Director of Surgical Services Jobs
Director of Surgical Services jobs are open at health systems, community hospitals, and specialty surgical centers, from manager-level to VP, with specializations in perioperative operations, sterile processing oversight, and surgical quality improvement. Scan the live roles below and apply to whichever ones fit.
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Showing 5 of 12+ Director of Surgical Services jobs
- Location: Milwaukee, WI
- Facility: Columbia St. Mary's Hospital
- Department: Surgical Services
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Schedule: Full-time
Eligible for an annual bonus incentive
#LI-SY2
- Comprehensive health coverage: medical, dental, vision, prescription coverage and HSA/FSA options
- Financial security & retirement: employer-matched 403(b), planning and hardship resources, disability and life insurance
- Time to recharge: pro-rated paid time off (PTO) and holidays
- Career growth: Ascension-paid tuition (Vocare), reimbursement, ongoing professional development and online learning
- Emotional well-being: Employee Assistance Program, counseling and peer support, spiritual care and stress management resources
- Family support: parental leave, adoption assistance and family benefits
- Other benefits: optional legal and pet insurance, transportation savings and more
Directs all clinical activities, patient care planning, and service delivery while resolving obstacles to uphold high standards of patient care and satisfaction.
Establishes departmental goals aligned with medical, administrative, ethical, and legal healthcare standards.
Oversees nursing area budgets and resource allocation to ensure continuous financial efficiency and accountability.
Coordinates and executes internal and external clinical and operational audits to ensure regulatory compliance.
Leads end-to-end talent lifecycle—hiring, training, and evaluating staff—while partnering with physicians and leadership to optimize operational workflows.
Licensure / Certification / Registration
-
Required Credential(s):
- BLS Provider obtained prior to hire date or job transfer date. American Heart Association or American Red Cross accepted.
- Registered Nurse obtained prior to hire date or job transfer date.
Education
- Bachelor's degree in nursing or diploma from an accredited school/college of nursing required. Master's degree or combination of Bachelor's degree and experience preferred.
Work Experience
- 5 years of experience required. 10 years of experience preferred. 2 years of leadership or management experience required. 5 years of leadership or management experience preferred.
Ascension is a leading nonprofit Catholic health system with a culture and associate experience grounded in service, growth, care and connection. We empower our 99,000+ associates to bring their skills and expertise every day to reimagining healthcare, together. Recognized as one of the Best 150+ Places to Work in Healthcare and a Military-Friendly Gold Employer, you'll find an inclusive and supportive environment where your contributions truly matter.
Equal employment opportunity employer
Ascension provides Equal Employment Opportunities (EEO) to all associates and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex/gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions, lactation, breastfeeding, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, all as defined by applicable law, and any other legally protected status or characteristic in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws. For further information, view the EEO Know Your Rights (English) poster or EEO Know Your Rights (Spanish) poster.
Fraud prevention notice
Prospective applicants should be vigilant against fraudulent job offers and interview requests. Scammers may use sophisticated tactics to impersonate Ascension employees. To ensure your safety, please remember: Ascension will never ask for payment or to provide banking or financial information as part of the job application or hiring process, our legitimate email communications will always come from an @ascension.org email address; do not trust other domains, and an official offer will only be extended to candidates who have completed a job application through our authorized applicant tracking system.
E-Verify statement
Employer participates in the Electronic Employment Verification Program. Please click here for more information.
- Location: Milwaukee, WI
- Facility: Columbia St. Mary's Hospital
- Department: Surgical Services
-
Schedule: Full-time
Eligible for an annual bonus incentive
#LI-SY2
- Comprehensive health coverage: medical, dental, vision, prescription coverage and HSA/FSA options
- Financial security & retirement: employer-matched 403(b), planning and hardship resources, disability and life insurance
- Time to recharge: pro-rated paid time off (PTO) and holidays
- Career growth: Ascension-paid tuition (Vocare), reimbursement, ongoing professional development and online learning
- Emotional well-being: Employee Assistance Program, counseling and peer support, spiritual care and stress management resources
- Family support: parental leave, adoption assistance and family benefits
- Other benefits: optional legal and pet insurance, transportation savings and more
Directs all clinical activities, patient care planning, and service delivery while resolving obstacles to uphold high standards of patient care and satisfaction.
Establishes departmental goals aligned with medical, administrative, ethical, and legal healthcare standards.
Oversees nursing area budgets and resource allocation to ensure continuous financial efficiency and accountability.
Coordinates and executes internal and external clinical and operational audits to ensure regulatory compliance.
Leads end-to-end talent lifecycle—hiring, training, and evaluating staff—while partnering with physicians and leadership to optimize operational workflows.
Licensure / Certification / Registration
-
Required Credential(s):
- BLS Provider obtained prior to hire date or job transfer date. American Heart Association or American Red Cross accepted.
- Registered Nurse obtained prior to hire date or job transfer date.
Education
- Bachelor's degree in nursing or diploma from an accredited school/college of nursing required. Master's degree or combination of Bachelor's degree and experience preferred.
Work Experience
- 5 years of experience required. 10 years of experience preferred. 2 years of leadership or management experience required. 5 years of leadership or management experience preferred.
Ascension is a leading nonprofit Catholic health system with a culture and associate experience grounded in service, growth, care and connection. We empower our 99,000+ associates to bring their skills and expertise every day to reimagining healthcare, together. Recognized as one of the Best 150+ Places to Work in Healthcare and a Military-Friendly Gold Employer, you'll find an inclusive and supportive environment where your contributions truly matter.
Equal employment opportunity employer
Ascension provides Equal Employment Opportunities (EEO) to all associates and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex/gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions, lactation, breastfeeding, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, all as defined by applicable law, and any other legally protected status or characteristic in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws. For further information, view the EEO Know Your Rights (English) poster or EEO Know Your Rights (Spanish) poster.
Fraud prevention notice
Prospective applicants should be vigilant against fraudulent job offers and interview requests. Scammers may use sophisticated tactics to impersonate Ascension employees. To ensure your safety, please remember: Ascension will never ask for payment or to provide banking or financial information as part of the job application or hiring process, our legitimate email communications will always come from an @ascension.org email address; do not trust other domains, and an official offer will only be extended to candidates who have completed a job application through our authorized applicant tracking system.
E-Verify statement
Employer participates in the Electronic Employment Verification Program. Please click here for more information.
See All 12 Director of Surgical Services Jobs
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Find JobsDirector of Surgical Services Job Market
Who's Hiring
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in director of surgical services jobs.
- Current RN license and a minimum of five years of perioperative or OR management experience
- Demonstrated experience managing surgical services budgets and staffing for multi-room ORs
- CNOR certification or eligibility required at most health system employers
- Proficiency with surgical scheduling and electronic health record systems
- Experience leading Joint Commission or other accreditation readiness activities
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing required, master's degree in nursing or healthcare administration preferred
Tips for Your Director of Surgical Services Job Search
Quantify your perioperative outcomes on your resume
Hiring committees want specifics: OR utilization rates you improved, turnover you reduced, or accreditation surveys you led. Generic phrases like 'managed surgical staff' won't distinguish you from other candidates with similar titles and tenure.
Highlight your CNOR and leadership certifications clearly
Many applicants bury certifications at the bottom of their resume. Move your CNOR, CSSM, or CASC credentials near your name so screeners see them immediately, since many systems filter candidates on that requirement before a human reviews the file.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists director of surgical services openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.
Target postings that match your bed count experience
A 50-bed critical access hospital and a 600-bed academic medical center want fundamentally different leaders. Filter your search by facility type and size, since your budget authority and service line scope need to align with what the employer expects.
Prepare a data narrative for your behavioral interview
Surgical services interviews almost always include a scenario question about a performance improvement project. Walk in with one complete STAR-format example built around measurable OR efficiency or patient safety metrics, so you aren't constructing it on the spot.
Negotiate start dates around JCAHO survey cycles
If a facility has an accreditation review scheduled within your first 90 days, clarify expectations upfront. Knowing the survey timeline lets you negotiate a later start or confirm what support you'll have, protecting you from inheriting compliance gaps you didn't create.
Director of Surgical Services Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most director of surgical servicess?
Waterfall Technology Consulting Partners, Gander, and Ascension are hiring the most director of surgical servicess right now, with openings concentrated in North Carolina, Florida, and California, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Regional health systems and large multi-hospital networks account for the majority of active postings.
How many director of surgical services jobs are remote?
About 0% of director of surgical services openings are fully remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting the hands-on nature of perioperative leadership. The sub-areas most likely to offer remote flexibility are interim consulting roles and system-level quality or accreditation positions that don't require daily floor presence.
How do you become a director of surgical services?
Start with an RN license and build several years of OR or perioperative bedside experience, then move into charge nurse or assistant manager roles in a surgical setting. Earning your CNOR certification strengthens your clinical credibility. From there, pursue a nurse manager or assistant director title where you gain budget and staffing responsibility before applying for director-level roles.
Can you get hired as a director of surgical services without direct director experience?
Yes, many health systems promote strong assistant directors or surgical services managers into the director role, particularly in community hospitals or critical access facilities with smaller OR programs. Demonstrating that you've owned a perioperative improvement project end-to-end, managed scheduling and staffing autonomously, and led an accreditation preparation effort can substitute for a previous director title in those searches.
What does the director of surgical services interview process look like?
Most health systems run a first-round phone screen with HR, followed by a panel interview with the CNO, CFO, and surgical services leadership team. A candidate presentation on a perioperative challenge or improvement proposal is common in the final round. Some systems include a facility walkthrough with OR staff so they can assess your clinical fluency and leadership presence before making an offer.
Where can I find and apply to director of surgical services jobs?
You can find and apply to director of surgical services jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from health systems, hospitals, and surgical centers across the United States. Search for roles that match your facility type, service line experience, and location preference, then apply directly to each listing that fits.
See All 12 Director of Surgical Services Jobs
Find roles that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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