Executive Director, Enterprise Safety Quality and Patient Experience

Cleveland Clinic

103d

About The Position

Cleveland Clinic is seeking a dynamic and experienced individual to serve as Executive Director – Enterprise Safety, Quality and Patient Experience. This role has a major impact on the organization, playing a role in defining SQPE delivery across the enterprise. Reporting to the Vice President of Safety, Quality, and Patient Experience, this role provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for enterprise-wide Safety, Quality, and Patient Experience (SQPE) functions. Core areas of responsibility include quality, safety, patient experience, accreditation, regulatory affairs, and infection prevention. Working within a matrixed organizational structure and in close collaboration with clinical leadership, this leader ensures alignment with strategic objectives and the consistent delivery of safe, high-quality, efficient, and financially sustainable healthcare services.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree.
• Master's degree in business administration, healthcare administration or related field.
• Fifteen (15) years of experience in clinical quality, safety, patient experience or administering quality improvement programs, with minimum of 5 years prior leadership experience.
• Certified Professional of Healthcare Quality, Patient Safety, Accreditation or Risk Management.
• Master Black Belt or Lean Gold certification.
• Excellent financial planning, project management and people management skills.
• Demonstrated experience in managing leaders and teams, strategic management, and leading change in complex settings.
• Demonstrated experience applying and coaching Lean problem solving and related improvement methodologies.
• Proficiency in data analysis, visualization and insight translation.
• Experience partnering with leadership and clinicians to achieve results.
• Outstanding communication (verbal, written, presentation), leadership and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Experience with regulatory compliance, accreditation processes, and collaboration with external agencies.
• Experience in and understanding of healthcare industry.

Responsibilities

• Partner with the Vice President of Safety, Quality, and Patient Experience to develop, communicate and align the enterprise-wide SQPE strategy.
• Identify opportunities to incorporate emerging technologies, digital tools and innovative practices to advance quality, safety and patient experience outcomes.
• Serve as a content expert in safety, quality and patient experience, contributing to the development and execution of enterprise strategies and initiatives.
• Monitor national trends in safety, quality and patient experience to inform strategy, optimize outcomes, and enhance value-based reimbursement.
• Partner with legal and compliance teams to proactively identify and mitigate risks related to patient safety, regulatory compliance and accreditation standards.
• Represent Cleveland Clinic on selected national and international boards and committees related to SQPE.
• Facilitate knowledge sharing and dissemination of best practices across the enterprise and with external stakeholders.
• Develop strategies to optimize outcomes in value-based care models, ensuring alignment with reimbursement incentives and cost containment goals.
• Lead enterprise-wide performance improvement efforts in safety, quality and patient experience across Institutes, Markets and Shared Services.
• Collaborate with clinical and non-clinical leaders to assess SQPE performance, set goals and implement improvement initiatives.
• Practice and coach effective Lean problem solving to achieve enterprise goals and drive greater value for patients, caregivers and the organization.
• Apply data analysis, statistical methods and Lean principles to identify trends, solve problems and drive continuous improvement.
• Establish benchmarking processes to compare organizational performance against national and international standards.
• Oversee the accuracy, integrity and security of SQPE-related data, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and ethical standards.
• Support the Vice President of Lean Transformation in change management initiatives to foster a culture of continuous improvement.
• Oversee SQPE operations, including team leadership, recruitment, performance management, caregiver experience, budgeting and resource allocation.
• Establish and maintain communication cadences to foster a culture of improvement, collaboration and engagement.
• Develop and implement standardized processes, protocols and tools across the enterprise to ensure consistency in SQPE practices.
• Manage the Cleveland Clinic Alliance for Patient and Caregiver Safety (Patient Safety Organization).
• Develop and oversee training programs and playbooks for caregivers and leaders in SQPE best practices.
• Mentor emerging leaders within the SQPE team, fostering talent development and succession planning.
• Identify opportunities to optimize resources and reduce waste while maintaining high standards of care.
• Monitor the financial impact of SQPE initiatives, ensuring alignment with organizational sustainability goals.
• Lead the SQPE Compliance Committee, identify key compliance risks and report to the Enterprise Compliance Committee.
• Ensure compliance with quality metrics across hospitals and joint ventures.
• Partner with Supply Chain leadership to ensure quality metric compliance within contracts across all hospitals and joint ventures.
• Oversee enterprise-wide accreditation preparedness and responsiveness activities.
• Serve as an advocate for the organization in regulatory discussions and policy development.
• Partner with emergency management teams to integrate SQPE principles into disaster planning and response efforts.
• Oversee infection prevention efforts to ensure adherence to regulatory standards and delivery of safe healthcare services.
• Provide strategic oversight of infection prevention programs and initiatives.

Benefits

• Comprehensive health benefits.
• Retirement savings plan.
• Paid time off.
• Professional development opportunities.
• Employee wellness programs.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive
• Education Level: Master's degree