Assistant Clinical Manager (PACU)

Cottage Health; Santa Barbara (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Cottage Health is seeking an Assistant Clinical Manager for the 14-bed, 24-hour PACU at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. This role provides leadership, operational oversight, staff development, and clinical support to ensure safe, efficient patient care and high-quality outcomes.

The ACM collaborates with physicians, anesthesia, and perioperative leadership; drives throughput, compliance, and staff competency; and fosters a collaborative, inclusive work environment.

Qualifications

• ASN in Nursing and active BSN enrollment; CA RN license required.
• Minimum 3 years in PACU/ICU or perioperative nursing.
• ACLS, BLS, and PALS per AHA.

Responsibilities

• Supports daily PACU operations and patient flow.
• Assists with staffing, scheduling, productivity, and bed capacity coordination.
• Serves as operational lead in the absence of the Clinical Manager.
• Collaborates with physicians, anesthesia providers, perioperative leadership, and ancillary departments to optimize care.
• Participates in strategic planning and performance improvement initiatives.
• Promotes safety culture and compliance with standards.
• Coaches staff and supports onboarding, education, and professional growth.
• Leads evidence-based practice implementation and clinical standards.

Skills

Nursing leadership

Team coordination

Communication

Education

ASN in Nursing

BSN in progress

Job description

Job Description

Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, a nationally recognized Level I Trauma Center, is seeking an Assistant Clinical Manager (ACM) for its 14 bed, 24-hour Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU). The ACM provides leadership, operational oversight, staff development, and clinical support to ensure safe, efficient, and high-quality patient care. The ACM serves as a clinical resource, coaches staff, promotes professional practice, and assists in achieving departmental and organizational goals.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership & Operations

• Supports daily PACU operations and patient flow.
• Assists with staffing, scheduling, productivity management, and bed capacity coordination.
• Serves as operational lead in the absence of the Clinical Manager.
• Collaborates with physicians, anesthesia providers, perioperative leadership, and ancillary departments to optimize patient care and throughput.
• Participates in strategic planning and department performance improvement initiatives.

Quality & Patient Safety

• Promotes a culture of safety, accountability, and service excellence.
• Monitors compliance with regulatory, accreditation, and organizational standards.
• Participates in quality improvement activities, audits, and data analysis.
• Assists with investigating safety events and developing corrective action plans.
• Supports implementation of evidence-based practices and clinical standards.

Staff Development & Engagement

• Provides coaching, mentoring, and performance feedback to staff.
• Supports onboarding, orientation, competency validation, and ongoing education.
• Encourages professional growth, certification, and shared governance participation.
• Assists with performance evaluations and employee relations activities.
• Fosters a collaborative and inclusive work environment.

Clinical Excellence

• Serves as a clinical resource for complex patient care situations.
• Supports adherence to department policies, procedures, and standards of care.
• Promotes patient-centered care and positive patient experiences.
• Assists in managing patient and family concerns and service recovery opportunities.

Minimum Qualifications

• Associate of Science and actively enrolled in Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
• Current California Registered Nurse license.
• Minimum three years of recent PACU, ICU, or perioperative nursing experience.
• ACLS, BLS, and PALS from the American Heart Association (AHA).

Preferred Qualifications

• Two years previous charge nurse, lead nurse, educator, or supervisory experience.
• Leadership experience in an acute care hospital setting.
• Experience with quality improvement initiatives and regulatory compliance.
• Demonstrated ability to lead change, develop staff, and improve operational performance.
• Strong communication, conflict resolution, and team-building skills.
• CPAN certification or obtained within an established timeframe.
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Strong clinical expertise in perianesthesia care.
• Knowledge of regulatory and accreditation standards.
• Ability to analyze data and drive performance improvement.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Strong organizational, prioritization, and decision-making abilities.
• Ability to effectively lead teams in a fast-paced environment.

Why Join Our Team

Join a highly engaged Perianesthesia Services team committed to excellence, innovation, patient safety, and outstanding patient outcomes. This leadership role offers the opportunity to contribute to strategic initiatives, mentor future leaders, and help shape the delivery of perioperative care across the organization.

About Us

Cottage Health is a leading acute care hospital system, located on the central coast of California, widely known for our superior patient care, innovation, medical research and education. Our health system operates primarily in Santa Barbara, CA, since 1888, and consists of three acute care hospitals, a Rehabilitation Hospital, multiple clinics and a multi-site Urgent Care system. Our mission is to serve the central coast communities with excellence, integrity, and compassion. Every day we touch thousands of lives in many different ways, resolute in our mission to put patients first. We take pride in helping our patients get back to living their lives - in the places they love.

• Pay for non-physician positions is determined based on related years of experience and internal equity. Eligible employees may also receive additional forms of compensation, including shift differentials, on-call pay, incentive pay, and bonus opportunities, where applicable. Manager and above positions may participate in Cottage Health’s annual management incentive program. Physician compensation is determined based upon specialty and may include bonus potential. For more information on our comprehensive Total Rewards offerings, please visit https://cottagehealth.org/careers/total-rewards .