Director of Critical Care Transport - OKC

Job Title: Director of Critical Care Transport
Work Location: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (University Health)
Division/Department: Critical Care Transport / University Health Air and Ground Operations

The Director of Critical Care Transport provides executive-level leadership, clinical oversight, and operational direction for Pafford Medical Services’ ground and air critical care transport program in support of the University Health and University Health Children’s partnership. The Director is responsible for standing up, staffing, and continuously improving a fully integrated adult, pediatric, and neonatal critical care transport system operating from Pafford’s Oklahoma City hub, ensuring safe, high-acuity interfacility and scene transport that meets the clinical standards of University Health, applicable accreditation bodies, and state and federal regulations. The Director leads a multidisciplinary team of critical care paramedics, critical care and flight nurses, EMTs, and support personnel across a 24-hour ALS/critical care and BLS fleet, and coordinates closely with air-medical partners, University Health physicians and nursing leadership, and Pafford executive leadership to deliver a seamless continuum of critical care transport.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Directs the day-to-day and strategic operations of the Pafford ground and air critical care transport program supporting the University Health and University Health Children’s contract, including adult critical care transport, pediatric and neonatal transport, and peak-demand oncology transport services.
• Leads the implementation and go-live of the critical care transport program, coordinating fleet readiness, staffing, credentialing, protocols, and equipment to meet the established launch timeline and service commitments.
• Builds and sustains a standardized 12-hour shift model that enables cross-utilization of clinical staff across ground and air assets, maximizing coverage, flexibility, and continuity of care.
• Oversees the deployment and readiness of the critical care fleet, including 24-hour ALS units with critical care transport capability, 24-hour BLS units, and peak-hour transport assets, ensuring appropriate posture to meet contracted response and transport demand.
• Coordinates integrated ground and air operations with air-medical partners, including flight-certified critical care paramedics and flight-certified registered nurses, and ensures appropriate crew configuration for each level of transport.
• Provides operational oversight of neonatal and pediatric critical care transport, supporting rotor-wing airframe transitions and fleet expansion in coordination with air-medical and children’s hospital partners.
• Partners with University Health and University Health Children’s clinical leadership, physicians, and nursing to align transport protocols, quality standards, and clinical scope of practice with receiving-facility expectations.
• Develops, authors, and maintains critical care transport clinical protocols, standard operating procedures, dispatch and triage guidelines, and crew-configuration matrices in collaboration with the Medical Director.
• Directs recruitment, hiring, onboarding, orientation academy, and ongoing competency validation for critical care transport personnel, partnering with Human Resources on hiring events and staffing plans for the new positions created under the program.
• Establishes and monitors clinical and operational quality metrics, conducts case review and continuous quality improvement, and drives corrective action for the critical care transport service line.
• Ensures all vehicles, aircraft interfaces, medical equipment, and controlled substances are maintained, inventoried, and compliant with regulatory, accreditation, and University Health requirements.
• Manages program budgets, staffing models, unit-hour utilization, and productivity in coordination with executive leadership and finance.
• Serves as the primary operational liaison between Pafford Medical Services and University Health / University Health Children’s for all critical care transport matters, ensuring nothing falls through the cracks during implementation and ongoing operations.
• Ensures compliance with air-medical, state EMS, CMS, Joint Commission, and CAMTS standards (as applicable), as well as University Health clinical and safety requirements.
• Provides leadership, mentorship, scheduling oversight, and performance management for supervisors and clinical staff within the critical care transport division.
• Represents Pafford at implementation meetings, clinical committees, and partner briefings, and provides regular status reporting to executive leadership.
• Supports and promotes the Pafford EMS culture and serves as a steward of the company brand in all interactions with clinical partners, patients, and the public.
• Maintains strict compliance with all Pafford Policies & Procedures.
• Maintains strict compliance with all rules and regulations set forth by state and federal programs.
• Performs other related duties or tasks as assigned.

Education and/or Work Experience Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing, Emergency Health Sciences, Healthcare Administration, or a related field required; Master’s Degree preferred. Equivalent clinical licensure with progressive leadership experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
• Current, unrestricted licensure as a Paramedic or Registered Nurse required; Oklahoma licensure or reciprocity required upon date of hire.
• Minimum of five (5) years of critical care, flight, or high-acuity transport experience, with at least three (3) years in a supervisory or leadership role, preferably within a ground and/or air critical care transport program.
• Certified critical care credentials strongly preferred: Paramedics (FP-C or CCP-C) and Registered Nurses (CFRN, CCRN, or CTRN).
• Demonstrated experience standing up or managing a critical care and/or air-medical transport service, including staffing, protocol development, and hospital-partner coordination, preferred.
• Must possess and maintain BLS, ACLS, and PALS; NRP and specialty neonatal/pediatric transport credentials preferred.
• Certification in ICS 100, 200, 700, and 800 preferred.
• Working knowledge of CAMTS standards, CMS Conditions of Participation, and applicable state EMS and air-medical regulations preferred.
• Must possess and maintain an unrestricted state driver’s license; must have completed CEVO or EVOC upon date of hire, or within 90 days of hire.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to brief executive leadership and hospital partners and to author clinical and operational documents.
• Excellent computer proficiency (MS Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook); experience with ePCR, CAD/dispatch, and scheduling platforms preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to lead teams, make sound decisions under pressure, and manage competing priorities while maintaining a positive attitude and providing exemplary customer service.
• Ability to work independently and to carry out assignments to completion within parameters of instructions given, prescribed routines, and standard accepted practices.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to safely and successfully perform the essential job functions consistent with the ADA, FMLA, and other federal, state, and local standards, including meeting qualitative and/or quantitative productivity standards.
• Ability to maintain regular, punctual attendance consistent with the ADA, FMLA, and other federal, state, and local standards.
• Must be able to lift and carry up to 100 lbs. and to assist with patient movement, loading, and the handling of transport equipment.
• Work may require sitting, near vision use for reading and computer use, lifting, stooping, bending, stretching, walking, standing, pushing, pulling, reaching, and other physical exertion.
• Must be able to talk, listen, and speak clearly in person, on two-way radios, and on the telephone.
• Must possess visual acuity to prepare and analyze data and figures, perform planning functions, operate a computer terminal, operate a motor vehicle (day and night), and do extensive reading.
• Must be able to work in and around ground and air transport environments, including confined spaces, varying weather conditions, and extended operational periods.

 

NOTE: The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by the person assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, skills and physical demands required of personnel so classified.