The Unit Director provides strategic, operational, and administrative leadership for the UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Pediatric and Neonatal Medical Transport Program, a regional critical care transport service operating across Oakland, San Francisco, Mission Bay, and referring hospitals throughout California. The position oversees a complex, multi-campus transport program comprised of geographically distinct East Bay and West Bay transport teams that provide continuous neonatal and pediatric critical care transport by ground ambulance, helicopter, and fixed-wing aircraft.
The Unit Director is accountable for the strategic direction, operational performance, fiscal stewardship, quality outcomes, regulatory compliance, staffing, and program development for the regional transport program. The position provides leadership through subordinate supervisors and managers and directs an interdisciplinary workforce including Critical Care Transport Nurses, Respiratory Therapists, Nurse Coordinators, and support personnel.
Working with a high degree of autonomy, the Unit Director establishes operational standards, develops policies and procedures, ensures regulatory readiness, manages complex vendor and contractual relationships, and collaborates with physicians, executive leadership, referral hospitals, EMS agencies, and aviation partners to support regional access, program growth, and organizational objectives. The Unit Director oversees transport operations twenty-four hours per day, seven days per week, ensuring operational readiness across multiple transport teams, vehicles, and campuses.
Responsibilities % of time Essential Function (Yes/No ) Key Responsibilities (To be completed by Supervisor) 20 YES Provides strategic leadership for a regional pediatric and neonatal transport program spanning multiple campuses, transport bases, and statewide referral networks. Establishes operational priorities, performance expectations, and long-term program strategy. Exercises broad independent judgment in directing regional transport operations involving multiple campuses, interdisciplinary clinical teams, statewide referral partners, aviation and ambulance vendors, regulatory agencies, and executive leadership.
Decisions directly influence patient safety, organizational risk, financial stewardship, regulatory compliance, workforce deployment, and regional program performance. 15 YES Directs 24/7 operations for geographically separate East Bay and West Bay transport teams, ensuring operational readiness, standardized clinical practice, staffing coverage, patient flow, and deployment of transport resources. 10 YES Provides leadership through subordinate supervisors and managers for an interdisciplinary workforce including Critical Care Transport Nurses, Respiratory Therapists, Nurse Coordinators, and support personnel. 10 YES Develops and administers operating and capital budgets.
Monitors financial performance, productivity, transport utilization, and resource allocation across multiple operational sites. 10 YES Leads regulatory compliance activities including state, federal, CMS, Joint Commission, CAMTS, and other accreditation requirements. Oversees monthly, quarterly, and annual regulatory reporting and operational readiness. 10 YES Develops regional operational policies, quality initiatives, performance metrics, and standardized workflows that improve patient safety, clinical outcomes, and transport efficiency across the program. 10 YES Develops and maintains strategic relationships with referral hospitals, EMS agencies, aviation vendors, ambulance providers, and external partners.
Oversees contract development, vendor performance, and service agreements. 5 YES Partners with physicians, nursing leadership, respiratory therapy leadership, and executive leadership to develop new services, expand regional outreach, and support organizational growth. 5 YES Leads succession planning, leadership development, workforce planning, recruitment, employee engagement, and retention initiatives across multiple transport teams. 5 YES Collaborates with Information Technology and clinical informatics leaders to implement transport technologies, documentation systems, communication platforms, and operational analytics. 100% (To update total %, enter the amount of time in whole numbers (without the % symbol - e.g., 15, 20) then highlight the total sum (e.g., 1%) at the bottom of the column and press F9.
The total sum should add up to 100%.) Required
Bachelor's Degree in Nursing. Registered Nurse in the State of California. AHA Basic Life Support and Pediatric Advanced Life Support certifications.
Three to five years of Critical Care Transport experience and/or access center. Three years of progressively responsible leadership experience in pediatric, neonatal, critical care transport, emergency, or critical care services. Strong hospital-based emergency transport management experience, with progressive and in-depth expertise and leadership in patient care services.
Knowledge of hospital / clinic operations in a hospital or medical center setting; knowledge of appropriate professional standards for the department and team. Excellent communications and interpersonal skills to foster and promote an environment for effective communication and collaborative decision making across multiple units and disciplines. Excellent leadership, fiscal and operations management skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with physicians, management and staff from all disciplines.
Ability to create and maintain a goal-oriented climate of teamwork, collaboration and consistent achievement of objectives. Experience developing strategic initiatives and implementing operational change. Demonstrated experience managing complex regulatory and accreditation requirements, as well as related legislative, accreditation, licensing and compliance environments.
Demonstrated experience leading multiple clinical units, programs, or geographically dispersed operations Experience leading interdisciplinary teams including nursing, respiratory therapy, and ancillary clinical staff.
Master's Degree in Nursing or relevant area Certified Flight Registered Nurse or Critical Care Registered Nurse
Day shift