Unit Director, Birth Center

UCSF•San Francisco, CA

6d•Onsite

About The Position

The Unit Director provides operational leadership for Labor & Delivery and associated perinatal services (e.g., antepartum, L&D, postpartum, triage, and OBED care) within a high-acuity academic medical center. Oversees care delivery through subordinate managers, ensuring safe, high-quality, and patient-centered care across the maternal–newborn continuum. Accountable for clinical outcomes, patient safety, regulatory compliance, patient experience, and financial performance of the service line. Leads initiatives to reduce maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality, with a strong focus on evidence-based practice, health equity, and standardization of care in alignment with national perinatal quality benchmarks. Executes established strategic direction and operational goals for the department, including volume growth, capacity management, throughput, workforce optimization, and labor productivity and OT optimization in a 24/7 environment. Ensures appropriate staffing models, skill mix, and labor productivity while maintaining readiness for high-risk, high-volume obstetric care, including emergent situations. Partners closely with Obstetrics, Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Neonatology, Anesthesia, and Emergency Medicine leaders to coordinate interdisciplinary care and advance clinical programs, including high-risk pregnancy management and neonatal services. Supports academic priorities through collaboration with faculty, integration of teaching into clinical workflows, and advancement of nursing research and quality improvement initiatives in perinatal care. Leads a professional practice environment grounded in shared governance, fostering staff engagement, clinical competency, and leadership development. Serves as a mentor and resource to nurses, advanced practice providers, residents, and students, promoting a culture of accountability, continuous learning, and excellence in women’s and infant health. Implements systems to proactively identify and mitigate clinical and operational risks, ensuring compliance with regulatory and accreditation standards (e.g., perinatal core measures, fetal monitoring standards, obstetric emergency readiness). Drives programs and strategies with service line and organizational impact, including quality, safety, patient experience, and workforce sustainability.

Requirements

Operational leadership experience in Labor & Delivery or associated perinatal services.
Experience in a high-acuity academic medical center.
Experience overseeing care delivery through subordinate managers.
Accountability for clinical outcomes, patient safety, regulatory compliance, patient experience, and financial performance.
Experience leading initiatives to reduce maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality.
Focus on evidence-based practice, health equity, and standardization of care.
Experience executing strategic direction and operational goals.
Experience with volume growth, capacity management, throughput, workforce optimization, and labor productivity.
Experience ensuring appropriate staffing models, skill mix, and labor productivity in a 24/7 environment.
Experience maintaining readiness for high-risk, high-volume obstetric care, including emergent situations.
Experience partnering with interdisciplinary leaders (Obstetrics, Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Neonatology, Anesthesia, Emergency Medicine).
Experience supporting academic priorities, including collaboration with faculty, integration of teaching, and advancement of nursing research.
Experience leading a professional practice environment grounded in shared governance.
Experience fostering staff engagement, clinical competency, and leadership development.
Experience serving as a mentor and resource to clinical staff and trainees.
Experience promoting a culture of accountability, continuous learning, and excellence.
Experience implementing systems to proactively identify and mitigate clinical and operational risks.
Experience ensuring compliance with regulatory and accreditation standards.
Experience driving programs and strategies with service line and organizational impact.

Responsibilities

Provides operational leadership for Labor & Delivery and associated perinatal services.
Oversees care delivery through subordinate managers, ensuring safe, high-quality, and patient-centered care.
Accountable for clinical outcomes, patient safety, regulatory compliance, patient experience, and financial performance.
Leads initiatives to reduce maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality.
Executes strategic direction and operational goals for the department, including volume growth, capacity management, throughput, workforce optimization, and labor productivity.
Ensures appropriate staffing models, skill mix, and labor productivity.
Partners with Obstetrics, Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Neonatology, Anesthesia, and Emergency Medicine leaders.
Supports academic priorities through collaboration with faculty, integration of teaching, and advancement of nursing research.
Leads a professional practice environment grounded in shared governance.
Serves as a mentor and resource to nurses, advanced practice providers, residents, and students.
Implements systems to proactively identify and mitigate clinical and operational risks.
Ensures compliance with regulatory and accreditation standards.
Drives programs and strategies with service line and organizational impact.