Director, Respiratory Care

Howard University Hospital • Washington, DC

5d • $106,233 - $169,956

About The Position

As Director of Respiratory Therapy at Howard University Hospital, you will provide strategic, clinical, and operational leadership for all Respiratory Care Services across the hospital — ensuring the delivery of high-quality, evidence-based respiratory therapy to every patient we serve, from the ICU to the emergency department to the inpatient floors. Reporting to the Chief Nursing Officer, you will lead a dedicated team of respiratory care practitioners, partner with physicians and interdisciplinary leaders, and drive the clinical, regulatory, and operational excellence of the department. If you are a seasoned respiratory care leader with a passion for clinical excellence, team development, and mission-driven service, this is your opportunity to make a lasting impact at one of the nation’s most storied academic medical centers.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Respiratory Therapy or Respiratory Care required
• Current Respiratory Care Practitioner (RCP) license in the District of Columbia required
• Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) credential through the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) required
• Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) through the American Heart Association required
• Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) and/or Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) required based on service scope
• Minimum of five (5) to seven (7) years of progressive respiratory therapy experience in an acute-care hospital setting, including critical care
• Minimum of three (3) to five (5) years of progressive respiratory therapy leadership or management experience

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree in Healthcare Administration, Business Administration, Health Sciences, Nursing, or a related field
• NBRC Adult Critical Care Specialty (ACCS) or Neonatal/Pediatric Specialty (NPS) credential
• Active membership in the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC)
• Experience in an academic medical center environment
• Demonstrated experience with departmental benchmarking (Premier, Vizient, or equivalent) and labor productivity management

Responsibilities

• Ensure delivery of high-quality, evidence-based respiratory therapy services across inpatient, critical care, emergency, perioperative, and outpatient settings
• Provide oversight of advanced mechanical ventilation (conventional, HFOV, APRV), non-invasive ventilation (NIV), high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC), airway management, and ventilator liberation pathways
• Lead the respiratory response to Code Blue, Rapid Response, difficult airway activations, and intra-hospital transport of ventilated patients
• Coordinate the interface with contracted ECMO specialist services to support patients requiring extracorporeal respiratory support
• Lead, mentor, and manage respiratory therapy staff, including recruitment, hiring, onboarding, competency validation, performance management, and progressive discipline
• Oversee the RT orientation program and clinical ladder; foster a culture of learning, accountability, and professional growth
• Ensure departmental licensure and credentialing compliance; maintain audit-ready records of active DC RCP licensure, NBRC credentials, and all required life support certifications
• Manage departmental budgeting, labor productivity, resource allocation, and capital equipment planning; use benchmarking tools such as Premier or Vizient to monitor and drive operational performance
• Ensure compliance with The Joint Commission, CMS Conditions of Participation, DC Department of Health, OSHA, AARC Clinical Practice Guidelines, and all other applicable regulatory and accreditation standards
• Develop, implement, review, and maintain respiratory therapy policies, procedures, clinical guidelines, and standard operating procedures aligned with current evidence and regulatory expectations
• Drive quality improvement and patient safety initiatives, including monitoring of ventilator-associated events (VAE), unplanned extubations, oxygen stewardship, and respiratory therapy-sensitive outcomes
• Collaborate with physicians, nursing leadership, perioperative services, pharmacy, and interdisciplinary teams to optimize respiratory care protocols and patient outcomes
• Lead respiratory emergency preparedness, pandemic and surge response planning, and respiratory infection prevention; serve as the departmental subject matter expert for airborne pathogen response
• Promote adherence to the Health Sciences Compliance Program, Howard University Code of Ethics, Health Sciences Standards of Conduct, and HIPAA
• Attend all mandatory compliance training including HIPAA Privacy training; actively participate in compliance program activities
• Maintain strict confidentiality of patients, families, and staff

Benefits

• Work-life balance
• Recognition and rewards for professional expertise
• Competitive, comprehensive benefit plans including health, disability, vacation, sick leave, and 403(b) retirement plan
• Tuition remission at Howard University for you and/or eligible dependent children — up to two (2) courses per semester
• A mission-driven environment rooted in over 150 years of excellence, service, and advocacy for the communities we serve

What This Job Offers

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