Director Service Line Operations

Advocate Aurora Health; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 180,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Advocate Health is seeking an experienced Operations leader to oversee clinical and administrative functions across care locations in Chicago. The role drives service line execution, budgets, and performance initiatives in partnership with senior leadership.

The position requires strategic thinking, strong leadership of frontline managers, and a focus on quality, access, and patient experience. You will work across ambulatory and hospital settings to optimize resources and outcomes.

Qualifications

• Strategic thinking to translate priorities into plans and measurable results.
• Strong operational leadership across complex healthcare environments.
• Financial, analytical, and problem-solving skills including data-driven decisions.
• Experience driving performance improvement and operational efficiency.
• Ability to lead through managers and hold frontline leaders accountable.
• Proven collaboration with clinicians, executives, and cross-functional teams.

Responsibilities

• Directs clinical and administrative operations to align with service line and enterprise priorities.
• Establishes operational plans, performance expectations, and management routines across practices.
• Monitors budgets, identifies risks, and directs corrective actions to meet financial targets.
• Drives integration across care settings to improve access, capacity, growth, and consistency.
• Leads workforce planning and develops a high-performing work environment.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Operational leadership

Financial analysis

Performance improvement

Change management

Team leadership

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Healthcare or related field

Job description

Major Responsibilities

Operational Integration & Performance

• Directs clinical and administrative operations across assigned care locations to ensure consistent execution of service line, divisional, and enterprise priorities.
• Exercises direct operational authority, in partnership with the service line leadership team, toestablishoperational plans, set performance expectations, and implement management routines across practices.
• Accountable for adherence to approvedoperatingand labor budgets,monitoringoperational performance,identifyingrisks and variances, and directing corrective actions to achieve financial and operational targets.
• Drives integration across care settings and specialties to improve access, capacity, growth, and operational consistency.
• Monitors key performance indicators, including throughput, quality, experience, and financial metrics, and leads operational response to performance trends and location-based initiatives.

Leadership of Frontline Management

• Provides direct leadership to managers and supervisors, including coaching, development, and performance management, in partnership with Advocate Health Acute, Ambulatory, and Virtual Nursing and other groups as needed.
• Establishes clear leadership expectations and holds frontline leaders accountable for operational performance, quality, teammate engagement, and patient experience.
• Directs recruitment, onboarding, development, and resolution of teammate concerns through frontline leaders tomaintaina strong and effective work environment.
• Ensurescompliance with organizational policies, regulatory requirements, and standards of performance across assigned areas.

Clinician Partnership & Engagement Support

• Partners with clinician leadership and the service line leadership team to align operational execution with clinical priorities and care delivery needs.Exercises direct operational authority to remove barriers, coordinate stakeholders, and implement workflow, scheduling, and resource decisions that support clinician effectiveness and patient care.
• Supports clinician recruitment, onboarding, retention, and engagement through operational leadership and administrative coordination, while clinician leadershipretainsaccountability for clinician practice and professional standards.
• Optimizescoverage models, scheduling, and resource allocation across sites in partnership with enterprise, divisional, local, and clinician leaders.

Quality, Improvement & Workforce Oversight

• Leadscontinuous improvement efforts focused on quality, safety, access, efficiency, and patient experience, including root cause analysis, corrective action planning, and follow-through onperformance gaps.
• Usesdata, benchmarking, and performance reviews toidentifyrisks, improvement opportunities, and operational priorities across assigned locations.
• Directs workforce planning, staffing models, recruitment support, and performance expectations through frontline leaders using Advocate Health and Clinical Services operating standards.
• Designs and directs the work of assigned areas, including talent development, succession planning, feedback, recognition, and performance improvement.
• Ensures understanding of and compliance with the organization’s Code of Ethical Conduct and applicable policies, regulations, and laws.
• Designs and directs the work of the assigned area(s) of responsibility. Selects, coaches, and develops teams, setting objectives that align with organizational strategy to inspire and motivate the teams. Manages organizational talent through performance management, succession planning, and development. Designs and directs processes by which team and individual performance are recognized, feedback is consistently delivered, and performance is systematically improved.
• Develops and/or recommends operating and capital budgets and controls expenditures within approved budget objectives.
• Responsible for understanding and adhering to the organization's Code of Ethical Conduct and for ensuring that people actions, and the actions of employees supervised, comply with the policies, regulations, and laws applicable to the organization's business.

Minimum Job Requirements

Education

• Bachelor’s DegreeinHealthcareorrelated fieldrequired.

Certification / Registration / License

• N/A

Experience

• Typicallyrequires7years of experience inoperationalleadership roles.

Knowledge / Skills / Abilities

• Strategic thinking with the ability to translate service line priorities into operational plans and measurable results.
• Strong operational leadership, execution, and performance improvement skills across complex healthcare environments.
• Financial, analytical, and problem-solving acumen, including use of data toidentifyrisks, trends, and improvement opportunities.
• Ability to lead through managers,establishaccountability, and drive results through clear expectations, coaching, and change management.
• Strong relationship-building and collaboration skills, with the ability to partner effectively with clinicians, executives, and cross-functional teams.
• Executive presence and strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and tofosteringan engaged, high-performing work environment.

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions

• Frequent local travel tovariouscare settings
• Clinician meetings may occur before or after normal business hours
• Be available for development needs and attendto unplanned needs of the team
• Exposed to normal office environment

Preferred Job Requirements

Preferred Education

• Master'sdegree preferred.

Preferred Certification / Registration / License

• Clinicalcertification, licensure, Fellow status, orpreviousclinical experience preferred

This job description indicates the general nature and level of work expected of the incumbent. It is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required of the incumbent. Incumbent may be required to perform other related duties.