Senior Director, High Reliability

CHS Corporate; United States; On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

CHS Corporate seeks a Sr Director of High Reliability to lead organization-wide strategies that eliminate preventable errors and promote a transparent safety culture across complex clinical and operational settings. You will drive a robust high-reliability framework with executive collaboration and continuous learning toward zero preventable harm.

You will embed core HRO principles, supervise safety specialists, and coach leaders in human factors science, with accountability for KPIs and

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in nursing, healthcare administration, MBA, or related field.
• 5–7 years of progressive leadership in patient safety, quality improvement, or operational reliability.
• Experience leading direct teams and matrixed multidisciplinary projects.
• Deep knowledge of high-reliability principles, human factors engineering, SPC, and regulatory standards.
• CPPS/CRE/CPHQ or Lean Six Sigma Green/Black Belt preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development, execution, and alignment of a system-wide high-reliability strategy.
• Embed HRO principles into daily operations, huddles, and leadership rounding.
• Ensure alignment between HRO strategies, clinical operations, and regulatory oversight.
• Design simulation-based training and coach leaders on human factors and reliable error-prevention tools.
• Drive executive engagement and develop educational materials on HRO concepts.
• Directly supervise safety specialists and analytics teams; report KPIs to leadership and Board.

Skills

High-Reliability Science

Influential Leadership

Data Analysis

Education

Master’s degree in Nursing (MSN)

Healthcare Administration (MHA)

Business Administration (MBA)

Related technical/engineering field

Job description

Job Summary

The Sr Director of High Reliability leads organization-wide strategies to eliminate preventable errors, foster a robust safety culture, and embed high-reliability organization (HRO) principles across complex operational and clinical settings. This role directs the design, execution, and continuous improvement of the organization’s high-reliability framework. Collaborating closely with executive, clinical, and operational leaders, the Director deploys safety behaviors, analyzes operational risk, and drives a transparent culture of continuous learning toward a target of zero preventable harm.

Key Responsibilities & Duties

Strategy & Framework Deployment

• Lead the development, execution, and continuous alignment of a system-wide high-reliability and safety strategy.
• Embed core high-reliability principles (preoccupation with failure, reluctance to simplify, sensitivity to operations, commitment to resilience, and deference to expertise) into daily operational routines, huddles, and leadership rounding.
• Ensure alignment between HRO strategies, clinical operations, and regulatory oversight (e.g., Joint Commission standards).

Culture of Safety & Leadership Coaching

• Champion a transparent, non-punitive culture of safety and Just Culture that encourages open incident reporting and psychological safety.
• Design simulation-based training programs and coach frontline managers, physician leaders, and executive leadership on human factors science, high-reliability behaviors, and reliable error-prevention tools.
• Drive executive and management engagement in structured safety behaviors (e.g., tiered huddles, visual management boards, "Stop the Line" protocols).
• Develop all educational material related to HRO principals and operationalizing HRO across the enterprise.

Team Leadership & Governance

• Directly supervise, mentor, and build high-performing teams of safety specialists, HRO practice coaches, and clinical/operational data analysts.
• Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) and report reliable progress metrics to executive leadership, clinical councils, and the Board of Directors.

Position Requirements & Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Nursing (MSN), Healthcare Administration (MHA), Business Administration (MBA), or a related technical/engineering field required.
• 5 to 7 years of progressive leadership experience in patient safety, quality improvement, or operational reliability. Demonstrated experience leading direct teams as well as matrixed multidisciplinary projects.
• Deep knowledge of high-reliability principles, human factors engineering, statistical process control, and regulatory compliance (e.g., Joint Commission standards).
• Certified Professional in Patient Safety (CPPS), Certified Reliability Engineer (CRE), Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality (CPHQ), or Lean Six Sigma Green/Black Belt preferred

Core Competencies

• High-Reliability Science: Advanced knowledge of human factors engineering, error proofing, and error-prevention techniques.
• Influential Leadership: Ability to inspire culture change and build consensus across multidisciplinary executive and clinical teams.
• Data Analysis & Synthesis: Proficiency in translating complex safety data into actionable improvement plans and executive dashboard reporting.