Director of Facility Activation & Operational Excellence

Rush University Medical Center; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 119,000 - 179,000; Full time

Job summary

Rush University Medical Center in Chicago seeks a Director of Facilities Activation & Operational Effectiveness to ensure facilities are operationally ready and aligned with clinical and patient experience goals.

The role leads planning, activation, and performance of clinical and administrative spaces across the system, translating investments into high-performing environments through structured planning, readiness, and post-occupancy evaluation.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Healthcare Administration, Architecture, Planning, or related field.
• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in healthcare planning, operations, or facility-related functions.
• Experience leading facilities activation, operational / clinical transformation, or space planning initiatives in healthcare environments.
• Strong understanding of clinical workflows, ambulatory operations, and facility utilization.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional initiatives involving clinical, operational, and facilities stakeholders.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including experience using data to inform decisions.
• Proven leadership and team development experience.
• Experience implementing enterprise standards, processes, or performance frameworks across multiple sites or departments.

Responsibilities

• Owns enterprise space management and utilization strategy across clinical, educational, and administrative environments.
• Establishes and maintains space standards, workplace strategies, and planning guidelines.
• Oversees space allocation, programming coordination, and long-range space utilization planning.
• Partners with Strategy and Real Estate to align space planning with system growth priorities.
• Establishes governance for space allocation decisions and prioritization across the system.
• Owns activation planning and execution framework for capital projects, ensuring consistent operational readiness at go-live.
• Oversees move planning, transition coordination, and departmental readiness activities.
• Partners with clinical and operational leaders to align workflows, staffing models, and operational processes with facility design.
• Ensures consistency and discipline in activation processes across all projects.
• Establishes post-occupancy evaluation processes to assess facility performance.
• Leads tracking and analysis of space utilization, patient experience, and operational effectiveness metrics.
• Identifies opportunities to improve workflows, space performance, and facility outcomes.
• Leads continuous improvement initiatives tied to facility design and operational performance.
• Defines and monitors KPIs related to space utilization, operational efficiency, and user experience.
• Oversees interior standards, furniture planning, and finish selections across the system.
• Leads wayfinding strategy and implementation to improve patient and visitor experience.
• Ensures consistency in design standards that support brand, function, and user experience.
• Aligns interior, furniture, and wayfinding standards with operational workflows and patient experience objectives.
• Leads a multidisciplinary team responsible for planning, activation, interiors, and space management.
• Leads functions that span multiple campuses and care settings, ensuring consistency in activation, planning, and performance practices across the system.
• Develops team capabilities in planning, activation, and performance analytics.
• Establishes clear roles, expectations, and accountability across functional areas.
• Partners with the Executive Director of PDC to ensure alignment between project delivery and operational readiness.
• Serves as the primary liaison between facilities, clinical operations, and administrative leaders for space and activation-related initiatives.
• Influences enterprise decision-making related to facility use, operational models, and capital planning priorities.
• Facilitates decision-making across stakeholders with competing priorities.
• Supports enterprise initiatives related to workplace strategy, clinical growth, and patient experience.

Skills

Analytical skills

Leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Data-driven decisions

Strategic planning

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Healthcare Administration, Architecture, Planning, or related field

Master’s degree preferred

Job description

Rush University Medical Center in Chicago seeks a Director of Facilities Activation & Operational Effectiveness to ensure facilities are operationally ready and aligned with clinical and patient experience goals.

The role leads planning, activation, and performance of clinical and administrative spaces across the system, translating investments into high-performing environments through structured planning, readiness, and post-occupancy evaluation.