Chief Medical Officer, Detention Operations

Position Information: Basic Details

Travel Requirement: Yes – up to 50%

Teleworking: Yes

Full-Time/Part-Time: Full time

FLSA Status: Salary / Exempt

• Pay is based on a number of factors including market location and may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.

Position Summary Information: Duties and Requirements

Job Summary: The Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Detention Operations is responsible for providing enterprise-wide physician leadership, clinical governance, and quality oversight for GardaWorld Federal Services' (GWFS) government agency healthcare programs. Reporting directly to the Senior Director, Medical Programs, the CMO serves as the clinical authority for detention healthcare operations and ensures the delivery of high-quality, patient-centered, and compliant healthcare services across all federal detention facilities supported by GWFS.

The incumbent is responsible for strategic clinical leadership, operational oversight, regulatory compliance, healthcare quality management, patient safety initiatives, workforce support, and medical program performance.

The CMO ensures healthcare services are delivered in accordance with contractual requirements, National Detention Standards (NDS), Performance-Based National Detention Standards (PBNDS), accreditation standards, applicable federal and state regulations, evidence-based medical practices, and organizational policies.

The position serves as the principal medical advisor for federal healthcare operations and works collaboratively with government stakeholders, facility leadership, and multidisciplinary healthcare teams to promote operational excellence and continuous improvement.

Duties/Responsibilities

• Provide executive physician leadership and oversight for all GWFS government agency Medical Operations programs.
• Serve as the principal medical advisor regarding healthcare operations, clinical quality, patient safety, regulatory compliance, and strategic medical initiatives.
• Establish, implement, and maintain enterprise-wide clinical policies, procedures, treatment protocols, and standards of care.
• Monitor healthcare operations to ensure compliance with National Detention Standards (NDS), Performance-Based National Detention Standards (PBNDS), HIPAA requirements, federal regulations, accreditation standards, and contractual obligations.
• Oversee clinical quality management, peer review, utilization management, infection prevention, patient safety, and risk management programs.
• Review and evaluate healthcare outcomes, mortality reviews, sentinel events, serious incident reports, clinical audits, and corrective action plans.
• Identify operational risks and implement strategies to improve clinical quality, regulatory compliance, healthcare efficiency, and patient outcomes.
• Conduct executive-level site visits, operational reviews, compliance assessments, and program evaluations across healthcare operations.
• Collaborate with corporate medical leadership to address clinical, operational, staffing, quality, and compliance challenges.
• Serve as the senior medical representative in interactions with government agency Headquarters, Contracting Officers, Contracting Officer Representatives (CORs), accreditation organizations, and government stakeholders.
• Support audits, inspections, accreditation surveys, government reviews, and contract performance evaluations.
• Monitor healthcare staffing models and workforce readiness to support operational continuity and contractual compliance.
• Provide strategic oversight of physician recruitment, credentialing, privileging, retention, succession planning, and provider performance management.
• Develop and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs), healthcare dashboards, quality metrics, and operational performance measures.
• Prepare executive reports, clinical analyses, medical summaries, performance reviews, and strategic recommendations.
• Support business development initiatives, proposal efforts, capture activities, program transitions, and healthcare growth opportunities.
• Promote a culture of professionalism, accountability, evidence-based practice, continuous improvement, and patient-centered care.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Required Education, Certifications, Licenses, and Experience:

• Doctor of Medicine (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degree from an accredited medical school in the United States or its territories, or from a foreign medical school providing education and medical knowledge equivalent to an accredited U. S. medical school, as established by the National Committee on Foreign Medical Education and Accreditation. Graduates of foreign medical schools must maintain permanent certification by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG).
• Current board certification in Internal Medicine, Family Medicine, Preventive Medicine/Preventive Health, Emergency Medicine, or another relevant clinical specialty. Board certification in Internal Medicine, Family Medicine, or Preventive Medicine is preferred.
• Minimum of ten (10) years of post-residency clinical practice experience, including at least six (6) years providing direct patient care as a physician.
• Minimum of seven (7) years of progressive physician leadership experience overseeing healthcare operations, medical staff, clinical programs, quality management, or multi-site healthcare delivery systems, including at least three (3) years providing clinical supervision and leadership to physicians, other medical professionals, and ancillary clinical staff.
• Current, full, and unrestricted license to practice medicine in at least one U. S. state or territory. The physician must obtain and maintain an unrestricted license in each state where the physician is assigned to provide patient care or exercise clinical authority when required by applicable law or contract.
• Current Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers certification through the American Heart Association, or the ability to obtain the certification before beginning clinical duties.
• Current DEA registration or the ability to obtain and maintain all registrations necessary for the assigned responsibilities and practice locations.
• Demonstrated experience in detention healthcare, correctional healthcare, federal healthcare programs, public health systems, or comparable complex healthcare environments.
• Ability to obtain and maintain all required government clearances, facility credentials, and contractual qualifications.
• Ability to provide proof of U. S. citizenship or legal authorization to work in the United States.
• Must consent to fingerprinting, background investigations, and any other required suitability or security screening.
• Must be able to read, write, speak, and understand English proficiently.
• Extensive knowledge of detention healthcare operations, correctional healthcare practices, and federal healthcare programs.
• Thorough understanding of National Detention Standards (NDS), Performance-Based National Detention Standards (PBNDS), federal healthcare requirements, and applicable regulatory standards.
• Knowledge of quality assurance, performance improvement, peer review, infection prevention, patient safety, and risk management principles.
• Strong executive leadership and physician management skills.
• Ability to evaluate healthcare operations, clinical performance, staffing effectiveness, and compliance indicators across multiple facilities.
• Strong analytical, critical thinking, decision-making, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent written, verbal, and presentation communication abilities.
• Ability to effectively engage executive leadership, government officials, healthcare providers, accreditation organizations, and operational personnel.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, including PowerPoint, Excel, Word, Outlook, and Teams.
• Ability to analyze healthcare data, identify trends, and develop strategic recommendations.
• Strong organizational, project management, and leadership skills.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound medical judgment in complex operational environments.
• Ability to travel extensively and provide support across geographically dispersed healthcare programs.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience serving as a Chief Medical Officer, Corporate Medical Director, National Medical Director, Regional Medical Director, or equivalent executive physician leadership role.
• Experience supporting government agencies through other federal healthcare programs.
• Master of Public Health (MPH), Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA), Master of Business Administration (MBA), or related advanced degree.
• Experience with ACA, NCCHC, Joint Commission, or other healthcare accreditation standards.
• Experience managing healthcare services across multiple detention facilities or federal healthcare contracts.
• Experience supporting healthcare contract mobilizations, transitions, and business growth initiatives.

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. During visits to areas of operations, may be exposed to extreme cold or hot weather conditions. Is occasionally exposed to fumes or airborne particles, toxic or caustic chemicals, and loud noise.

Physical Requirements

The physical demands listed below, though not fully inclusive, are that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Must be able to remain in a stationary position 50% of the time.

The employee is frequently required to move about inside the office to access file cabinets, office machinery, etc. The employee is occasionally required to stand; climb or balance and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.

GardaWorld Federal Service