Senior Director, Perioperative Services - 141564

The Senior Director of Perioperative Services provides senior operational leadership for perioperative services at UC San Diego Health's flagship hospital, Jacobs Medical Center. Reporting to the Chief Administrative Officer for Perioperative Services, this executive leads a large, complex, multidisciplinary organization through subordinate Directors, Managers, and other operational leaders and is accountable for translating strategic priorities into operational results.

Operating with a high degree of autonomy, the Senior Director is responsible for the performance of perioperative operations across assigned areas, including patient access, capacity management, workforce effectiveness, financial stewardship, quality and safety, regulatory compliance, and strategic growth initiatives. The position serves as a key member of the Perioperative Executive Leadership Team and partners closely with physician, nursing, anesthesia, administrative, academic, and operational leaders to ensure alignment with UC San Diego Health's mission and organizational objectives.

KEY RESPONSIBILITES
Operational Leadership
* Provide executive oversight for perioperative operations, ensuring safe, efficient, and patient-centered delivery of care.
* Translate organizational strategy into operational priorities, performance goals, and actionable implementation plans.
* Lead and develop a team of Directors, Managers, and other operational leaders, fostering accountability, collaboration, and operational excellence.
* Serve as the senior operational escalation point for complex operational issues and critical decision-making.
Performance, Access, and Growth
* Drive performance across perioperative services with a focus on access, throughput, capacity management, resource utilization, patient experience, and operational efficiency.
* Partner with clinical and administrative leaders to optimize operating room utilization, procedural capacity, and growth initiatives.
* Lead large-scale operational improvement efforts that enhance efficiency, reliability, and service delivery across multiple departments and disciplines.
Financial and Resource Stewardship
* Oversee operating and capital budgets and ensure responsible management of labor, supplies, equipment, and other resources.
* Utilize operational and financial data to guide decision-making, improve performance, and identify opportunities for growth and efficiency.
* Support capital planning and strategic investments that advance organizational priorities and long-term operational needs.
Quality, Safety, and Regulatory Compliance
* Ensure operational systems and processes support high-quality care, patient safety, and regulatory readiness.
* Partner with quality, compliance, infection prevention, risk management, and clinical leadership teams to address operational and patient care priorities.
* Lead corrective actions and improvement initiatives arising from safety events, regulatory findings, operational challenges, or identified risks.
Leadership and Strategic Partnership
* Build strong, collaborative relationships with physician leaders, faculty, nursing leaders, and administrative partners.
* Support the clinical, educational, research, and academic missions of a leading academic medical center.
* Represent Perioperative Services in executive committees, organizational initiatives, and strategic planning efforts.
* Foster a culture of accountability, innovation, continuous improvement, inclusion, and employee engagement.
Leadership Expectations
The successful candidate will be a highly collaborative and results-driven healthcare executive with demonstrated experience leading large, complex clinical operations. This leader must be able to effectively balance strategic vision with operational execution, develop high-performing teams, build trusted partnerships across disciplines, and drive measurable improvements in quality, service, financial performance, and patient outcomes.

The Senior Director is expected to maintain a visible leadership presence, make data-informed decisions, champion innovation and continuous improvement, and advance solutions that best serve patients, providers, staff, and the broader mission of UC San Diego Health.

• Bachelor's degree in Nursing and minimum of 10 years of progressive relevant healthcare experience, including substantial leadership within perioperative, surgical, procedural, or complex acute-care operations.
• Registered Nurse in the State of California.
• Advanced knowledge of hospital operations in a multi-hospital setting; knowledge of appropriate professional standards for the multidisciplinary team.
• Advanced communications and interpersonal skills to promote an effective model of shared governance among multiple disciplines. Ability to motivate and engage all levels of staff regarding patient care programs, strategies, and organizational mission and values.
• Advanced leadership, fiscal and operations management skills. Ability to develop nurse leaders in their adoption and promotion of a shared governance model of collaboration.
• Ability to develop a systems strategic plan and implementing that vision across a large, complex organization.
• In-depth knowledge of a broad scope of relevant regulatory requirements, as well as legislative, accreditation, licensing and compliance environments.
• Demonstrated experience working directly with senior executives, physicians, faculty, and clinical department leadership.

• Advanced Degree in Nursing or relevant area.
• Five or more years leading through subordinate managers, with demonstrated responsibility for complex multidisciplinary operations.
• Senior leadership experience within a large academic medical center or integrated health system.
• Multi-departmental perioperative leadership experience.
• Experience overseeing multiple perioperative disciplines including OR, Preoperative Services, PACU, Sterile Processing, Ambulatory Surgery, Supply Chain, Surgical Scheduling, and/or Business Operations.
• Experience leading significant organizational transformation, growth, construction, capital planning, technology implementation, or enterprise performance-improvement initiatives.
• Certification in relevant area preferred (CNOR, CSSM, NEA-BC, FACHE)
• Lean Six Sigma or equivalent performance-improvement certification.
• Current UC San Diego Health employee.

• Must be able to work various hours and locations based on business needs.
• Employment is subject to a criminal background check and pre-employment physical.