Operating Room Nurse Manager

Location: Salem Hospital, 890 Oak Street SE, Salem, Oregon 97301
Department: Operating Room (OR)
Position Type: Full Time, 40 hours/week, Exempt
Schedule: 7:00 am – 5:00 pm, Monday – Friday with 24/7 accountability and night/weekend flexing

Your role with us

Salem Health is seeking an experienced nursing leader who is a highly collaborative, self-motivated, skilled mentor to join our team as Operating Room Nurse Manager.

This is more than a management position—it’s a leadership opportunity at the center of Salem Hospital’s surgical services. As the Operating Room Nurse Manager, you will take responsibility for a large and complex team, directly guiding Assistant Nurse Managers while indirectly supporting registered nurses, certified surgical technologists, operating room assistants, and unit clerks—approximately 160 team members in total.

Your work will shape both strategy and operations. Ensuring first-case on-time starts, a critical metric for surgical success, will be a priority as you drive initiatives that align with organizational goals. Visibility and relationship-building are essential in this role. Daily rounding is a cornerstone, allowing you to strengthen connections with frontline staff, surgeons, anesthesiologists, and peer managers across perioperative services.

The operating room environment is dynamic, and success requires a leader who thrives in change management, mentors emerging leaders, and fosters adaptability throughout the team. You will balance clinical expertise with business acumen, understanding workflows while making decisions that support operational excellence and fiscal responsibility. Emotional intelligence and resilience are key; this is a demanding role that can easily spill into personal life if not managed well. We need someone who is self-aware, able to regulate stress, and maintain healthy boundaries while leading effectively.

Continuous improvement will be part of your DNA. You will champion Lean methodologies and High Reliability Organization principles to enhance safety, efficiency, and outcomes. This position is highly collaborative and ideal for someone who thrives on teamwork, relationship-building, and influencing across multiple stakeholder groups. If you prefer working in isolation or rigid schedules, this is not the right fit. Flexibility, adaptability, and a passion for leadership development are essential.

What you'll do

• Lead Daily Operations: Oversee all aspects of OR workflow, staffing, and scheduling to ensure smooth, efficient, and safe surgical services.
• Ensure Compliance: Maintain readiness for regulatory and accreditation standards using High Reliability Organization principles.
• Drive Strategic Initiatives: Collaborate with leadership to align departmental goals with organizational priorities and implement Lean methodologies for continuous improvement.
• Manage Resources: Develop and monitor budgets, allocate resources effectively, and ensure financial stewardship without compromising quality.
• Mentor and Develop Leaders: Provide guidance and coaching to Assistant Nurse Managers and support leadership development across the team.
• Foster Collaboration: Build strong relationships with surgeons, anesthesiologists, and other key stakeholders through regular rounding and open communication.
• Champion Change: Lead through organizational and process changes with confidence, adaptability, and a focus on staff engagement.
• Promote Excellence: Recognize and reward high performance, encourage innovation, and create a culture of accountability and professional growth.
• Advance Education: Identify staff development needs, support continuing education, and model lifelong learning.
• Monitor Outcomes: Use data-driven decision-making to track performance metrics, improve patient outcomes, and sustain operational excellence.

What we're looking for

• Clinical Expertise: Deep knowledge of operating room workflows, perioperative care standards, and surgical services operations.
• Leadership Experience: Proven ability to lead large, complex teams, including mentoring Assistant Nurse Managers and supporting leadership development.
• Change Management Skills: Comfortable navigating organizational restructuring and process changes; adept at guiding teams through dynamic environments.
• Flexibility: Willingness to adapt schedule and approach based on operational needs; thrives in a fast-paced environment.
• Adaptability: Comfortable with ambiguity and evolving priorities; able to pivot strategies as needed.
• Strategic Thinking: Ability to align departmental initiatives with organizational goals and drive long-term strategies for growth and quality.
• Emotional Intelligence: Self-awareness, ability to regulate emotions, and resilience under stress; capable of maintaining work-life balance in a demanding role.
• Business Awareness: Ability to think beyond clinical priorities and understand the broader organizational and financial impact of decisions.
• Financial Acumen: Skilled in budgeting, resource allocation, and understanding how operational decisions impact business performance.
• Trend Recognition: Skilled at identifying patterns and anticipating challenges to proactively address operational issues.
• Coaching & Development: Committed to fostering a learning environment, providing ongoing feedback, and supporting continuing education for staff.

Why Salem Health?

Salem Health is a Top Workplace in Oregon, known for fostering a supportive culture where your contributions truly matter. As an award-winning, independent health care system, we serve our region through Salem Hospital, multiple community clinics and West Valley Hospital, ensuring broad access to high-quality care.

We believe in empowering our teams. Through Lean principles, staff help drive innovation and solve real problems. We also invest in your growth with professional development, tuition assistance, and clear career pathways. At Salem Health, you’ll find more than a job, you’ll find purpose, connection, and room to thrive.

Salem Health Hospitals and Clinics is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or any other status or condition protected by law.

Salem Health Hospitals and Clinics is committed to providing access, equal opportunity, and reasonable accommodation for applicants. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact my.recruiter@salemhealth.org.