Heart Transplant Program Manager — Growth & Excellence

UC San Diego Health; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

UC San Diego Health is seeking a strategic Organ Transplant Program Manager to lead the Heart Transplant Program, oversee clinical operations, and ensure regulatory compliance with UNOS, CMS, and HRSA. The role drives program growth, quality outcomes, and cross-functional collaboration with physicians, administrators, and staff.

The ideal candidate has nursing leadership experience, a strong operations background, and a track record of managing complex transplant programs in an academic medical

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in nursing from an accredited institution.
• RN license issued by the State of California.
• Current UCSD BART certification, or BLS certification at time of hire with commitment to get BART within six months of hire date.
• Seven (7+) or more years of progressive clinical experience, including three (3+) or more years of RN experience within a complex transplant and/or ICU environment.
• Four (4+) or more years of formal leadership experience, with demonstrated ability to lead teams, drive accountability, and navigate difficult conversations.
• Proven leadership capability in healthcare operations, including strategic planning, clinical operations management, quality, and regulatory compliance.
• Demonstrated experience leading teams through change, fostering a growth mindset, and supporting culture transformation in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong working knowledge of CMS Conditions of Participation and OPTN/UNOS regulatory requirements.
• Experience partnering with multidisciplinary stakeholders, including physicians, administrators, and frontline staff.
• Knowledge of workforce management principles, including performance management and accountability in a unionized or highly regulated environment.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute transplant program growth and service expansion.
• Partner with medical, surgical, and administrative leaders to align program goals with organizational priorities.
• Maintain compliance with UNOS, CMS, HRSA, and other regulatory entities.
• Support accreditation processes and participate in inspections and surveys.
• Collaborate with Quality leadership on transplant-specific policies and procedures.
• Direct daily transplant operations across the entire care continuum.
• Optimize workflows, staffing, and resources to ensure efficiency and clinical quality.
• Oversee patient flow, transplant personnel, and external partnerships.
• Lead operational improvement initiatives.
• Build and develop high-performing interdisciplinary teams.
• Provide performance management, professional development, and succession planning.
• Manage recruitment, evaluation, and corrective action processes.
• Foster a collaborative culture focused on quality care and staff engagement.
• Monitor UNOS metrics, patient outcomes, readmissions, and other quality indicators.
• Participate in adverse event reviews and implement corrective actions.
• Track clinical, operational, and financial performance against benchmarks.
• Develop and manage program budgets.
• Monitor payer mix, reimbursement trends, and cost structures.
• Support vendor contract discussions and business development.

Skills

Regulatory compliance

Healthcare operations

Staff development

Strategic planning

Budget management

Team leadership

Change management

Quality improvement

Cross-functional collaboration

Performance management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in nursing

Master's Degree in Nursing

Job description

UC San Diego Health is seeking a strategic Organ Transplant Program Manager to lead the Heart Transplant Program, oversee clinical operations, and ensure regulatory compliance with UNOS, CMS, and HRSA. The role drives program growth, quality outcomes, and cross-functional collaboration with physicians, administrators, and staff.

The ideal candidate has nursing leadership experience, a strong operations background, and a track record of managing complex transplant programs in an academic medical