Director, Cardiac Care & Critical Care

Grand River Hospital; Kitchener; On-site; CAD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Waterloo Regional Health Network (WRHN) seeks a Director, Regional Cardiac Care & Critical Care to lead strategic direction and operational delivery across WRHN sites. The role reports to the VP, Patient Care & Regional VP and focuses on clinical leadership, quality, patient outcomes, and system integration.

The Director will oversee regional cardiac and critical care programs, drive performance, manage budgets, foster high‑performing teams, collaborate with physicians, Ontario Health, and

Qualifications

• Regulated Health Professional in good standing with a recognized college.
• Minimum 7-10 years of progressive healthcare leadership experience in complex environments.
• Experience leading cardiac or critical care programs or related acute care environments.

Responsibilities

• Provide executive leadership for Regional Cardiac Care and Critical Care across WRHN.
• Drive strategic and operational direction aligned with organizational priorities.
• Lead transformational initiatives to improve patient outcomes and service integration.
• Oversee budgeting, capital planning, and resource stewardship.
• Collaborate with physician leaders, Ontario Health, and regional partners to advance care.
• Ensure quality, patient safety, access, and performance targets are met.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Operational leadership

Executive communication

Change management

Education

Undergraduate degree in health-related field

Master's degree in health admin/nursing/business/leadership

Job description

Welcome to health care that soars above. Welcome to WRHN.

Internal candidates should apply through our intranet site (Lotus Link). Check the staff perks and benefits page on Lotus Link for more information.

Director, Cardiac Care & Critical Care (Job ID: 6923)

This role is being advertised to fill an existing vacancy.

Position: Director, Cardiac Care & Critical Care

Work Type: Permanent, Full-Time

Location: Waterloo Regional Health Network (WRHN) – All Sites

Reports to: VP, Patient Care & RVP Waterloo Wellington Regional Cancer Program

Home to seven regional programs and comprehensive health-care services, Waterloo Regional Health Network (WRHN) is committed to meeting the current and emerging needs in Waterloo-Wellington and beyond. WRHN is redefining the health-care experience through collaboration and innovation, addressing barriers to access, advancing care delivery, and setting new standards in compassionate, empowered community-driven health care. At WRHN, every patient is at the centre of everything we do as we strive to improve lives, inspire healing, and build healthier, stronger communities. By listening to patients and partners, we strive to connect communities to the right care, at the right place, and at the right time.

Position Summary:

Reporting to the Vice President, Patient Care & Regional Vice President, Waterloo Wellington Regional Cancer Program, the Director, Regional Cardiac Care & Critical Care is a senior clinical leadership role responsible for the strategic, operational, financial and people leadership of Regional Cardiac Care and Critical Care Services across Waterloo Regional Health Network (WRHN).

As a key member of the clinical leadership team, the Director provides regional leadership for complex clinical programs that directly influence patient access, care delivery, organizational performance, quality outcomes and health system integration. The Director is accountable for advancing strategic priorities, driving operational excellence, fostering high-performing teams and ensuring the delivery of safe, high-quality, patient and family-centred care across multiple sites and care settings.

The Director provides executive leadership for one of Ontario's leading regional cardiac programs, encompassing advanced cardiac diagnostics, interventional cardiology, cardiac surgery, heart rhythm services, heart function services and cardiovascular critical care. The role is accountable for ensuring excellence in quality, patient safety, access, clinical outcomes, innovation and service delivery across both Regional Cardiac Care and Critical Care Services.

Working in partnership with physician leaders, operational leaders, Ontario Health, regional stakeholders and healthcare partners, the Director leads transformative initiatives that strengthen specialized cardiac and critical care services, enhance patient outcomes and support WRHN's vision for an integrated and sustainable healthcare system.

This role offers an exceptional opportunity to lead highly complex regional programs that have direct impact on patient outcomes, access to specialized care, operational performance and regional system integration while helping shape the future of cardiac and critical care services across the Waterloo-Wellington region.

Responsibilities at a Glance:

Strategic & Operational Leadership

• Provide strategic leadership and executive oversight for Regional Cardiac Care and Critical Care Services across WRHN.
• Develop and execute portfolio strategies that align with organizational priorities, quality objectives, regional healthcare needs and evolving system requirements.
• Lead complex transformational initiatives that improve patient outcomes, service integration, operational performance and organizational sustainability.
• Identify opportunities to maximize funding, improve service delivery and advance innovative models of care.
• Anticipate emerging healthcare trends, risks and opportunities to position services for future growth and innovation.
• Provide leadership for the integration and advancement of specialized cardiac and critical care programs in support of organizational performance, patient outcomes and system effectiveness.

Regional Cardiac Care & Critical Care Leadership

• Provide executive leadership for one of Ontario's leading regional cardiac programs, ensuring achievement of quality, access, wait-time, performance and sustainability objectives.
• Provide strategic direction and operational oversight for a comprehensive regional cardiac program and critical care services.
• Ensure excellence in quality, patient safety, patient experience, access, clinical outcomes and operational performance.
• Lead service planning, program development, growth initiatives and performance improvement activities that support regional and organizational priorities.
• Partner with physician leaders, interprofessional teams and healthcare partners to advance evidence‑informed practice, innovation and quality improvement initiatives.
• Collaborate with Ontario Health, provincial clinical networks and regional partners to strengthen integrated cardiac care delivery and achievement of provincial performance targets.
• Support the delivery and advancement of advanced cardiac services including diagnostic, interventional, surgical, rhythm management, heart function and cardiovascular critical care programs.
• Advance opportunities for program growth and expansion to meet increasing patient volumes and evolving population health needs.

People Leadership & Culture

• Build and sustain high-performing leadership teams through coaching, mentorship, succession planning and leadership development.
• Champion a culture of accountability, engagement, inclusion, innovation and continuous improvement.
• Create an environment that supports staff well-being, professional growth and an exceptional employee experience.
• Foster collaboration, shared accountability and interprofessional practice across clinical and operational teams.

System Partnerships & Collaboration

• Develop and maintain strategic partnerships with physician leaders, Ontario Health, healthcare organizations, community providers, academic partners and regional stakeholders.
• Represent WRHN and the Regional Cardiac Program in regional and provincial forums, partnerships and system planning initiatives.
• Collaborate with healthcare partners to advance integrated care pathways, seamless transitions and achievement of provincial performance targets.
• Influence system-level decision-making to advance coordinated, patient‑centred models of care.

Financial & Resource Stewardship

• Accountable for the effective stewardship of financial, human, capital and operational resources within the portfolio.
• Provide oversight of significant operating, capital and human resource investments across Regional Cardiac Care and Critical Care programs and services.
• Lead long-term planning to ensure sustainability, efficiency and value‑based utilization of organizational resources.
• Ensure achievement of operational, quality, access and financial performance objectives.
• Support business planning, capital planning and strategic investment decisions that advance organizational priorities.

Position Requirements:

• Regulated Health Professional in good standing with a recognized professional college.
• Undergraduate degree in a health-related field.
• Minimum 7-10 years of progressive healthcare leadership experience in increasingly complex environments.
• Demonstrated leadership experience in acute care clinical operations.
• Experience leading complex clinical programs within cardiac services, critical care or other specialized acute care environments.
• Proven experience leading large, complex interprofessional teams.
• Demonstrated success leading organizational change, service transformation, quality improvement and system integration initiatives.
• Experience managing budgets, operational performance, quality initiatives and strategic projects.
• Strong knowledge of healthcare quality, patient safety, change management, healthcare operations and health system integration.

Skill Requirements:

• Strategic and systems thinking
• Clinical and operational leadership
• Healthcare quality and patient safety expertise
• Change leadership and transformation management
• Financial and business acumen
• Relationship building and stakeholder engagement
• Performance management and continuous improvement
• Executive communication and facilitation skills
• Team leadership, coaching and talent development

Assets:

• Master's degree in Health Administration, Nursing, Business Administration, Leadership or a related field.
• Experience leading regional or specialized cardiac programs and services.
• Experience in Critical Care leadership.
• Experience working with Ontario Health, provincial clinical networks and regional healthcare partnerships.
• Lean, Quality Improvement, Project Management, Change Management or related leadership certification.

Success Measures:

• Achievement of quality, safety and patient experience objectives.
• Achievement of cardiac access, wait-time and patient outcome targets.
• Strong critical care clinical and operational outcomes.
• Successful advancement of regional cardiac program priorities and service growth initiatives.
• Achievement of financial stewardship and resource optimization targets.
• High levels of employee engagement, retention and leadership effectiveness.
• Successful implementation of transformational initiatives and system integration across WRHN.
• Strengthened organizational partnerships and regional collaboration.

APPLICATIONS WILL BE RECEIVED UNTIL THE POSTING IS CLOSED.

Please include a resume with your application in order to ensure that your qualifications are appropriately considered in the hiring process.

WRHN is committed to fair and equitable employment and in our recruitment and selection practices. We strongly believe in inclusion and diversity within our organization, and welcome all applicants including, but not limited to racialized communities, all religions and ethnicities, persons with disabilities, LGBTQ2S+ persons, Indigenous people, and all others who may contribute to the further diversification of our Hospital community. We are committed to providing and fostering a respectful workplace for all employees, free from violence and harassment.

Accommodations are available during all stages of the recruitment process in accordance with the Human Rights Code. WRHN is committed to complying with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) to provide an inclusive, barrier-free workplace. We will accommodate the accessibility needs of individuals with disabilities to support participation in all aspects of the recruitment process. Should you require this accommodation, please contact Human Resources.

If you are seeking employment on a temporary work or study permit we recommend reviewing work permit restrictions as it applies to healthcare organizations in Canada. Individuals holding a work or study permit seeking employment in the healthcare sector may be required to complete additional steps in the process. This may also apply to current employees seeking renewal of their work permits. It is the accountability of the applicant and/or employee to ensure they are adhering to their specific work permit restrictions.

WRHN does not use artificial intelligence (AI) to screen, assess, or make hiring decisions regarding applicants during our recruitment and selection process.