Director, Clinical Services-Outpatient Surgery

Duke Health; Cary (NC); On-site; USD 170,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Duke Health in Cary, NC, seeks the inaugural Director, Clinical Services – Outpatient Surgery to launch and lead a six-OR ambulatory center opening in 2027. Reporting to the System AVP of Perioperative Nursing, this role offers high visibility across the health system.

The director will build an ASC operating model, recruit and develop a nursing team, ensure regulatory compliance, and drive quality, efficiency, and patient experience while partnering with physicians and leaders to expand

Qualifications

• Active RN license and BSN required; Master’s degree preferred.
• 5–7 years of progressive perioperative leadership in ambulatory surgery center.
• Experience opening or expanding an ASC and implementing Lean or performance-improvement initiatives.
• Expertise across Pre-Op, OR, PACU, Sterile Processing with ASC regulations and quality/safety standards.
• Professional certifications such as CNOR, CASC, NE-BC, NEA-BC, or CNAMB preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead the opening and ongoing operations of a brand-new six-operating-room ASC, with occupancy December 2026 and first patients April 1, 2027.
• Serve as accountable leader for nursing, clinical operations, staffing, quality, regulatory compliance, patient experience, and finances.
• Build an ASC-focused operating model using Lean, standard work, and continuous improvement to optimize starts, turnover, utilization, staffing, throughput.
• Recruit and develop a high-performing nursing team and collaborate with physicians, Medical Director, and system leaders.
• Shape Duke Health’s outpatient surgery growth and adapt processes for the new center while elevating surgeon and patient experience.

Skills

RN license

BSN

Lean/Process improvement

Leadership

Ambulatory surgery experience

Education

Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)

Master’s degree preferred

Tools

Lean

Regulatory compliance

Job description

Director, Clinical Services – Outpatient Surgery

Duke Health

Cary, NC

Kirby Bates Associates has been exclusively retained by Duke Health to conduct a national search for the inaugural Director, Clinical Services – Outpatient Surgery for its new Cary campus. Reporting directly to the System Assistant Vice President of Perioperative Nursing, this leader will have significant visibility and influence across Duke Health while leading the launch and ongoing operations of a new six-operating-room ambulatory surgery center scheduled to open to patients in April 2027.

This is a unique opportunity to build a high-performing surgical platform from the ground up in one of the nation’s fastest-growing communities, while leveraging the resources and reputation of one of the nation’s leading academic health systems. The center will be part of a broader hospital-based campus that will include inpatient beds, a freestanding emergency department, endoscopy, and infusion services. Beyond opening the Cary center, this leader will help shape Duke Health’s continued outpatient surgery growth as additional centers are developed in the region.

• Lead the opening and ongoing operations of a brand-new six-operating-room ambulatory surgery center, with a certificate of occupancy anticipated in December 2026 and the first patients scheduled for April 1, 2027.
• Serve as the accountable leader for all nursing staff, clinical operations, and business functions, with responsibility for staffing, quality, regulatory compliance, patient experience, and financial performance.
• Build an efficient, ASC-focused operating model using standard work, Lean principles, and continuous improvement to optimize on-time starts, turnover times, block utilization, staffing productivity, patient throughput, quality outcomes, and financial stewardship.
• Recruit and develop a high-performing nursing team and partner closely with physicians, the Medical Director, operational leaders, and system stakeholders to establish a collaborative culture, adapt Duke Health processes for the new center, and deliver an exceptional experience for surgeons, patients, and staff.
• Bring ASC best practices and new approaches to a complex academic health system while helping shape Duke Health’s continued outpatient surgery growth as additional centers are developed across the region.

Qualifications

• Active RN license and BSN required. Master’s degree preferred.
• Minimum of five to seven years of progressive perioperative leadership experience, including significant leadership experience in a high-performing ambulatory surgery center.
• Demonstrated success opening, launching, or expanding an ambulatory surgery center and implementing Lean processes, standard work, or other performance improvement initiatives preferred.
• Demonstrated expertise across Pre-Op, Operating Room, PACU, Sterile Processing, and perioperative operations, with a strong understanding of ASC regulations, accreditation standards, quality improvement, patient safety, and regulatory compliance.
• Professional certification such as CNOR, CASC, NE-BC, NEA-BC, or CNAMB preferred.