. Oversight of important projects and initiatives.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills. Able to work in a collaborative manner with campus management, patients, staff, and faculty at all levels across campus.
• Proven ability to organize and manage multiple priorities, and to delegate work functions efficiently.
• Broad skills associated with managing HR and fiscal resources in a manner necessary to achieve unit objectives and goals.
• Demonstrated ability to provide supervision, guidance and discipline to staff members.
• Advanced knowledge and skills of optometry essential to successful performance of duties assigned to this position. Experience in optometry standard operating procedures and policies.
• Advanced knowledge and expertise in medical optometry and urgent eye care in order to treat and manage ocular diseases.
• Must be able to communicate complex findings of examination to patients to patients in a clear and concise manner.
• Ability to work with diverse patient population. Skill to develop relationships and communicate with diverse groups of people using tact, judgment, diplomacy and flexibility.
• Exercises judgment to interpret University and Department policies. Participates in the implementation of processes.
• Knowledge of and adherence to the UCSD Principles of Community.
• Demonstrate professionalism in dress, conversation, attitude, behavior, and attentiveness to people. Conducts duties with honesty, accountability, fairness, and professionalism.

Benefits

This position offers comprehensive benefits including health insurance, retirement plans, and paid time off.

Pay

Annual Full Pay Range: $119,400 - $230,800 (will be prorated if the appointment percentage is less than 100%)

Schedule

The schedule for this position is typically full-time, with occasional evening and weekend hours required.