Director of Nursing Surgical Services – (day shift, full-time)

Intermedia Group•Westwood, NJ

4d•$157,000 - $220,000

About The Position

Our client, a 128-bed acute care hospital, retained us to identify a high-impact Director of Nursing Surgical Services to lead and transform a growing surgical services program. This is a hands-on clinical and operational leadership role with full 24/7 accountability across the perioperative platform, including the OR, PACU, same day surgery, sterile processing, endoscopy, and a pre-op optimization clinic. Why This Role Matters This position is open due to a leadership transition and comes at a critical time of rapid growth and operational evolution. The hospital has invested heavily in advanced surgical technology and is positioned to significantly expand surgical volume—but requires the right leader to unlock that capacity. Currently, the OR has 6 rooms but has only been consistently running 4, creating access issues for surgeons and limiting growth. The expectation is to scale to full 6-room utilization with daily case volumes increasing from ~6–10 cases/day to 20–30 cases/day, aligning with competitive market benchmarks. Key Challenges & Focus Areas The incoming Director will be expected to lead through meaningful change, including: Driving OR throughput and block utilization optimization Updating and standardizing preference cards Reducing reliance on travel staff and stabilizing core teams Transitioning staff to a more metrics-driven, high-volume environment Partnering with physicians who may be resistant to operational changes Expanding OR hours and improving scheduling access This is not a maintenance role—this is a build, optimize, and grow opportunity. Clinical Scope & Technology The surgical program includes a diverse and growing case mix: General surgery Orthopedics (high volume) Women’s health Urology Robotic surgery The facility is equipped with state-of-the-art technology, including: DaVinci robotic system Mako orthopedic platforms (2 units) Globus system

Requirements

Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) or actively enrolled/the ability to enroll in a BSN program with mandatory completion within 24 months- required.
Current New Jersey RN license required.
Strong perioperative leadership experience (OR required)
Proven ability to lead teams through growth, change, and increased volume
Comfortable working in a KPI-driven environment (block utilization, turnover times, etc.)
Hands-on, visible leader who can engage frontline staff and rebuild morale
Able to balance clinical quality, operational efficiency, and physician relationships
BLS certification must be obtained within 14 days of hire or transfer into the role and prior to providing direct patient care.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in nursing, Healthcare Administration, or related field.
Acute care experience
Ideal: ~5–7 years of leadership experience in surgical services
Open to high-potential candidates with 2–3 years of leadership if they have strong OR depth
Not targeting very junior or late-career candidates