Clinical Director of Surgical Services

A respected, community-focused healthcare system in Upstate New York is seeking a Clinical Director of Surgical Services to provide operational and clinical leadership for a comprehensive perioperative services department at its flagship campus. This is an outstanding opportunity for an experienced perioperative leader who is passionate about surgical services, operational excellence, team development, and delivering exceptional patient care.

Reporting to the Senior Director of Procedural and Perioperative Services, the Clinical Director will serve as a visible, hands-on leader responsible for the day-to-day operations, strategic direction, quality outcomes, and financial performance of a growing surgical services division. The ideal candidate will be a collaborative "player-coach" who enjoys being present with staff, building strong physician relationships, and driving performance through accountability, communication, and continuous improvement.

The Opportunity

This leader will oversee a robust perioperative platform that includes:

• Seven operating rooms on the main hospital campus
• Three operating rooms within the ambulatory surgery center
• Four endoscopy suites
• Dedicated pre-operative, post-operative, scheduling, and sterile processing functions
• Advanced surgical technology, including a Da Vinci robotic surgery program

Surgical specialties include orthopedics, general surgery, urology, plastics, ENT, OB/GYN, vascular, endoscopy, spine, neurosurgery, and sports medicine.

The Clinical Director will directly oversee key departmental leaders, including the OR Manager, Assistant OR Manager, Sterile Processing leadership, recovery and scheduling functions, and related perioperative operations. The department includes approximately 100 FTEs.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide operational, clinical, and financial leadership across all perioperative service lines.
• Ensure safe, efficient, and patient-centered surgical care delivery while maintaining regulatory and accreditation compliance.
• Drive performance related to throughput, patient satisfaction, quality outcomes, productivity, and operational metrics.
• Partner closely with physicians, nursing leaders, and interdisciplinary teams to optimize workflows and enhance the surgical experience.
• Mentor, coach, and develop leaders and staff to foster engagement, accountability, and professional growth.
• Evaluate departmental structure, staffing models, and leadership effectiveness to ensure teams are positioned for success.
• Lead policy development, operational improvement initiatives, and implementation of perioperative best practices.
• Participate in annual operating and capital budget development and monitor financial performance.
• Serve as the primary voice and advocate for the surgical services team while maintaining 24/7 accountability for departmental operations.

Ideal Candidate Profile

The successful candidate will be a confident but approachable leader who leads through collaboration, visibility, and trust. This individual will possess a strong understanding of the entire perioperative continuum, including operating room operations, sterile processing, pre-operative and post-operative services, patient flow, and quality improvement.

Candidates should bring:

• Current RN licensure (or eligibility for New York licensure)
• Bachelor's degree in Nursing required
• Master's degree (MSN, MHA, MBA, or related field) preferred; candidates currently pursuing an advanced degree will be considered
• Progressive perioperative leadership experience, including management of surgical services operations
• Strong understanding of surgical throughput, performance metrics, staffing, and quality initiatives
• Experience managing budgets, capital planning, and operational improvement projects
• Demonstrated ability to build strong relationships with physicians, staff, and executive leadership
• Knowledge of sterile processing operations and perioperative best practices
• Ambulatory surgery leadership experience will be considered, provided experience extends beyond a single-specialty environment

Leadership Style

This organization seeks a leader who:

• Maintains an open-door, highly visible leadership presence
• Is self-motivated, accountable, and solution-oriented
• Communicates openly and effectively at all levels
• Takes ownership of challenges and follows through on commitments
• Builds trust through consistency, humility, and collaboration
• Is passionate about surgical services and genuinely cares about supporting staff and patients