Sr. Director, Mission Control Operations - 138860

The Senior Director, Mission Control Operations serves as the enterprise operational leader responsible for the strategic direction, system-wide oversight, and performance optimization of Mission Control (MC) across the health system. This role leads the design and execution of an integrated throughput and capacity management strategy that supports organizational growth, financial sustainability, and quality outcomes.

Acting as the central operational integrator, the Senior Director partners closely with Nursing, Physician Leadership, Clinical Operations, Access, Information Technology, and Performance Improvement to ensure seamless coordination of patient flow, capacity utilization, and operational readiness. The role holds enterprise accountability for advancing operational initiatives that improve patient access and flow, optimize resource utilization, and strengthen system resilience during periods of peak demand and operational disruption.

Key Responsibilities:

• Leadership

  * Develops and implements a comprehensive MC strategy to meet assigned organizational objectives. Makes recommendations for improvements aligned with health system priorities, growth initiatives, and financial objectives.

• Executive Decision-Making

  * Liaise with executive leadership and MC clinical leaders to establish MC's vision and priorities. Executes on initiatives that optimize patient flow and capacity in the short and long term.

• Daily Management

  * Oversee daily MC operations, including personnel, ensuring efficient workflows and leveraging data to inform decision-making. Monitors and acts on short- and long-term financial plans and other outcome metrics for MC.
  * Translate operational needs into technical requirements to ensure tools effectively support decision-making and frontline workflows.
  * Support structured escalation pathways and provide real-time operational insights to support institutional response during high census or surge events.

• Process Improvement, Standardization & Change Management

  * Monitor MC KPIs and identify, drive, and standardize opportunities for improvement, including business plan development and ad hoc.
  * Drive efforts to implement solutions within and outside of MC that enhance care coordination, reduce bottlenecks, and improve overall flow within the health system.
  * Partner to drive data-driven proposals for shifting services to different campuses to maximize flow/capacity and coordinate with Access to Care on alignment structure.

• Directs subordinate managers, supervisors, and professional staff; oversees adherence to schedules, policies, procedures, work plans, and performance requirements to achieve broadly stated goals and objectives.

• Establishes and monitors operating and capital budgets, manages expenses, and prepares financial analysis. Coordinates space planning and equipment needs/maintenance.

• Develops short and long-term goals and objectives for departments. Establishes metrics to evaluate quality and measure service effectiveness. Directs data collection and provides analysis to support operational improvements.

• Ensures compliance with accreditation and regulatory standards, quality guidelines, and organizational policies and procedures.

• Provides direction to subordinate managers and reviews personnel actions. Conducts performance evaluations for subordinate managers and professional staff. Facilitates staff training and professional development opportunities.

• Collaborates across departments to resolve problems and coordinate services. Ensures quality and continuity of services.

• Represents departments on interdisciplinary committees. Builds and maintains effective working relationships with internal leaders and external agencies.

• Bachelor's degree in related area and eight or more years of relevant experience, or equivalent combination of experience, education and training.

• Significant management experience in a complex healthcare organization.

• Experience leading mission control operations within a complex healthcare organization.

• Thorough knowledge of health care delivery models, business and strategic planning, financial management, and organizational development.

• Ability to work collaboratively and effectively with medical center leaders and external agencies.

• Ability to establish and utilize metrics to support operational and process improvement.

• Thorough knowledge of budget development, financial analysis, and reporting techniques.

• Advanced verbal and written communication skills.

• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to motivate and influence others.

• Ability to build and maintain a climate of trust and collaboration.

• Master's Degree in business, health administration or clinical degree preferred.

• Five or more years of manager or higher level leadership experience within a complex healthcare organization.

• Five or more years leading large-scale change initiatives and oversight of project managers.

• Leadership experience within an academic health system.

• Current UC San Diego Health employee.

• Must be able to work various hours and locations based on business needs.

• Employment is subject to a criminal background check and pre-employment physical.

If employed by the University of California, you will be required to comply with our Policy on Vaccination Programs, which may be amended or revised from time to time. Federal, state, or local public health directives may impose additional requirements.

If applicable, life-support certifications (BLS, NRP, ACLS, etc.) must include hands-on practice and in-person skills assessment; online-only certification is not acceptable.

UC San Diego Health is the only academic health system in the San Diego region, providing leading-edge care in patient care, biomedical research, education, and community service. Our facilities include two university hospitals, a National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, Shiley Eye Institute, Sulpizio Cardiovascular Center, the only Burn Center in the county, and and dozens of outpatient clinics. We invite you to join our team!

Applications/Resumes are accepted for current job openings only. For full consideration on any job, applications must be received prior to the initial closing date. If a job has an extended deadline, applications/resumes will be considered during the extension period; however, a job may be filled before the extended date is reached.

To foster the best possible working and learning environment, UC San Diego strives to cultivate a rich and diverse environment, inclusive and supportive of all students, faculty, staff and visitors. For more information, please visit UC San Diego Principles of Community.

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law.

For the University of California's Anti-Discrimination Policy, please visit: https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/1001004/Anti-Discrimination

UC San Diego is a smoke and tobacco free environment. Please visit smokefree.ucsd.edu for more information.

UC San Diego Health maintains a marijuana and drug free environment. Employees may be subject to drug screening.

Misconduct Disclosure Requirement: As a condition of employment, the final candidate who accepts an offer of employment will be required to disclose if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct; or have filed an appeal of a finding of substantiated misconduct with a previous employer.

a. "Misconduct" means any violation of the policies governing employee conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, or discrimination, as defined by the employer. For reference, below are UC's policies addressing some forms of misconduct:

• UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
• UC Anti-Discrimination Policy
• Abusive Conduct in the Workplace