Clinical Operations Director | Imaging Services

Gundersen Health System; La Crosse (WI); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive benefits package

401k retirement match

Paid time off and wellness programs

Professional development opportunities

Employee discounts and perks

Job summary

Gundersen Health System in La Crosse, WI, invites a clinician-led leader to guide Imaging Services as Clinical Operations Director. You will partner with the Department Chair to craft strategy, align day-to-day operations with system goals, and advance quality, safety, and patient experience within a large teaching hospital setting.

The role emphasizes financial stewardship, workforce development, and collaboration across departments to deliver superior outcomes and a high-performing team.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree required
• 3–4 years leadership experience in health care
• 1 year of management experience in an integrated health care system preferred
• Licensure or certification based on regulatory expectations required
• Leadership or clinical specialty certification preferred

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for Imaging Services in collaboration with the Department Chair
• Develop and implement plans that support quality, safety, service, affordability, and growth
• Monitor financial performance, manage resources responsibly, and support fiscal targets
• Lead workforce planning, recruitment, retention, development, and performance management
• Drive continuous improvement in clinical quality, patient experience, and operational efficiency
• Use data to identify trends, guide decisions, and improve outcomes
• Foster collaboration across departments, leaders, clinicians, and system partners
• Support a culture of accountability, respect, innovation, and professional growth
• Represent Imaging Services within the organization and in the broader community

Skills

Strategic leadership

Cross-functional leadership

Operational management

Data-driven decisions

Education

Master’s degree in related field

Master’s degree in leadership or clinical specialty

Job description

Love + medicine is who we are, it's what we do, it's why people want to work here. If you’re looking for a job to love,

Scheduled Weekly Hours: 40 Clinical Operations Director | Imaging Services Location: La Crosse, WI – Fully on-site Emplify Health by Gundersen is seeking a strategic and collaborative Clinical Operations Director - Imaging Services to provide administrative leadership and operational direction in partnership with the Department Chair. This role is responsible for advancing clinical excellence, financial performance, patient experience, and growth across Imaging Services while supporting a high-performing team and aligning day-to-day operations with system-wide goals. The Clinical Operations Director serves as a key leader within the organization, translating strategy into action and ensuring the area of responsibility is positioned to respond to changing market demands, regulatory expectations, and emerging trends in health care delivery. This leader will help build an infrastructure that supports superior outcomes, efficient operations, exceptional service, and a strong employee and physician experience.

What you’ll do

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for Imaging Services in collaboration with the Department Chair
• Develop and implement plans that support quality, safety, service, affordability, and growth
• Monitor financial performance, manage resources responsibly, and support fiscal targets
• Lead workforce planning, recruitment, retention, development, and performance management
• Drive continuous improvement in clinical quality, patient experience, and operational efficiency
• Use data to identify trends, guide decisions, and improve outcomes
• Foster collaboration across departments, leaders, clinicians, and system partners
• Support a culture of accountability, respect, innovation, and professional growth
• Represent Imaging Services within the organization and in the broader community

What we’re looking for

• Master’s degree in a related field required
• Master’s degree in leadership or a clinical specialty preferred
• 3 to 4 years of leadership experience in health care required
• 1 year of management experience in an integrated health care system preferred
• Licensure or certification based on regulatory expectations of the role required
• Leadership or clinical specialty certification preferred

What success looks like

• Strong alignment between Imaging Services operations and organizational strategy
• Improved clinical and financial outcomes
• High patient satisfaction and service excellence
• Effective resource management and staff engagement
• A culture of continuous improvement and collaboration

What you’ll get:

• A highly adaptable and mission-driven organization with a work environment that supports you personally and professionally and a work culture where you are valued and appreciated
• Competitive Benefits: A comprehensive and generous benefits package (Medical, Dental, Life Ins, HSA/FSA) ensuring your comfort and well-being as a valuable team member
• Substantial retirement contribution including a 401k match & annual discretionary base contribution
• Work-Life Balance: Paid Time Off (PTO) combines vacation, sick, and personal days into one balance to allow you the flexibility to use your time off as you need
• Professional Development: Support for your career growth through Professional Development Opportunities, our Tuition Investment Program, and our Career Development Center
• Additional Employee Discounts and Perks
• Other benefits include a Wellness program with incentives, employer-paid life insurance and AD&D, optional short-term and long-term disability coverage, an employee assistance program, identity theft protection, pet insurance, Inspire & Celebrate colleague recognition and rewards program, a discount program, and more!

About Us:

Emplify Health by Gundersen is a physician-led, not-for-profit healthcare system that includes a teaching hospital; community clinics; affiliate hospitals, clinics, and nursing homes; behavioral health services; vision centers; pharmacies; and air and ground ambulance services. We serve more than 500,000 residents throughout 19 counties throughout western Wisconsin, northeastern Iowa, and southeastern Minnesota. Our La Crosse, WI main campus is a 325-bed teaching hospital, tertiary referral center, and a Level II Trauma Center. Together, we inspire your best life by relentlessly caring, learning, and innovating. If you need assistance with any portion of the application or have questions about the position, please contact [e-mail] or call 608-775-0267. We inspire your best life by relentlessly caring, learning and innovating. This is our purpose. Together with our values — belonging, respect, excellence, accountability, teamwork and humility — our pillars set our foundation and our future. Equal Opportunity Employer Around here, loving your job is part of the job. Join our mission in changing healthcare while finding a career you'll love! Gundersen Health System offers a proud, local history spanning more than 100 years. Our personalized patient care model is only the beginning of what you will experience as we foster population health transformation and innovation to serve our communities and you. We've made it a priority to enrich the lives of our employees as they find a career they love. Using each employee’s unique talents and passions, Gundersen is committed to delivering exceptional patient and family-centered care to the communities we serve. You can be part of an exciting, highly adaptable and mission-driven organization with a work environment that supports you personally and professionally and a work culture where you are valued and appreciated offering an employee-first culture, work-life balance, and career advancement & growth opportunities. This culture allows our organization to attract elite talent, like yourself!

What You Can Expect:

Empowerment to shape your work environment, encouragement to improve processes and create efficiencies, and support when seeking opportunities for growth Culture that encourages self-care and provides you with opportunities to be your best self at work and at home Competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits packages, as applicable, ensuring your comfort and well-being as a valuable team member Support for your career growth through Professional Development Opportunities, our Tuition Investment Program, Career Development Center, and online continuing education courses Inside our walls and our neighborhoods, we deliver world‑class medical care and the right amount of love. We call it LOVE + MEDICINE and it’s more than our practice. It is who we are. Gundersen Health System, based in La Crosse, WI, is the leading provider of primary and specialized care in western Wisconsin, southeast Minnesota, and northeast Iowa; serving more than 500,000 residents throughout 22 counties. Our physician-led, not-for-profit healthcare system includes a 325-bed teaching hospital, tertiary referral center, and Level II Trauma Center; community clinics; 6 affiliate critical access hospitals; nursing homes; behavioral health services; vision centers; pharmacies; and air and ground ambulance services. Together, we inspire your best life by relentlessly caring, learning, and innovating. We deliver Love + Medicine every day to change lives in our communities and enrich the lives of our employees.

Remote/Hybrid: Select Remote/Hybrid Eligible under More search to see our remote-eligible openings. A rewarding career and an excellent quality of life awaits you. Learn more about our excellence in patient care, education, research, culture, and something we call Love + Medicine at www.gundersenhealth.org/careers/life.