Director of Occupational Therapy (Pediatrics)

Blythedale Children's Hospital • Valhalla, NY

12d • $160,000 - $180,000

About The Position

Blythedale Children's Hospital is a leading pediatric hospital dedicated to providing comprehensive, compassionate care. As the only free-standing children's specialty hospital in New York State, we admit patients with complex medical conditions to our state-of-the-art 94-bed inpatient facility. We serve patients from academic medical centers across New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut. Located just 20 miles north of Manhattan in beautiful Westchester County, we offer an inspiring work environment where healthcare professionals thrive. Learn more about Blythedale by visiting our website here.

The Director of Occupational Therapy (OT) provides strategic, clinical, and operational leadership for occupational therapy services at Blythedale Children’s Hospital, with a focus on post-acute inpatient rehabilitation. This role also provides oversight for a high-volume day hospital program, outpatient occupational therapy services and OT services for onsite long term care residents. The Director ensures the delivery of high-quality, family-centered, evidence-informed occupational therapy services that support optimal functional outcomes for children with complex medical, developmental, and rehabilitative needs. The role partners closely with senior leadership to align clinical excellence, operational performance, and growth strategies with the hospital’s mission and strategic priorities.
The Director of Occupational Therapy reports to the Chief Operating Officer.

Requirements

• Minimum of 7–10 years of progressively responsible experience in pediatric occupational therapy.
• Demonstrated leadership or management experience in a healthcare or rehabilitation setting.
• Advanced knowledge of pediatric occupational therapy practice and standards of care.
• Strong leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Proven ability to manage operations, budgets, and performance metrics.
• Experience with regulatory compliance, accreditation standards, and quality improvement methodologies.
• Ability to lead changes, influence stakeholders, and work effectively in a highly collaborative environment.
• Master’s or Doctoral degree in Occupational Therapy from an accredited program required.
• Current state licensure as an Occupational Therapist required.
• NBCOT certification required.
• Ability to perform essential job functions with or without reasonable accommodation.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in a pediatric specialty hospital, post-acute, rehabilitation, or complex care environment strongly preferred.
• Advanced knowledge of assistive technology is highly desirable.

Responsibilities

• Provide clinical oversight and direction for occupational therapy services across post-acute inpatient rehabilitation, day hospital programming, outpatient, and long-term care services.
• Lead the development, implementation, and evaluation of OT programs that address the needs of medically complex and developmentally diverse pediatric populations.
• Support continuity of care and smooth transitions between inpatient rehabilitation, day hospital, and outpatient settings.
• Promote highest standard of evidenced informed practice in pediatric occupational therapy, including fostering clinical reasoning and the effective use of specialized approaches.
• Ensure care delivery is developmentally appropriate, trauma-informed, and family-centered across all levels of care.
• Oversee day-to-day operations of the OT department across inpatient rehab, day hospital, outpatient and long-term care settings, including staffing models, scheduling, productivity standards, and resource utilization.
• Develop and manage the departmental budget; monitor expenses, productivity, and financial performance across multiple service lines.
• Partner with the COO and hospital leadership to support sustainable growth, access, and capacity planning.
• Ensure appropriate documentation, billing, and coding practices to support reimbursement in post-acute, ambulatory, and outpatient environments.
• Use operational and financial data to drive performance improvement and informed decision-making.
• Ensure compliance with all applicable regulatory and accreditation standards (e.g., Joint Commission, CMS, state and federal regulations).
• Lead continuous quality improvement initiatives to enhance patient outcomes, safety, satisfaction, and operational efficiency.
• Monitor clinical outcomes and performance metrics; use data to drive improvement and accountability.
• Participate in organizational readiness activities for surveys, audits, and inspections.
• Recruit, hire, mentor, and retain a high-performing team of occupational therapists and support staff.
• Foster a culture of engagement, collaboration, accountability, and professional growth.
• Ensure staff competency, licensure, credentialing, and ongoing education requirements are met. Support continuing education and learning opportunities aligned with hospital goals.
• Conduct performance evaluations and support individualized development through a tiered mentorship structure.
• Collaborate closely with medical staff, physical therapy, speech-language pathology, nursing, psychology, teaching staff, and other disciplines.
• Serve as an advocate for occupational therapy within the organization and the broader pediatric healthcare community.
• Partner with families and caregivers to ensure care plans align with patient and family goals.
• Contribute to departmental and organizational strategic planning initiatives.
• Identify opportunities for innovation, research, and program development areas of pediatric occupational therapy.
• Support academic partnerships, student education, and clinical research as appropriate.

Benefits

• Competitive Salary: Reflective of your skills and experience.
• Professional Development Opportunities: Access to mentorship, leadership training, and career advancement programs.
• Comprehensive Health Benefits: Including medical, dental, and vision coverage.
• Retirement Plans with Employer Matching: Secure your future with our strong retirement plans.
• Paid Time Off (PTO): Generous vacation, holiday, and sick leave policies.
• Safe Work Environment: Commitment to employee safety and well-being.
• Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives: A workplace that values and supports all employees.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director