What are the responsibilities and job description for the Director of Operations position at Northwest Ambulance?
Northwest Ambulance is seeking an experienced and driven Director of Operations to lead and optimize all aspects of a 24/7 private EMS and ambulance operation serving multiple counties. This senior leadership role is responsible for operational excellence across clinical care, workforce performance, financial outcomes, regulatory compliance, and system scalability.
As a key member of the executive leadership team, the Director of Operations partners closely with the CEO and other leaders to scale operations, improve profitability, strengthen compliance, and build a disciplined, high-performing field leadership structure.
Responsibilities and Duties:- Lead daily ambulance operations across all shifts.
- Develop and execute deployment models aligned with call volume trends.
- Monitor KPIs daily and take immediate corrective action when needed.
- Build a culture of accountability and professionalism in the field.
- Manage operational budgets and labor cost controls.
- Analyze cost per transport and margin performance.
- Identify operational inefficiencies and implement corrective strategies.
- Collaborate with finance and billing to optimize revenue capture.
- Lead and develop supervisors and field leadership.
- Drive performance management and corrective action when necessary.
- Reduce toxic culture and increase professionalism across the workforce.
- Design staffing models that reduce burnout and turnover.
- Ensure compliance with state EMS regulations, CMS requirements, OSHA, DOT, and HIPAA.
- Maintain audit readiness at all times.
- Oversee QA/QI initiatives and incident investigations.
- Reduce organizational liability exposure.
- Ensure high fleet availability and preventive maintenance compliance.
- Plan vehicle replacement cycles.
- Optimize equipment readiness and asset utilization.
- Support contract retention and new business development.
- Provide operational modeling for expansion opportunities.
- Assist executive leadership with scaling initiatives.
- Understand both field operations and financial performance.
- Can read and interpret P&L statements.
- Is comfortable making difficult personnel decisions.
- Communicates clearly and directly.
- Stays composed during high-risk projects, incidents, and events.
- Leads with structure, accountability, and integrity.
- Thinks in metrics, not excuses.
Experience & Education:
- 7 years of progressive EMS experience.
- 5 years in operational leadership within a private ambulance service.
- Demonstrated responsibility for 24/7 multi-unit operations.
- Experience managing supervisors and command-level staff.
- Proven record of improving operational KPIs.
- EMT required; Paramedic strongly preferred.
Preferred:
- Bachelor's or master's degree in healthcare administration, EMS Management, Business, Juris Doctorate, Master of Legal Studies (M.L.S.) / Master of Jurisprudence (M.J.) or related field.
- Experience managing $5M operational budgets.
- Direct involvement in Medicare/Medicaid compliance and billing oversight.
- Experience preparing for state inspections or accreditation.
- Lean, Six Sigma, or operational efficiency training.
- Experience scaling an EMS operation.
We offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, and vision insurance to ensure the well-being and health of our employees.
Exempt employees who are scheduled to work on a designated company holiday will receive holiday pay in accordance with Northwest Ambulance policy.
We invest in your future with a 401(k)-retirement plan that includes an employer match of up to 5%, helping you build a long-term financial security.
We value work-life balance and offer paid time off, giving you the flexibility to rest, recharge, and take care of what matters most.
To maintain a professional and consistent appearance across our team, uniforms are provided to all employees, ensuring you always look your best while representing our company.
Wages:
Our wage range is $175,000 to $250,000 annually, DOE
Candidates who move forward may be asked to deliver a presentation on one of the following topics:
Application Closing Date: May 21st, 2026 by 5pm
Please include a cover letter with your resume.
We are an equal opportunity employer and consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected status.
Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States.
Salary : $175 - $250