Director of Perioperative Services

Cayuga Medical Center; Ithaca (MI); On-site; USD 155,000 - 165,000; Full time

Job summary

Cayuga Health is seeking a Director of Perioperative Services at Cayuga Medical Center in Ithaca, NY. This leadership role oversees the operating room, pre/post-operative care, and related services, ensuring patient safety, quality outcomes, and regulatory compliance.

You will lead recruitment, develop performance metrics, and drive financial performance while aligning with organizational goals. Onsite full-time with travel within the system as needed.

Qualifications

• BSN or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Current RN license.
• Minimum 5 years healthcare experience with focus on surgical/perioperative services.
• Minimum 3 years progressive leadership in surgical services or perioperative operations.
• Minimum 3 years experience managing budgets, productivity, staffing, quality metrics, and regulatory compliance in healthcare.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily operations of perioperative services departments, ensuring high-quality patient care, regulatory compliance, operational efficiency, and achievement of service line goals.
• Develop and execute strategic initiatives, performance improvement plans, and operational standards to enhance patient outcomes, throughput, satisfaction, and financial performance.
• Partner with physicians, clinical leaders, and executive leadership to establish performance metrics, optimize surgical services, and improve access and resource utilization.
• Direct recruitment, retention, development, and performance management of perioperative leaders and staff while fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and professional growth.
• Oversee departmental budgets, capital planning, productivity monitoring, and regulatory preparedness, serving as a key leader during accreditation and compliance reviews.

Skills

Leadership

Budgeting

Regulatory compliance

Staff development

Perioperative services

Education

BSN

RN license

Job description

About Cayuga Health
Cayuga Health offers patient-centered, comprehensive health services at Cayuga Medical Center in Ithaca; Schuyler Hospital in Montour Falls; and more than 40 medical offices in the Finger Lakes and Central New York. Cayuga Health employs more than 450 providers from 40+ specialties. Additional services include a neo-natal intensive care unit, a home health care agency, an addiction recovery organization, and a skilled nursing facility.

Cayuga Health is a member of Centralus Health, a community-based integrated delivery system. Our mission is to deliver high-quality care, empower our teams to succeed, and improve the wellbeing of the communities we serve.

Our commitment to quality personalized care begins with our exceptional team—over 6500 employees strong. At Cayuga Health, you will work in a collaborative environment that values excellence, integrity, compassion and stewardship. Together, we create an environment where empathy, honesty and a dedication to quality thrive, empowering us to make a positive impact on the lives we touch.

We offer competitive wages, comprehensive benefits, and professional development opportunities to help our employees grow and thrive. Whether you are just starting your career or taking the next step in healthcare, we invite you to join us in shaping the future of care in our communities.

Learn more at www.cayugahealth.org.

Director, Perioperative Services

The Director of Perioperative Services provides strategic, operational, financial, and clinical leadership for perioperative departments across Cayuga Medical Center’s main campus, including the Operating Room, Pre/Post-Operative Care, Preadmission Testing, Surgery Scheduling, and Sterile Processing. This role is accountable for improving patient safety, quality outcomes, staff engagement, operational efficiency, regulatory compliance, and financial performance while ensuring alignment with organizational goals and growth strategies.

Roles and Responsibilities:

• Lead daily operations of perioperative services departments, ensuring high-quality patient care, regulatory compliance, operational efficiency, and achievement of service line goals.
• Develop and execute strategic initiatives, performance improvement plans, and operational standards to enhance patient outcomes, throughput, satisfaction, and financial performance.
• Partner with physicians, clinical leaders, and executive leadership to establish performance metrics, optimize surgical services, and improve access and resource utilization.
• Direct recruitment, retention, development, and performance management of perioperative leaders and staff while fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and professional growth.
• Oversee departmental budgets, capital planning, productivity monitoring, and regulatory preparedness, serving as a key leader during accreditation and compliance reviews.

Required Skills and Experience:

• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) required or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Current Registered Nurse (RN) license required.
• Minimum 5 years of healthcare experience with a focus on surgical or perioperative services.
• Minimum 3 years of progressive leadership experience within surgical services or perioperative operations.
• Minimum 3 years of experience managing budgets, productivity, staffing, quality metrics, and regulatory compliance in a healthcare setting.

Preferred Skills and Experience:

• Master’s degree in Nursing, Healthcare Administration, Business Administration, or related field.
• AORN, CASC, or other healthcare leadership certification preferred.
• Experience leading large-scale perioperative service line growth, throughput optimization, and strategic planning initiatives.

Remember: A candidate is not required to have a preferred skill to be considered qualified for a role.

Physical Requirements:

• Repetitive use of hands and fingers (e.g., use of computer keyboard); may require lifting and carrying light loads (up to 40 lbs), including boxes, equipment, IV solutions and stooping and kneeling (e.g., to pick up items from the floor, to remove and replace items on lower shelves and to file documents in lower file drawers); sitting, walking, or standing for long periods of time may be necessary; must be able physically to operate the equipment used for the job.

Location, Travel and Shift Requirements:

• Onsite at Cayuga Medical Center, Ithaca, NY.
• Full-Time leadership position with 24-hour/7-day operational accountability for perioperative services.
• Occasional travel within the health system may be required.

Pay Range Disclosure:

• Standard Rate of $155,000 – $165,000 per year plus benefits

Centralus and its affiliates are committed to treating all patients, providers, staff and volunteers equitably and with dignity, ensuring the highest levels of safety, care and respect, and striving to recognize and overcome biases and policies that contribute to disparities in healthcare access, equitable care and positive health outcomes for all.

We are proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer, supporting the growth and health of our employees and community by embracing the rich diversity, needs and circumstances of all peoples and prioritizing opportunities to build a diverse and inclusive workplace. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable protected characteristics.

If you require reasonable accommodation to complete a job application, pre-employment testing, a job interview or to otherwise participate in the hiring process, please contact the Centralus Talent Acquisition team at [e-mail].