Senior Director of Cell and Gene Therapy Program Operations

Sick Cells is hiring a Senior Director of CGT Program Operations to lead implementation of the Cell and Gene Therapy (CGT) Access Model. Sick Cells is a nonprofit advocacy organization working to improve the lives of individuals and families affected by sickle cell disease (SCD) through community engagement, policy action, education, and systems change.

The Senior Director will oversee day-to-day implementation of the CGT Access Model program, ensuring successful coordination across stakeholders, timely execution of deliverables, and alignment with state Medicaid and grant requirements. This individual will serve as the primary point of contact for SCDAI and external partners, while helping design, operationalize, and strengthen the infrastructure, workflows, and coordination needed to support long-term program success.

This is a full-time, hybrid position, with two days per week spent in Sick Cells’ Wheaton, IL office. Occasional travel, weekend, and evening work will be required.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Lead overall implementation and day-to-day management of the CGT Access Model program.
• Develop and manage detailed workplans, timelines, deliverables, and reporting processes.
• Serve as the primary liaison to partner SCDAI and coordinate communication across partners.
• Manage relationships with state agencies, managed care organizations (MCOs), qualified treatment centers (QTCs), providers, and community organizations.
• Facilitate regular partner meetings, implementation check-ins, and stakeholder coordination activities.
• Oversee program operations, workflow development, and issue resolution.
• Support development and refinement of operational processes, systems, and implementation strategies as the program evolves.
• Supervise program staff and coordinate activities across workstreams.
• Support development and implementation of patient intake, referral, and wraparound service workflows.
• Coordinate quarterly reporting and support compliance with grant and Medicaid requirements.
• Assist with staffing efforts, onboarding, and internal team structure development, and CGT team member management.
• Identify operational gaps and recommend improvements to strengthen implementation.
• Support strategic planning and long-term sustainability efforts.
• Supervise internal tracking systems, dashboards, and reporting tools to support program oversight.
• Participate in leadership meetings and strategic planning discussions, and
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; degree in public health, healthcare administration, social work, or related field preferred.
• 6-8 years of experience in healthcare program management, Medicaid programs, public health, nonprofit operations, or related fields.
• Comfortability building systems and workflows in a growing, evolving environment.
• Experience managing complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives.
• Familiarity with Medicaid systems, healthcare access programs, or care coordination models preferred.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience supervising staff and coordinating cross-functional teams.

Benefits 

This is a full-time, direct-hire position. The salary for this position is commensurate with experience, ranging from $90,000 to $100,000. The benefits package includes health, vision, and dental insurance, 403b 1% match, professional development, and generous paid leave.

How to Apply

To apply, please send a current resume and cover letter to employment@sickcells.org, with “Senior Director of CGT Program Operations” in the subject line. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until the position is filled.