Clinical Operations Director Jobs in USA with Visa Sponsorship
Clinical Operations Directors oversee trial execution, site management, and regulatory compliance across drug development programs. Employers sponsor H-1B visa and O-1 visas for this role regularly. A graduate degree in a life sciences or clinical field strengthens both your candidacy and your visa petition substantially. For detailed occupation requirements, see the O*NET profile.
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Get Access To All JobsFacility Kindred Hospital San Francisco Bay Area
Req ID 553704
Post Date 05/22/2026
Category Executive
Description $25,000 Sign On Bonus
Kindred Hospital San Francisco Bay Area is a 99-bed long-term acute care hospital offering the same in-depth care you would receive in a traditional hospital, but for an extended recovery period. We partner with your physician and offer 24-hour clinical care seven days a week so you can start your journey to wellness. For those who need special care, we offer a 10-bed ICU and two negative pressure rooms. We are located about 7 miles east of Oakland International Airport right off MacArthur Freeway (I-580).
Job Summary
Responsible for managing, directing, coordinating and controlling the overall operations of a hospital. Provides leadership to ensure attainment of strategic objectives and the delivery of quality, economical health care services and other related lines of business. Initiates and enforces organization-wide policies and procedures that support the accomplishment of the hospitals objectives and programs. Ensures nursing and clinical department’s goals, objectives, standards of performance, policies and procedures are appropriate for the patient population served. Oversees the organizing of nursing and clinical departments according to administrative and nursing service guidelines; ensures compliance with legal, organizational, and medical staff standards. Has authority and responsibility for establishing, directing, and implementing the Standards of Nursing Practice and the clinical operations and financial matters related to all nursing and clinical care areas and functions.
Essential Functions
- Embraces and works to advance the National Quality Program objectives and the journey towards a High Reliability Organization (HRO). Promotes a culture that encourages employees to identify safety issues and to speak up to enhance safety practices for employees and patients.
- Responsible for all aspects of hospital operations; clinical, ancillary, and support departments.
- Assures that all policies established by the Governing Body of the hospital are implemented appropriately.
- In collaboration with the Market CEO, directs the strategic planning for the hospital.
- Responsible for developing, interpreting and communicating hospital policies, objectives and operational procedures to the department managers and others as necessary. Includes assessing the patient population, risk factors and the scope of services.
- Contributes to and/or leads the appropriate initiatives outlined in the Strategic Quality Plan. Maintains a system which verifies licensure/certification, qualifications, experience, and competency of each member of the nursing department and evaluates each member on a timely basis. Serves on the Hospital Quality Council. Understands and supports the organization’s continuous quality initiatives. Represents nursing services on various corporate, hospital and medical staff committees/meetings.
- Develops and monitors the hospital budget, ensuring operations does not exceed the approved budget.
- Oversees the finance/business office functions of the hospital to ensure that funds are collected and expended appropriately.
- Ensures staffing plans are appropriate for the hospitals departments.
- In coordination with the Market CEO, hospital board, the medical staff and other hospital personnel, responds to the community’s needs for quality health care services by monitoring the adequacy of the hospital’s medical activities.
- Serves as a member of the hospital executive committee and other administrative committees as designated. Attends governing board meetings.
- Conducts job responsibilities in accordance with the standards set out in the Company's Code of Conduct, its policies and procedures, the Corporate Compliance Agreement, applicable federal and state laws, and applicable professional standards.
- Oversees and provides direction to hospital leadership grading hospital mission and objectives, expected productivity and efficiency, establishing policies and procedures are in compliance with federal state and local laws, regulations and ordinances. Works with hospital leadership to foster high employee morale and a positive work environment for employees.
- Develops a strong working knowledge of the electronic medical record. Assures compliance with all regulatory and accreditation requirements. Always maintains survey readiness. Participates in and coordinates survey preparation.
- Ensures maintenance of physical properties in good and safe state of repair and operation.
- Promotes adherence to the Company's Code of Conduct and the Corporate Compliance Agreement by monitoring employee performance and identifying and responding to compliance issues.
- Acts as Privacy officer for the hospital. Implements necessary privacy policies and procedures. Reviews all patient complaints regarding the hospitals privacy policies and procedures and/or privacy practice.
- Collaborates with Regional leadership to advance safety and quality.
Knowledge/Skills/Abilities/Expectations
- Ability to coordinate short- and long-term planning activities.
- Ability to work with a large staff and diverse client base.
- Basic computer skills with working knowledge of Microsoft Office, word processing and spreadsheet software.
- Able to demonstrate knowledge of The Joint Commission, local, state, and federal laws, and regulations.
- Knowledge of general budgeting, accounting, and management skills.
- Knowledge of cost reporting, profit and loss and budget compliance.
- Ability to work well with management teams and employees.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality of all patient and/or employee information to assure patient and/or employee rights are protected.
- Ability to spend a limited amount of time on travel.
- Must read, write and speak fluent English.
- Must have good and regular attendance.
- Performs other related duties as assigned.
Pay Range: $160,000-$200,000/yr.
ScionHealth has a comprehensive benefits package for benefit-eligible employees that includes Medical, Dental, Vision, 401(k), FSA/HSA, Life Insurance, Paid Time Off, and Wellness.
Qualifications
Education:
- Bachelor’s degree in nursing required.
- Master’s degree in healthcare administration, business administration, public health or clinical specialty required.
Licenses/Certification:
- Registered Nurse in the state.
Experience:
- Five years' experience in healthcare administration/management, with a minimum of two years' experience at a senior nursing management level, in a hospital setting with experience in operations.
- Two years’ prior COO or CEO level experience preferred.
- Graduate level education may substitute on a year-to-year basis for the required experience.
Facility Kindred Hospital San Francisco Bay Area
Req ID 553704
Post Date 05/22/2026
Category Executive
Description $25,000 Sign On Bonus
Kindred Hospital San Francisco Bay Area is a 99-bed long-term acute care hospital offering the same in-depth care you would receive in a traditional hospital, but for an extended recovery period. We partner with your physician and offer 24-hour clinical care seven days a week so you can start your journey to wellness. For those who need special care, we offer a 10-bed ICU and two negative pressure rooms. We are located about 7 miles east of Oakland International Airport right off MacArthur Freeway (I-580).
Job Summary
Responsible for managing, directing, coordinating and controlling the overall operations of a hospital. Provides leadership to ensure attainment of strategic objectives and the delivery of quality, economical health care services and other related lines of business. Initiates and enforces organization-wide policies and procedures that support the accomplishment of the hospitals objectives and programs. Ensures nursing and clinical department’s goals, objectives, standards of performance, policies and procedures are appropriate for the patient population served. Oversees the organizing of nursing and clinical departments according to administrative and nursing service guidelines; ensures compliance with legal, organizational, and medical staff standards. Has authority and responsibility for establishing, directing, and implementing the Standards of Nursing Practice and the clinical operations and financial matters related to all nursing and clinical care areas and functions.
Essential Functions
- Embraces and works to advance the National Quality Program objectives and the journey towards a High Reliability Organization (HRO). Promotes a culture that encourages employees to identify safety issues and to speak up to enhance safety practices for employees and patients.
- Responsible for all aspects of hospital operations; clinical, ancillary, and support departments.
- Assures that all policies established by the Governing Body of the hospital are implemented appropriately.
- In collaboration with the Market CEO, directs the strategic planning for the hospital.
- Responsible for developing, interpreting and communicating hospital policies, objectives and operational procedures to the department managers and others as necessary. Includes assessing the patient population, risk factors and the scope of services.
- Contributes to and/or leads the appropriate initiatives outlined in the Strategic Quality Plan. Maintains a system which verifies licensure/certification, qualifications, experience, and competency of each member of the nursing department and evaluates each member on a timely basis. Serves on the Hospital Quality Council. Understands and supports the organization’s continuous quality initiatives. Represents nursing services on various corporate, hospital and medical staff committees/meetings.
- Develops and monitors the hospital budget, ensuring operations does not exceed the approved budget.
- Oversees the finance/business office functions of the hospital to ensure that funds are collected and expended appropriately.
- Ensures staffing plans are appropriate for the hospitals departments.
- In coordination with the Market CEO, hospital board, the medical staff and other hospital personnel, responds to the community’s needs for quality health care services by monitoring the adequacy of the hospital’s medical activities.
- Serves as a member of the hospital executive committee and other administrative committees as designated. Attends governing board meetings.
- Conducts job responsibilities in accordance with the standards set out in the Company's Code of Conduct, its policies and procedures, the Corporate Compliance Agreement, applicable federal and state laws, and applicable professional standards.
- Oversees and provides direction to hospital leadership grading hospital mission and objectives, expected productivity and efficiency, establishing policies and procedures are in compliance with federal state and local laws, regulations and ordinances. Works with hospital leadership to foster high employee morale and a positive work environment for employees.
- Develops a strong working knowledge of the electronic medical record. Assures compliance with all regulatory and accreditation requirements. Always maintains survey readiness. Participates in and coordinates survey preparation.
- Ensures maintenance of physical properties in good and safe state of repair and operation.
- Promotes adherence to the Company's Code of Conduct and the Corporate Compliance Agreement by monitoring employee performance and identifying and responding to compliance issues.
- Acts as Privacy officer for the hospital. Implements necessary privacy policies and procedures. Reviews all patient complaints regarding the hospitals privacy policies and procedures and/or privacy practice.
- Collaborates with Regional leadership to advance safety and quality.
Knowledge/Skills/Abilities/Expectations
- Ability to coordinate short- and long-term planning activities.
- Ability to work with a large staff and diverse client base.
- Basic computer skills with working knowledge of Microsoft Office, word processing and spreadsheet software.
- Able to demonstrate knowledge of The Joint Commission, local, state, and federal laws, and regulations.
- Knowledge of general budgeting, accounting, and management skills.
- Knowledge of cost reporting, profit and loss and budget compliance.
- Ability to work well with management teams and employees.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality of all patient and/or employee information to assure patient and/or employee rights are protected.
- Ability to spend a limited amount of time on travel.
- Must read, write and speak fluent English.
- Must have good and regular attendance.
- Performs other related duties as assigned.
Pay Range: $160,000-$200,000/yr.
ScionHealth has a comprehensive benefits package for benefit-eligible employees that includes Medical, Dental, Vision, 401(k), FSA/HSA, Life Insurance, Paid Time Off, and Wellness.
Qualifications
Education:
- Bachelor’s degree in nursing required.
- Master’s degree in healthcare administration, business administration, public health or clinical specialty required.
Licenses/Certification:
- Registered Nurse in the state.
Experience:
- Five years' experience in healthcare administration/management, with a minimum of two years' experience at a senior nursing management level, in a hospital setting with experience in operations.
- Two years’ prior COO or CEO level experience preferred.
- Graduate level education may substitute on a year-to-year basis for the required experience.
See all 598+ Clinical Operations Director Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Clinical Operations Director roles.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Clinical Operations Director Jobs
Lead with regulatory and trial management credentials
Employers filing H-1B petitions for Clinical Operations Directors need to justify specialty occupation status. ICH-GCP certification, FDA regulatory experience, and Phase II–III trial oversight make that case clearly and reduce the risk of a USCIS Request for Evidence.
Target sponsors with active IND or NDA pipelines
Biotechs and CROs with active investigational or new drug applications have the most urgent hiring need. Companies mid-trial can't afford gaps in clinical operations leadership, which makes them more willing to initiate or transfer a visa petition quickly.
Understand that your degree field matters as much as your level
USCIS expects a direct relationship between your degree and the role. A master's in clinical research, public health, or a biomedical field supports the petition more cleanly than an unrelated degree supplemented by experience alone, even for senior candidates.
Position O-1A as a parallel path if you have extraordinary credentials
Clinical Operations Directors with published research, named authorship on clinical trial protocols, or speaking records at major industry conferences may qualify for O-1A, which has no lottery and no cap. It's worth evaluating alongside H-1B before the registration window.
Demonstrate cross-functional scope in your application materials
Employers sponsoring this role want evidence you can own CRO relationships, manage IRB submissions, and align operations with regulatory timelines. Framing your resume around trial outcomes and site performance metrics makes the sponsorship conversation easier to initiate.
Start the H-1B conversation before an offer is finalized
H-1B cap-subject petitions can only be filed once per year, with a lottery in March and an October 1 start date. Raising sponsorship early lets employers plan around the timeline instead of treating it as a late obstacle that complicates the hire.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Clinical Operations Director role qualify as a specialty occupation for H-1B purposes?
Yes, in most cases. USCIS evaluates whether the position normally requires a bachelor's degree or higher in a specific field. Clinical Operations Directors typically require degrees in life sciences, clinical research, nursing, or public health, and the role involves complex regulatory and scientific judgment that supports the specialty occupation standard. Sponsors should document these requirements clearly in the H-1B visa petition to reduce RFE risk.
What visa types do employers typically sponsor for Clinical Operations Directors?
H-1B is the most common path for Clinical Operations Directors hired from abroad. Employers with a demonstrated history of trial sponsorship sometimes also support O-1A petitions for candidates with exceptional credentials, such as authorship on published clinical protocols or regulatory guidance documents. TN visa classification is available for Canadian and Mexican nationals whose degree aligns with a qualifying USMCA occupation. Browse current openings on Migrate Mate to see which employers are actively sponsoring.
Does a three-year bachelor's degree qualify for an H-1B petition in this field?
It can, but the evaluation is case-by-case. USCIS accepts three-year degrees from recognized institutions when a credential evaluation confirms equivalency to a U.S. four-year bachelor's degree. For Clinical Operations Directors, a three-year life sciences degree paired with relevant postgraduate work or significant clinical trial experience is generally treated more favorably than a standalone three-year degree in an unrelated field.
How do CROs compare to pharmaceutical companies as H-1B sponsors for this role?
Both sponsor regularly, but the dynamic differs. Large pharmaceutical companies typically have established immigration programs and legal teams that handle petitions efficiently. CROs vary more widely. Some sponsor frequently due to high clinical headcount, while smaller CROs may be sponsoring for the first time. Either way, the strength of the petition depends more on how the role is documented than on the type of employer.
Can I transfer an existing H-1B to a new Clinical Operations Director role without starting over?
Yes. H-1B portability allows you to begin working for a new employer as soon as they file a transfer petition, without waiting for USCIS approval, provided you've maintained valid status. The new employer files a fresh I-129 petition describing the new role. If the job duties or degree requirements differ significantly from your original petition, the new employer should document the specialty occupation basis carefully.
What is the prevailing wage requirement for sponsored Clinical Operations Director jobs?
U.S. employers sponsoring a visa must pay at least the prevailing wage, which is what workers in the same role, area, and experience level typically earn. The Department of Labor sets this rate to make sure companies aren't hiring foreign workers simply because they'd accept lower pay than a U.S. worker. It varies by job title, location, and experience. You can look up current prevailing wage rates for any occupation and location using the OFLC Wage Search page.