Job Description

The Organization

Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC) is a nationally recognized pediatric healthcare system committed to delivering world-class, compassionate care to children across Southern California. With a strong emphasis on innovation, research, and education, CHOC is home to cutting-edge medical programs and a team of highly skilled professionals dedicated to advancing pediatric and fetal medicine.

Since its founding in 1964, CHOC has evolved into one of the nation’s premier pediatric institutions, featuring a 334-bed main hospital in Orange, California, a 54- bed acute pediatric hospital in Mission Viejo, and a network of primary and specialty care clinics. As an affiliate of the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine, CHOC is at the forefront of pediatric healthcare, integrating leading- edge technology, groundbreaking research, and a patient-centered approach to provide the highest quality care to children and their families.

As part of its vision to build a nationally recognized Pediatric Cardiovascular Program, CHOC is making bold investments in regional expansion, advanced fetal cardiology innovations, and a strengthened partnership with UCLA for congenital heart surgery. To support increasing patient demand and elevate the level of care, CHOC recently opened a new CVICU, doubling its bed capacity, ensuring more children have access to world-class, specialized heart treatment.

In addition to expanding inpatient capabilities, CHOC is advancing its Fetal and Special Delivery Unit, bringing together maternal-fetal medicine specialists, neonatologists, and fetal cardiologists to improve outcomes for high-risk pregnancies. The hospital is also leading the way in pediatric research and innovation, integrating data-driven decision-making, clinical trials, and emerging technologies into its cardiovascular services to enhance patient care and improve long-term outcomes.

To further improve access to specialized pediatric care, CHOC is investing in tele-health and virtual care initiatives to expand its reach across Southern California. By leveraging digital health solutions, the hospital aims to enhance care coordination, reduce patient leakage, and ensure that children in underserved communities receive expert cardiovascular care. Through these visionary initiatives and CHOC’s enduring commitment to advancing pediatric care, pioneering innovation, and ensuring the highest standard of patient outcomes, the hospital continues to lead the way in pediatric cardiovascular healthcare.

The Position

Director of Operations for Pediatric Cardiovascular Services

The Director of Operations – Pediatric Cardiovascular Services will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of pediatric heart care at CHOC, overseeing outpatient pediatric cardiology, diagnostic imaging, and fetal cardiology services. This leader will optimize cardiovascular operations, enhancing efficiency and patient access while strengthening collaboration with inpatient teams, including the CVICU, Cath Lab, and OR, to support CHOC’s continued growth and national impact.

As a strategic partner, the Director will work closely with hospital leadership, physician groups, and clinical teams to standardize outpatient care models, expand regional cardiology services, and strengthen CHOC’s collaboration with UCLA, reinforcing its reputation as a leader in pediatric cardiovascular care.

This is a rare opportunity to lead a high-impact, well-resourced program within a renowned pediatric institution. With significant investments in cardiovascular care, cutting-edge technology, and an unwavering focus on patient outcomes, the Director will have the platform to drive innovation, expand access, and make a lasting impact on children’s lives.

Experience/Qualifications:

Industry & Functional Experience

• Minimum of three (3) years of leadership experience in a managerial or director-level position in cardiovascular services.
• Proven experience growing operations within pediatric cardiology, cardiovascular surgery, or heart operations.
• Expertise in congenital heart disease, fetal cardiology, and pediatric cardiac care highly preferred.
• Experience managing ambulatory and hospital-based cardiovascular services, including oversight of large-scale outpatient and diagnostic programs to enhance efficiency and patient care.
• Experience in regulatory compliance, quality improvement, and patient safety, ensuring adherence to national standards and best practices in pediatric cardiovascular care.
• Proven experience in developing and managing budgets, optimizing resource allocation, and driving financial performance while maintaining a high standard of patient-centered care.
• Strong ability to analyze and execute on clinical data and performance metrics to enhance operational efficiency, patient outcomes, and continuous improvement initiatives.

Leadership & Cross-Functional Impact

• Proven ability to lead large, multidisciplinary teams, including medical assistants, sonographers, and administrative staff, ensuring high-performance culture and staff retention.
• Strong influencing skills in a complex, matrixed environment, effectively working with physicians, surgeons, hospital administrators, and CHOC’s physician employment foundation to align efforts across the Heart Institute.
• Demonstrated experience in standardizing processes and driving strategic growth, particularly in ambulatory cardiology services and regional program expansion.
• Ability to execute efficiently and lead others with urgency.

Education

• Required: Bachelor’s degree in Nursing, Healthcare Administration, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Preferred: Master’s degree in Nursing, Healthcare Administration, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Preferred: LEAN, Six Sigma, or equivalent performance improvement or change management certification.

Style & Personal Traits

• Highly Collaborative : A team-oriented leader who fosters cross-functional collaboration with cardiologists, cardiothoracic surgeons, fetal medicine specialists, and hospital administrators.
• Strategic & Visionary : Capable of balancing long-term program growth with day-to-day operational execution, ensuring alignment with CHOC’s mission and business goals.
• Influential & Adaptive : Able to work effectively in a matrixed environment, influencing teams without direct authority, and aligning various stakeholders across inpatient and outpatient services.
• Resilient & Problem-Solver : Thrives in a high-growth, fast-paced setting, demonstrating composure, critical thinking, and the ability to navigate complex challenges.
• Mission-Driven & Patient-Focused : Deeply committed to enhancing pediatric cardiovascular care, ensuring that CHOC remains a national leader in innovation, quality, and patient-centered excellence.

Compensation

For the selected candidate, a complete and competitive compensation package will be offered which includes a target annual salary of $220k +- depending upon experience, plus incentive bonus, major insurances, PTO, retirement, and relocation assistance.

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