Director of Operations

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The Director of Operations provides leadership and oversight for the day-to-day operations of the hospital and designated clinical and support services. This position is responsible for ensuring safe, efficient, patient-centered, and financially responsible operations while supporting the hospital's strategic priorities and commitment to serving the needs of the local community.

The Director partners closely with the Hospital President, medical staff, nursing leadership, and system leaders to drive operational performance, quality, patient experience, workforce engagement, and regulatory compliance.

Given the size and scope of a rural hospital, this position may have responsibility for multiple departments and functions and serves as a highly visible operational leader across the organization.

Leadership Expectations
The Director of Operations is expected to be a highly visible leader who maintains a strong presence throughout the hospital and community. Success requires the ability to balance local decision-making with system standards and resources.

The successful leader will demonstrate a willingness to work across organizational boundaries, build trust with physicians and employees, address operational challenges directly, and maintain a strong focus on patient care, employee engagement, financial stewardship, and community needs.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

EDUCATION, CERTIFICATION, AND/OR LICENSURE:

1.Bachelor's degree in healthcare administration, business administration, nursing, or a related field.

EXPERIENCE:

1. Minimum of 5-7 years of progressive healthcare leadership experience.

2. Demonstrated experience managing hospital or healthcare operations.

3. Experience leading teams and managing people, managing budgets, and improving operational performance.

4. Strong understanding of healthcare regulatory, quality, and patient safety requirements.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

EDUCATION, CERTIFICATION, AND/OR LICENSURE:

1. Master's degree in Healthcare Administration, Business Administration, Nursing, or related field.

EXPERIENCE:

1. Experience in a rural hospital, critical access hospital, community hospital, or similarly sized healthcare organization.

2. Experience with hospital operations across multiple clinical or ancillary departments.

3. Experience with performance improvement, Lean, Six Sigma, or other process improvement methodologies.

4. Experience working within an integrated health system.

CORE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: The statements described here are intended to describe the general nature of work being performed by people assigned to this position.  They are not intended to be constructed as an all-inclusive list of all responsibilities and duties.  Other duties may be assigned.

1. Operational Leadership:

• Provide day-to-day operational leadership for assigned hospital departments and services.
• Develop and implement operational plans that support hospital and system strategic priorities.
• Monitor operational performance, productivity, staffing, access, patient flow, and service quality.
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, reduce unnecessary variation, and optimize resources.
• Establish and monitor departmental goals, performance measures, and accountability.
• Participate in hospital leadership meetings and contribute to enterprise-wide initiatives.

2. Patient Care and Service Operations:

• Partner with nursing, medical staff, and clinical leaders to ensure effective coordination of patient care.
• Support efficient patient flow across emergency, inpatient, outpatient, diagnostic, and ancillary services.
• Identify barriers to timely access and develop solutions to improve throughput and patient experience.
• Promote a culture focused on patient safety, service excellence, and continuous improvement.
• Respond to operational issues and facilitate timely resolution of patient and staff concerns.

3. Financial and Resource Management:

• Participate in development and management of departmental operating budgets.
• Monitor expenses, productivity, staffing levels, and other financial indicators.
• Identify opportunities to improve financial performance while maintaining quality and patient safety.
• Ensure appropriate utilization of equipment, facilities, supplies, and human resources.
• Support capital planning and business cases for operational needs.

4. Workforce and Leadership:

• Lead, coach, and develop department leaders and employees within areas of responsibility.
• Promote employee engagement, accountability, teamwork, and retention.
• Partner with Human Resources on recruitment, workforce planning, performance management, employee relations, and leadership development.
• Ensure appropriate staffing models and workforce practices are implemented.
• Build strong relationships with physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses, and other clinical professionals.

5. Quality, Compliance, and Regulatory Readiness:

• Promote adherence to applicable federal, state, accreditation, and health system standards.
• Support readiness for regulatory and accreditation surveys.
• Monitor quality, safety, patient experience, and compliance metrics.
• Partner with Quality, Risk Management, Infection Prevention, and other system resources to address identified opportunities.
• Participate in performance improvement and patient safety initiatives.

6. Physician and Community Relations:

• Develop effective working relationships with the medical staff and physician leadership.
• Partner with physicians to identify and address operational challenges.
• Support recruitment and retention of providers and key clinical staff.
• Serve as an ambassador for the hospital within the local community.
• Help identify opportunities to expand services and improve access to care for the rural population.

7. Strategic Planning and Growth:

• Participate in hospital strategic planning and service-line development.
• Evaluate opportunities to expand or enhance services based on community needs, market conditions, and financial considerations.
• Assist with implementation of system initiatives and operational integrations.
• Lead or participate in special projects designed to improve hospital performance.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

WORKING ENVIRONMENT: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

1. Standard office environment

SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

1. Strategic and operational leadership

2. Financial acumen

3. Relationship building and collaboration

4. Physician partnership

5. Change management

6. Problem solving and decision making

7. Workforce leadership and development

8. Patient-centered leadership

9. Quality and patient safety

10. Communicating and influence

11. Community engagement

12. Accountability and execution

Additional Job Description:

Scheduled Weekly Hours:

40

Shift:

Exempt/Non-Exempt:

United States of America (Exempt)

Company:

WH Wheeling Hospital Inc.

Cost Center:

500 WH Administration

Address:

Clarion

Pennsylvania

Equal Opportunity Employer

 

West Virginia University Health System and its subsidiaries (collectively "WVUHS") is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local fair employment practices laws. WVUHS strictly prohibits and does not tolerate discrimination against employees, applicants, or any other covered persons because of race, color, religion, creed, national origin or ancestry, ethnicity, sex (including gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), age, physical or mental disability, citizenship, past, current, or prospective service in the uniformed services, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law. All WVUHS employees, other workers, and representatives are prohibited from engaging in unlawful discrimination. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, training, promotion, discipline, compensation, benefits, and termination of employment.