Health First, Inc. (Health First), based in Rockledge, FL, is seeking candidates for the role of Deputy General Counsel (DGC) to join its in-house legal department. This is an outstanding opportunity to join a high-performing in-house legal team and work in a positive, responsive and thriving healthcare environment.
Reporting to the Executive Vice President – Corporate Counsel, the DGC serves as a senior leader within the Corporate Legal Department, overseeing the daily operations and management of the legal team while providing legal guidance to both provider and payor operations. The DGC is expected to be a strategic and proactive legal counsel, well-versed in the business dynamics and regulatory environment of the healthcare industry, ensuring efficient departmental operations and delivering specialized legal support aligned with Health First’s mission and growth strategy.
https://hf.org is a not-for-profit Integrated Delivery Network (IDN) located on Central Florida’s East Coast. Recognized in 2023 by Forbes as a best-in-state employer, Health First serves patients and their families, members, and clients from Brevard and Indian River Counties. Ahead of the current healthcare curve, Health First provides comprehensive services and care spanning: health insurance, hospitals, physicians, and outpatient & wellness services. Health First is Central Florida’s only fully IDN and employs approximately 9,000 associates. Health First’s four not-for-profit hospitals (Holmes Regional Medical Center, Cape Canaveral Hospital, Palm Bay Hospital, and Viera Hospital) form the core of Health First’s inpatient operations on Central Florida’s East Coast. This IDN includes these four acute care hospitals, a Level II Trauma Center, a Level II NICU, a robust Medical Group, four fitness centers, a vibrant home care division, a hospice care team, a variety of outpatient services, a training and education center and more. Further, Health First manages their own health plan that provides Group, Individual and Medicare Advantage insurance coverage to members in six counties. In addition to its patient care activities, Health First also operates the community’s only locally-based health maintenance organization, Health First Health Plans. It is important that the DGC is viewed as a leader who is credible, visible, and accessible; someone who exhibits high integrity, a willingness to listen effectively and work collaboratively.
The ideal candidate will be an experienced, results-oriented legal expert with a track record of success leading people and teams in an integrated health system. Candidates will possess strong emotional and social intelligence to develop meaningful relationships at all levels of the organization. The successful candidate must have excellent academic credentials, a law degree from an ABA accredited school of law, membership in the Florida Bar or eligibility for authorized counsel designation is required, and an outstanding record of achievement with at least eight years of relevant experience as an attorney supporting hospitals, physicians and other healthcare providers or health plans. Prior supervisory experience and experience with hospital operations, compliance, hospital-physician contracting, physician engagement or alignment, health plan and health care-related transactions is preferred.
WittKieffer is assisting Health First with this search. Applications, nominations, and inquiries are invited. For fullest consideration, candidates should provide, as two separate documents, a résumé/CV and a letter of interest that addresses the responsibilities and requirements described in the Leadership Profile. Applications should be submitted through WittKieffer’s https://apptrkr.com/6380995 or via email to WittKieffer consultants Werner Boel, Kyle Wiederhold, and Roxana Woudstra at: roxana.woudstra@wittkieffer.com
At Health First, diversity and inclusion are essential for our continued growth and evolution. Working together, we strive to build and nurture a culture that recognizes, encourages, and respects the diverse voices of our associates. We know through experience that different ideas, perspectives, and backgrounds create a stronger and more collaborative work environment that delivers better results. As an organization, it fuels our innovation and connects us closer to our associates, customers, and the communities we serve.