Chief of Newborn Medicine

Job Summary:

Valley Children’s Specialty Medical Group, supporting Valley Children's Healthcare, is seeking an outstanding neonatologist to serve as the Chief of Newborn Medicine. This role offers the opportunity to build off the foundation of clinical excellence achieved by a high-performing and invested team of providers, while advancing the local and regional impact of our neonatal and multi-specialty services.

The Chief of Newborn Medicine will provide clinical services as a portion of their role, with the majority of their time dedicated to leadership and programmatic development. This is a unique opportunity for a visionary physician leader to shape the future of neonatal care across Central California and build upon an exceptional clinical foundation while expanding access, advancing innovation, developing future leaders, and improving outcomes for the region's most vulnerable patients and families.

Job Description:

The Chief of Newborn Medicine provides clinical, operational and strategic leadership traversing patient care, quality, research, and education. The Chief models the way in fostering a culture of “Our Best” through effective communication, professionalism, team development, and mentorship. The Chief will have oversight responsibilities for the Level IV, 88 bed NICU at Valley children’s Hospital, our regional 28 Level II and Level III NICU beds, along with three Level 3 programs at our partner hospital locations across the Valley. The Chief plays an important role in strengthening alignment across the brand, providing a consistent approach to care at all locations where our teams provide clinical services. This approach is expanded to include all referral hospitals in a coordinated effort to enhance care and collaboration in our 40,000 square mile catchment area. The NICU is center to our multidisciplinary team supporting high-risk pregnancies / deliveries across Central California, in partnership with our Maternal Fetal Medicine and Obstetrics services.

This role partners closely with the Chief Nursing Officer, NICU director and the President of Valley Children’s Specialty Medical Group, with direct reporting oversight of the NICU Medical Directors at all locations and the Manager & Chief NNP. Additionally, the Chief spearheads efforts endorsed by the NICU Governance Council to ensure the highest quality and safest evidence-based care for every patient. This position offers candidates a transformative opportunity to lead physicians, NNPs, nursing leaders, and multidisciplinary teams to strengthen our regional neonatal network, improve access, and drive the future of neonatal care for the patients and families of the Central Valley.

Essential Functions:

• Provide strategic, clinical, and operational leadership for newborn medicine services across the main campus, regional NICU locations, and partner hospital programs.
• Oversee delivery of high-quality, safe, evidence-based neonatal care, partnering with the NICU Governance Council and multidisciplinary leaders to advance outcomes and standardize best practices.
• Strengthen alignment across all clinical sites by promoting a consistent approach to neonatal care, access, quality, patient experience, and provider collaboration.
• Serve as a practicing neonatologist while dedicating significant time to leadership, program development, system growth, and service-line advancement.
• Lead, mentor, and develop physicians, neonatal nurse practitioners, medical directors, nursing leaders, and multidisciplinary team members to foster a culture of excellence, professionalism, accountability, and collaboration.
• Partner with executives, physicians, nursing, and operational leaders to expand the regional neonatal network and enhance care coordination across Central California.
• Advance innovation, education, research, and continuous improvement initiatives that support clinical excellence and the long-term growth of newborn medicine services.
• Collaborate with Maternal Fetal Medicine, Obstetrics, referral hospitals, and community partners to support high-risk pregnancies, deliveries, transfers, and integrated care for newborns and families.

Qualifications:

• MD or DO; board-certified in neonatology
• At least 5 years of clinical practice experience in neonatology
• 5 years in a leadership role preferred.
• California medical license or eligibility to obtain
• Demonstrated ability to build consensus, navigate competing priorities, and resolve conflict across multidisciplinary teams.
• Track record of leading organizational change and achieving measurable improvements in clinical quality, operations, or program development.

Compensation and Benefits:

Valley Children’s Specialty Medical Group offers competitive compensation and benefits package designed to support physicians professionally and personally. A standout feature of the package is our retirement benefit, with employer contributions made on the physician’s behalf without requiring an employee contribution.

The package also includes comprehensive medical, dental and vision coverage; malpractice coverage, including tail coverage; a CME allowance with dedicated CME days; and sign-on bonus and relocation assistance.

Life in Central California

Located in the heart of California, the Central Valley offers an appealing combination of affordability, space and accessibility that can be difficult to find in many of the state’s larger metropolitan areas. Physicians can enjoy a comfortable lifestyle with shorter commutes while remaining within reach of some of California's most popular destinations.

The region is a gateway to Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, with the Central Coast, Napa Valley, San Francisco and Los Angeles all accessible for weekend getaways. Outdoor recreation, year-round sunshine, a growing food and wine scene, and family-friendly communities make Central California an attractive place to build both a career and a life.

Salary Range: $477,715 to $597,143

Workshift:

Position Exempt:

Yes

Daily Hours:

12

Have Questions?

Call Courtney Kimura at 559-349-0237 or email at ckimura1@valleychildrens.org

About Us

Valley Children’s Healthcare – one of the largest pediatric healthcare networks in the nation – provides Central California’s only high-quality, comprehensive care exclusively for children, from before birth to young adulthood. With more than 670 physicians and 3,500 staff, Valley Children’s delivers high-quality, comprehensive care to more than 1.3 million children in our service area. Our network offers highly specialized medical and surgical services to care for children with conditions ranging from common to the highly complex at our 358-bed stand-alone children’s hospital that includes 28 regional NICU beds. Our family-centered, pediatric services extend from a leading pediatric cancer and blood disorders center home on the West Coast, and a pediatric heart center known for its expertise and pioneering treatments, to a Regional Level IV neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), the highest level referral center between Los Angeles and the Bay Area. We participate in community initiatives, we support community efforts, we get involved where we can do the most good.