Director, Perioperative Services

Director, Perioperative Services
Location: Mission Viejo, California
Employment Type: Full Time
The Director, Perioperative Services provides multidisciplinary leadership and administrative authority for perioperative patient care units and departments on a 24-hour basis under the direction of the Chief Nursing Officer (CNO).
The Director assumes service-line accountability for the management, development, and performance of perioperative programs, including operating room services and related departments. The role is accountable for clinical quality, operational outcomes, financial performance, staff development, patient safety, and alignment with organizational priorities.
In the absence of the Chief Nursing Officer, the Director may assume authority for directing nursing department activities. The Director also promotes a healthy professional practice environment and advocates for patient safety, quality outcomes, and adherence to the ANA Nursing Administration Scope and Standards of Practice.
Key Responsibilities
Resource Utilization & Operations

• Lead management and development of business plans and programs within the perioperative service line.
• Maintain accountability for operational performance and results across designated patient care units and departments.
• Integrate nursing expertise and business competencies into operational and business decisions.
• Optimize fiscal and human resource allocation to support organizational objectives.
• Promote appropriate use of innovative applications and new technologies.
• Evaluate the cost, risks, benefits, and operational impact of proposed plans and solutions.
• Consider environmental health and sustainability when implementing new technologies and practices.

Leadership & Staff Development

• Provide leadership, direction, mentoring, and development to perioperative managers.
• Promote a positive and professional image of nursing and clinical services.
• Recognize staff contributions and facilitate educational and professional development opportunities.
• Foster a collaborative practice model throughout nursing.
• Build strong nursing morale and create an environment that supports engagement, excellence, and professional growth.
• Develop effective teams aligned with organizational goals and shared values.
• Serve as a change agent and team builder within the professional practice environment.
• Assess manager strengths and developmental needs and provide timely, constructive feedback.
• Promote recruitment and retention of high-quality patient care staff.
• Ensure annual performance evaluations are completed on time.
• Support advancement of the nursing profession through professional organizations and development activities.

Financial Management

• Develop, monitor, and analyze labor, operating, and capital budgets for assigned areas.
• Ensure appropriate allocation of human and material resources.
• Monitor economic performance against budget plans.
• Balance safety, effectiveness, cost, and impact on clinical practice when planning and delivering services.

Communication

• Apply broad knowledge and experience when addressing complex operational and clinical issues.
• Clearly identify strategic issues and make decisions using relevant information.
• Promote effective communication throughout the organization.
• Communicate needs, concerns, and issues appropriately through the chain of command.
• Deliver clear, organized, and credible presentations.
• Facilitate communication between departments and integrate perioperative services with the hospital's overall operations.

Collaboration

• Partner with the Chief Nursing Officer in developing and implementing policies and procedures supporting patient care.
• Ensure policies, procedures, standards of care, and standards of practice are consistent with current nursing and clinical research.
• Collaborate with staff, interdisciplinary teams, executive leadership, physicians, medical directors, and other stakeholders.
• Partner with medical staff and medical directors to establish service-line goals.
• Build effective relationships with physicians and support collaborative practice.
• Incorporate nursing assessment, diagnosis, planning, intervention, evaluation, and patient advocacy into care delivery.

Quality & Performance Improvement

• Identify opportunities for performance improvement throughout the perioperative service line.
• Develop and implement quality initiatives that measurably improve patient care and operational performance.
• Collect and analyze comprehensive performance data.
• Establish expected outcomes and develop plans to achieve them.
• Systematically improve nursing practice, nursing administration, and service delivery.
• Use creativity and innovation to improve care delivery and patient outcomes.
• Use quality-improvement results to drive changes in nursing practice and healthcare delivery.
• Maintain an effective ongoing program to measure, assess, and improve quality of care, treatment, and services.
• Evaluate the practice environment and nursing care against evidence-based practices.
• Promote best practices through collaboration across the healthcare industry.
• Ensure patient care services comply with JCAHO, Title 22, and other applicable regulatory agencies.
• Ensure annual clinical staff skill validation and proficiency requirements are completed.

Customer Satisfaction

• Develop and implement strategies to achieve hospital customer-satisfaction goals within assigned patient care units.

Ethics & Professional Practice

• Demonstrate competencies aligned with the organization's core values.
• Integrate ethical principles into all areas of management and nursing practice.
• Promote patient advocacy, professional standards, and ethical/legal nursing practice.

Systems Accountability

• Ensure required systems and application access certifications are completed every 90 days for all direct reports within the SJHS environment.

Required Qualifications
Education & Credentials

• Master's Degree in Nursing, OR
• Bachelor's Degree in Nursing plus a Master's Degree in a relevant field such as management, policy, or administration.
• California Registered Nurse (RN) License required upon hire.

Experience

• 10+ years of nursing experience.
• 3+ years of nursing leadership/administration experience.
• Experience leading clinical/nursing operations and multidisciplinary teams.
• Experience with financial management, quality improvement, staff development, and regulatory compliance.