Career opportunity
RN Director of Perioperative Services
Posted: October 6, 2026
Director of Perioperative Services
Location: Ithaca, NY (Finger Lakes region of NYS)
Direct Hire
Employment Type: Full-Time
Compensation: $155,000–$165,000
Excellent Benefits Package
Level: System Director
Position Overview
A leading healthcare organization is seeking an experienced Director of Perioperative Services to provide system-level operational, financial, clinical, and administrative leadership across its perioperative services.
The Director will oversee a broad surgical and procedural portfolio, including operating rooms, preoperative and postoperative care, preadmission testing, surgery scheduling, endoscopy, and sterile processing.
This is a highly visible leadership position focused on improving patient safety, patient satisfaction, operational efficiency, throughput, quality, workforce performance, and financial results across multiple perioperative locations.
Key Responsibilities
Provide system-level leadership for perioperative services.
Direct the overall daily operations of perioperative departments.
Oversee operating room, preoperative and postoperative care, preadmission testing, OR scheduling, endoscopy, and sterile processing functions.
Ensure compliance with Joint Commission, local, state, and federal regulations and accreditation requirements.
Establish and implement short- and long-term operational goals, policies, and procedures.
Monitor operational effectiveness and implement improvements as needed.
Develop an organizational structure and staffing model capable of meeting operational and clinical objectives.
Provide administrative leadership and solutions to surgical-services and executive leadership teams.
Foster strong collaboration between clinical departments and medical staff leadership.
Coordinate resources across the organization to achieve operational and financial objectives.
Improve access, throughput, efficiency, patient experience, and financial performance.
Establish performance targets and metrics for efficiency, patient satisfaction, service levels, and quality.
Develop management reports analyzing capacity, staffing ratios, utilization, quality, coding, scheduling, and other critical operational data.
Develop and implement policies and standardized workflows.
Partner with nursing, finance, information services, and other departments to optimize centralized services and information flow.
Maintain 24/7 accountability for clinical and building services.
Lead recruitment, retention, performance management, and professional development.
Coach and mentor managers and emerging leaders.
Monitor quality outcomes and develop performance-improvement plans.
Participate in development and management of annual operating and capital budgets.
Conduct cost and productivity analyses and make fiscally responsible recommendations.
Serve as a leadership representative during regulatory reviews.
Identify and implement best practices to improve efficiency, throughput, quality, and patient outcomes.
Re-engineer processes and develop strategies to improve surgical operations.
Build consensus across a complex, matrixed healthcare organization.
Support strategic growth and operational initiatives for perioperative services.
Required Qualifications
BSN required.
Master's degree preferred.
5+ years of healthcare experience with a focus on surgical services.
3+ years of surgical-services leadership experience.
Current RN license.
Demonstrated knowledge of operating-room and perioperative clinical standards.
Strong understanding of surgical operations and healthcare business processes.
Strong fiscal-management and analytical capabilities.
Experience with budgeting, cost control, productivity analysis, and performance metrics.
Strong employee-development, recruitment, retention, and performance-management skills.
Ability to work effectively in a matrixed organizational structure.
Preferred Qualifications
AORN, CASC, or another appropriate leadership certification.
Experience leading multiple perioperative departments or locations.
Experience with operational redesign, process improvement, and throughput optimization.
Strong project-management capabilities.
Experience using healthcare information, financial, and database systems.
Demonstrated ability to develop and implement operational and marketing strategies.
Opportunity
This is an exceptional opportunity for a seasoned perioperative leader to assume system-level responsibility for a comprehensive surgical and procedural operation.
The successful candidate will have significant influence over clinical quality, patient experience, staffing, operational efficiency, financial performance, and the strategic growth of perioperative services.
Compensation: $155,000–$165,000 annually.
Qualified candidates are encouraged to submit their résumé for confidential consideration.
Why Ithaca, NY?
• Home to Cornell University and Ithaca College
• Stunning Finger Lakes scenery, waterfalls, and hiking trails
• Vibrant arts, dining, and cultural scene
• Strong sense of community and excellent schools
• Easy access to outdoor recreation year-round
• High quality of life with a balanced pace of living
Location: Ithaca, NY (Finger Lakes region of NYS)
Direct Hire
Employment Type: Full-Time
Compensation: $155,000–$165,000
Excellent Benefits Package
Level: System Director
Position Overview
A leading healthcare organization is seeking an experienced Director of Perioperative Services to provide system-level operational, financial, clinical, and administrative leadership across its perioperative services.
The Director will oversee a broad surgical and procedural portfolio, including operating rooms, preoperative and postoperative care, preadmission testing, surgery scheduling, endoscopy, and sterile processing.
This is a highly visible leadership position focused on improving patient safety, patient satisfaction, operational efficiency, throughput, quality, workforce performance, and financial results across multiple perioperative locations.
Key Responsibilities
Provide system-level leadership for perioperative services.
Direct the overall daily operations of perioperative departments.
Oversee operating room, preoperative and postoperative care, preadmission testing, OR scheduling, endoscopy, and sterile processing functions.
Ensure compliance with Joint Commission, local, state, and federal regulations and accreditation requirements.
Establish and implement short- and long-term operational goals, policies, and procedures.
Monitor operational effectiveness and implement improvements as needed.
Develop an organizational structure and staffing model capable of meeting operational and clinical objectives.
Provide administrative leadership and solutions to surgical-services and executive leadership teams.
Foster strong collaboration between clinical departments and medical staff leadership.
Coordinate resources across the organization to achieve operational and financial objectives.
Improve access, throughput, efficiency, patient experience, and financial performance.
Establish performance targets and metrics for efficiency, patient satisfaction, service levels, and quality.
Develop management reports analyzing capacity, staffing ratios, utilization, quality, coding, scheduling, and other critical operational data.
Develop and implement policies and standardized workflows.
Partner with nursing, finance, information services, and other departments to optimize centralized services and information flow.
Maintain 24/7 accountability for clinical and building services.
Lead recruitment, retention, performance management, and professional development.
Coach and mentor managers and emerging leaders.
Monitor quality outcomes and develop performance-improvement plans.
Participate in development and management of annual operating and capital budgets.
Conduct cost and productivity analyses and make fiscally responsible recommendations.
Serve as a leadership representative during regulatory reviews.
Identify and implement best practices to improve efficiency, throughput, quality, and patient outcomes.
Re-engineer processes and develop strategies to improve surgical operations.
Build consensus across a complex, matrixed healthcare organization.
Support strategic growth and operational initiatives for perioperative services.
Required Qualifications
BSN required.
Master's degree preferred.
5+ years of healthcare experience with a focus on surgical services.
3+ years of surgical-services leadership experience.
Current RN license.
Demonstrated knowledge of operating-room and perioperative clinical standards.
Strong understanding of surgical operations and healthcare business processes.
Strong fiscal-management and analytical capabilities.
Experience with budgeting, cost control, productivity analysis, and performance metrics.
Strong employee-development, recruitment, retention, and performance-management skills.
Ability to work effectively in a matrixed organizational structure.
Preferred Qualifications
AORN, CASC, or another appropriate leadership certification.
Experience leading multiple perioperative departments or locations.
Experience with operational redesign, process improvement, and throughput optimization.
Strong project-management capabilities.
Experience using healthcare information, financial, and database systems.
Demonstrated ability to develop and implement operational and marketing strategies.
Opportunity
This is an exceptional opportunity for a seasoned perioperative leader to assume system-level responsibility for a comprehensive surgical and procedural operation.
The successful candidate will have significant influence over clinical quality, patient experience, staffing, operational efficiency, financial performance, and the strategic growth of perioperative services.
Compensation: $155,000–$165,000 annually.
Qualified candidates are encouraged to submit their résumé for confidential consideration.
Why Ithaca, NY?
• Home to Cornell University and Ithaca College
• Stunning Finger Lakes scenery, waterfalls, and hiking trails
• Vibrant arts, dining, and cultural scene
• Strong sense of community and excellent schools
• Easy access to outdoor recreation year-round
• High quality of life with a balanced pace of living