East Carolina Anesthesia Associates (ECAA) is a physician-owned anesthesia practice providing high-quality perioperative care across multiple healthcare settings in North Carolina. With a tradition of clinical excellence and collaborative practice, ECAA is committed to continuous improvement, operational strength, and fostering a culture centered on exceptional patient care and teamwork.  Headquartered in Greenville, NC—a vibrant, growing community with a dynamic university presence and top-tier medical district—ECAA offers both professional opportunity and quality of life. Greenville is home to East Carolina University, a thriving healthcare ecosystem, cultural amenities, and a welcoming, family-friendly atmosphere.

ECAA is the Southeast’s fastest growing, most comprehensive anesthesiology practice. In partnership with hospitals, surgery centers, and doctor’s offices, ECAA physicians and anesthetists are in more than 50 locations throughout North Carolina and Southeast Virginia. The practice’s success is a result of a strong leadership culture, delivering excellent patient care, maintaining strong relationships with hospitals and surgeons and making sound financial staffing and OR management decisions.  In addition to anesthesia, ECAA also offers pain management services through ECPC Pain Specialists’ division where physicians use both traditional and innovative approaches in delivering pain control.

Reporting to the Board of Directors and working closely with the Executive Committee of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) serves as the senior administrative executive of ECAA. The CEO is responsible for strategic leadership and day-to-day operations and is expected to build a high-performing administrative infrastructure, enhance organizational alignment across siloed practices, and represent the organization to hospital and payer partners. The CEO will be a respected operational leader and communicator with the capability to build cohesion and elevate performance within a dynamic, physician-led environment.  The CEO is responsible for fostering physician and partner engagement and ensuring sustainable growth. The successful candidate will be a mission-aligned, experienced healthcare executive with proven success in physician group leadership, organizational development, and stakeholder relationship management.  Some of the successful candidate’s key responsibilities may include:

• Strategic Direction, System Integration & Operational Execution

The CEO serves as the board’s key strategist and strategic advisor, helping collaborate, create, implement and execute a cohesive strategy for greater organizational alignment and “systemness” where appropriate.  He/she must be skilled in the tools and methods of strategic thinking and planning, and in the effective application of those tools to achieve the organization’s key priorities and address specific challenges.

• Practice Growth & Development

The CEO will collaborate with the board and key stakeholders to create a sound and efficient structure that supports the dynamic needs of a growing, geographically dispersed organization.  The collective group will collaborate in identifying and pursuing opportunities for growth and expansion of ECAA.  These efforts could relate to organic development, M&A or other opportunities within existing or potential future markets which will continue to impact sound and effective governance.

• Financial Management

The CEO is accountable for the financial performance and stability of ECAA.  This includes ensuring a sound budget based on the practice’s strategic plan, and together with senior staff, implementing and administering it effectively.  He/she should build a culture of appreciation for financial impact in decision making, alongside fiscal accountability across multi-locations.

• Board Support/Governance

The CEO builds and maintains an effective working relationship with the ECAA board of directors.  He/she helps establish and maintain a sound governance structure that appropriately supports a geographically diverse organization like ECAA, while maintaining balance between site-specific needs and practice level alignment. He/she communicates with the board, keeping it informed of the condition of the practice, and prepares regular reports containing the information necessary for the board to carry out its obligations.  The CEO also provides the necessary liaison and staff support to committees of the board to enable it to carry out its duties.

• Team Leadership & Development

The CEO should be a true servant leader.  He/she should be energetic, resilient and achievement oriented while managing and supporting all team members directly.  He/she must communicate clear expectations and provide regular coaching for successful performance.  He/she will help recruit, hire, and lead an outstanding team of talented leaders who help ECAA achieve and fulfill its mission to patients, shareholders, staff and partners.

• Partnerships & Collaborations

The CEO initiates, develops, and contributes to advancing ECAA partnerships and alliances with hospitals, health systems, payers, other healthcare organizations/practices, etc.  The CEO serves as the spokesperson for ECAA and should be well regarded by key external audiences, contributing to a positive external reputation. 

Some of the more specific responsibilities may include:

• Leading and managing administrative operations with a focus on accountability, performance metrics, and process optimization.
• Serving as a strategic partner and operational liaison to the physician board, hospital systems, and payer partners.
• Promoting a cohesive culture by supporting collaboration across diverse and geographically dispersed practice settings. Operational integration or “systemness” is needed as ECAA grows and enhances its level of sophistication and alignment.
• Overseeing financial planning and reporting, including revenue cycle operations, budgeting, and forecasting.
• Representing ECAA in negotiations with health systems and payers; ensuring favorable and strategic contractual relationships.
• Supporting physician leadership by offering insight, guidance, and alignment across practice operations.
• Serving as a key public representative for ECAA with health system partners, affiliated practices, and industry associations.

• Minimum of 10-15 years of progressive executive experience in a healthcare provider or physician group setting required. Physician-owned, independent practice experience is strongly desired.
• Demonstrated experience leading administrative teams, improving operations, and supporting multi-site operations.
• Strong understanding of healthcare finance, revenue cycle, and payer contract negotiation.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to build trust-based relationships with physicians and external partners.
• An undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university is required, with an advanced degree (MBA, JD, MD, MMM, MHA, etc.) strongly preferred.
• Proven track record in successful grassroots collaborations and consensus
• Proven track record of success in facilitating progressive organizational leadership, growth, innovation and development.
• Relationship-oriented and savvy regarding the dynamics of effective influence and bridge-building.
• Strategic thinker with creativity and decisiveness to shape direction, restructure processes, and identify areas for growth and/or points for convergence.
• An excellent communicator with employees, physician members and constituents at all levels inside and outside the organization and communities served; Interpersonal savvy, including:
  • Verbal and written communication skills
  • Active listening skills
  • Being both respectful and respected
  • Command/Presentation ability/Executive presence
  • Professional and polished
  • Demonstrates restraint
  • Persuasive and influential
  • Strategic agility in dealing with complex and dynamic situations or relationships
• Collaborative, open, approachable, personable, and cooperative – can create a positive working environment inside and outside of the practice.
• A demonstrated drive for results and a track record of significant accomplishments.
• Managerial courage with the willingness and ability to make tough decisions.
• Ability to deal well with ambiguity.
• Ethical, transparent, trustworthy, honest, and possessing the highest integrity.