Executive Director, Payer Relations

About the role

About the Role At Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, every role contributes to something bigger: improving lives through exceptional patient care, groundbreaking research, and innovation. As the Executive Director, Payer Relations, you will play a critical leadership role in helping ensure our patients have access to the care they need while supporting the financial strength and long-term success of the organization. In this highly visible leadership position, you will partner closely with the Vice President, Payer Relations and collaborate with leaders across finance, clinical operations, revenue cycle, legal, compliance, information technology, and care management. Together, you'll help shape payer strategy, lead complex contract negotiations, advance value-based care initiatives, and guide a high-performing team responsible for payer contracting, analytics, and operations. This role is ideal for a strategic healthcare leader who enjoys solving complex challenges, building strong partnerships, and influencing organizational decisions that have a meaningful impact on patients and the future of healthcare.

What You'll Do In This Role

• Help develop and execute Roswell Park's payer strategy across all lines of business
• Lead or support complex payer contract negotiations and manage key payer relationships
• Provide strategic guidance on reimbursement, managed care, and value-based care initiatives
• Oversee and develop teams responsible for contracting, payer analytics, and operational support
• Partner with leaders across the organization to identify opportunities for growth, efficiency, and improved patient access
• Analyze financial and reimbursement trends to support executive decision-making
• Ensure payer operations and contracting activities remain compliant with regulatory requirements
• Drive change management efforts related to payer strategy, contracting, and operational improvements
• Serve as a trusted advisor to executive leadership on payer and reimbursement matters

Qualifications

• Required Education and Experience: Doctoral degree and the equivalent of two (2) years of progressively responsible senior-level experience including eighteen (18) months experience in a supervisory, administrative, consultative, managerial or executive capacity; or Master’s degree and the equivalent of four (4) years of progressively responsible senior-level experience including eighteen (18) months experience in a supervisory, administrative, consultative, managerial or executive capacity; or Bachelor’s degree and the equivalent of six (6) years of progressively responsible senior-level experience including eighteen (18) months experience in a supervisory, administrative, consultative, managerial or executive capacity; or Any combination of education/experience/training that demonstrates the ability of the individual to perform executive-level duties and fulfill the responsibilities of the Executive Director.
• Note Degrees must be conferred by an accredited school, college, or university, or by an institution recognized by Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center and/or Health Research Incorporated as adhering to acceptable educational standards.
• Master’s degree and the equivalent of eight (8) years of progressive experience in payer contracting, managed care operations, revenue cycle, or healthcare finance within a provider, health system, MSO/IPA, or payer organization at a senior level, including eighteen (18) months experience in a supervisory, consultative, managerial or executive capacity;
• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Healthcare Administration, Finance, Law, or a related field and the equivalent of ten (10) years of progressive experience in payer contracting, managed care operations, revenue cycle, or healthcare finance within a provider, health system, MSO/IPA, or payer organization at a senior level, including eighteen (18) months experience in a supervisory, consultative, managerial or executive capacity.
• Demonstrated success leading or co-leading complex, high-value payer negotiations across multiple lines of business;
• Track record of building, developing, and leading high-performing teams;
• Experience supporting executive leadership and contributing to enterprise strategy;
• Experience with value-based care, risk contracting, and alternative payment models;
• Experience operating in the New York State payer and regulatory environment (including New York Medicaid managed care and DOH/DFS oversight).
• Expertise in reimbursement methodologies (DRG, APC, fee schedules), medical coding (CPT/HCPCS, ICD-10), and payment integrity principles;
• Expertise with contract and pricing systems and EHR/PM platforms (e.g., Epic Resolute/Contract Management, Oracle Health/Cerner, Meditech, or comparable).
• Strong financial modeling capability and fluency with analytics and business-intelligence tools (e.g., Power BI, Tableau, SQL).
• Strong working knowledge of the healthcare regulatory and managed care landscape.
• Ability to plan and manage team priorities and resources to achieve departmental goals.
• Ability to exercise sound, independent judgment on complex and significant matters and escalate to executive leadership as appropriate.
• Ability to communicate effectively with executive leadership and cross-functional stakeholders.
• Ability to effectively lead change management efforts related to payer strategy, contracting, and operational initiatives.