Nursing Director Surgical Services

Wheelersp; Indio (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Sign-on bonus up to $30,000

Job summary

Wheeler Staffing Partners is seeking a Nursing Director – Surgical Services in Indio, CA. This direct-hire role leads the Surgical Services department with 24-hour accountability, delivering strategic clinical and operational leadership to ensure high-quality patient care and regulatory compliance.

The candidate should have 3–5 years in Surgical Services in an acute care setting and at least 3 years in leadership roles.

Qualifications

• 3–5 years of Surgical Services experience in an acute care hospital setting.
• Minimum 3 years of nursing leadership or management experience.
• Strong clinical background in operating room nursing and skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and operational oversight for Surgical Services.
• Maintain 24-hour accountability for performance and patient care standards.
• Direct staffing, workflows, and resource allocation for safe surgical operations.
• Lead budgeting, productivity, and cost control for the department.
• Foster surgeon and physician relationships and interdisciplinary collaboration.
• Ensure regulatory compliance and continuous quality improvements.

Skills

Surgical leadership

Nursing leadership

Staff supervision

Regulatory knowledge

Education

Bachelor's degree in Nursing or related field

MSN (preferred)

Tools

Kronos timekeeping systems

Job description

Nursing Director – Surgical Services Location: Indio, CA Employment Type: Full-Time | Direct Hire Salary: $149,760–$210,000 annually (based on years of experience) Sign-On Bonus: available Relocation Assistance: available Work Environment: Hospital | Acute Care Leadership Responsibility: 24-hour accountability for Surgical Services operations

Position Overview

Wheeler Staffing Partners is seeking an experienced Nursing Director – Surgical Services for a direct-hire opportunity with a hospital in Indio, CA. The Nursing Director will provide strategic, clinical, and operational leadership for the Surgical Services department, ensuring high-quality patient care, regulatory compliance, financial performance, and effective daily operations. This leadership position carries 24-hour accountability for departmental operations, including staff supervision, clinical quality, patient safety, budget management, physician relationships, and continuous process improvement. The ideal candidate brings 3–5 years of Surgical Services experience in an acute care hospital setting, including at least 3 years of leadership experience, along with a strong clinical background in operating room nursing. This opportunity is ideal for an experienced nursing leader who is passionate about improving surgical outcomes, developing high-performing teams, and delivering exceptional patient care.

Key Responsibilities

Department Leadership & Operations

Provide overall leadership and operational oversight for the Surgical Services department. Maintain 24-hour accountability for departmental performance, patient care standards, staffing, and operational effectiveness. Establish, implement, and enforce departmental policies, procedures, standards, and performance objectives. Direct daily workflows, staffing assignments, and resource allocation to support safe and efficient surgical operations. Collaborate with hospital leadership, physicians, nursing teams, and interdisciplinary departments to achieve organizational goals. Lead departmental strategic planning, performance improvement initiatives, and operational decision-making. Ensure appropriate maintenance, repair, and functionality of surgical instrumentation and equipment. Participate in hospital committees and represent Surgical Services in organizational initiatives.

Financial Management & Resource Allocation

Develop and manage departmental budgets based on patient volumes, staffing needs, and operational requirements. Monitor productivity, labor expenses, and cost per unit of service to ensure financial performance aligns with established goals. Identify budget variances and implement corrective action plans to improve operational efficiency. Oversee supply chain management, purchasing, inventory, and departmental equipment needs. Evaluate staffing models, work assignments, and resource utilization to maintain quality while controlling costs. Approve departmental supply orders and monitor expenditures.

Staff Leadership & Development

Recruit, hire, train, supervise, evaluate, and develop nursing and Surgical Services personnel. Conduct employee evaluations, including 30-day stay interviews, 90-day reviews, and annual performance evaluations. Monitor employee turnover, retention trends, and engagement metrics to identify opportunities for improvement. Develop and implement employee retention, professional development, and engagement initiatives. Provide coaching, mentoring, performance feedback, and leadership development for department staff. Promote a collaborative, respectful, and accountable work environment. Ensure staff compliance with organizational policies, clinical competencies, safety standards, and professional expectations. Oversee employee timekeeping, payroll approvals, and Kronos time management processes.

Patient Experience & Physician Relations

Foster strong working relationships with surgeons, physicians, anesthesia providers, hospital leadership, and interdisciplinary teams. Promote excellence in patient-centered care throughout the surgical experience. Monitor patient satisfaction scores and implement action plans to improve patient outcomes and service quality. Address patient, physician, and staff concerns promptly and professionally. Support physician engagement and satisfaction through effective communication and operational collaboration. Serve as a hospital representative on medical staff committees and departmental initiatives.

Quality, Patient Safety & Regulatory Compliance

Ensure compliance with Joint Commission (JCAHO), state, federal, and other applicable healthcare regulatory requirements. Maintain high standards for surgical patient safety, clinical quality, and evidence-based nursing practices. Monitor departmental quality indicators, patient outcomes, and performance metrics. Develop and implement quality improvement initiatives to address performance gaps. Support organizational strategies related to core measures, patient safety, and clinical excellence. Ensure staff competencies, departmental procedures, and clinical practices align with regulatory and accreditation standards. Promote continuous assessment and improvement of Surgical Services operations and standard of care.

Strategic Planning & Department Growth

Support hospital initiatives designed to improve surgical service delivery and increase patient volumes. Identify opportunities to enhance operational efficiency, clinical performance, and departmental growth. Collaborate with executive leadership on strategic planning and service line development. Mentor and develop future nursing leaders to support departmental continuity and long-term success.

Required Qualifications

• 3–5 years of Surgical Services experience in a hospital or acute care setting.
• Minimum 3 years of nursing leadership or management experience.
• Strong clinical background in operating room nursing, including demonstrated mastery of surgical nursing skills and practices.
• Current California Registered Nurse (RN) license.
• Bachelor's degree in Nursing, Business Administration, Management, or a related field, or equivalent qualifying experience.
• Demonstrated ability to manage clinical teams, departmental operations, staffing, and patient care standards.
• Knowledge of surgical services operations, patient safety standards, infection prevention, and healthcare regulatory requirements.
• Experience with departmental budgeting, productivity management, financial reporting, and resource allocation.
• Strong understanding of Joint Commission standards and applicable healthcare regulations.
• Excellent leadership, communication, organizational, decision-making, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with physicians, hospital leadership, nursing staff, and interdisciplinary teams.
• Ability to maintain 24-hour leadership accountability for assigned departmental operations.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master of Science in Nursing (MSN).
• Previous experience serving as a Surgical Services Director, Operating Room Director, Perioperative Services Director, or similar nursing leadership position.
• Experience managing surgical department budgets, quality improvement initiatives, and operational performance.
• Familiarity with Kronos timekeeping and workforce management systems.
• Proven success improving patient satisfaction, physician engagement, staff retention, clinical outcomes.
• Experience supporting surgical service line growth and strategic planning.

Why Consider This Opportunity?

• Competitive Compensation: $149,760–$210,000 annually, based on years of experience.
• Sign-On Incentive: Eligible candidates may receive a sign-on bonus of up to $30,000.
• Relocation Assistance: $4,000 for relocations of 100 miles or less or $8,000 for relocations of 100 miles or more.
• Leadership Opportunity: Direct Surgical Services operations and influence clinical quality, patient safety, and departmental performance.
• Professional Growth: Collaborate with hospital executives, physicians, and clinical leadership teams.
• Meaningful Impact: Lead initiatives that improve surgical patient outcomes, employee engagement, and the overall patient experience.

Wheeler Staffing Partners is actively seeking a qualified Nursing Director – Surgical Services for a direct-hire opportunity in Indio, CA.