UC San Diego Health is seeking an exceptional and visionary executive to serve as its inaugural Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), Perioperative Services. This prestigious opportunity offers the chance to join one of the nation’s leading academic healthcare institutions, recognized for its innovation, excellence in patient care, and commitment to advancing surgical medicine. The CAO will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of perioperative services across a dynamic and expanding health system.
This reimagined leadership role carries broad strategic and operational responsibilities, overseeing perioperative services across UC San Diego Health and its affiliate partners. The CAO will ensure seamless integration and coordination of surgical services, balancing program goals with operational efficiency, regulatory compliance, and the highest standards of clinical care. A key priority will be driving performance and excellence in nursing care delivery, aligning with both internal policies and external standards.
The CAO will collaborate closely with Anesthesia and Surgical Perioperative Directors to define and deliver on key performance indicators, including patient experience, quality of care, operational efficiency, and strategic growth. This leader will represent perioperative services on cross-functional committees and maintain a visible presence in professional and community organizations. The role demands a strong change management mindset, fostering adaptability and innovation across multidisciplinary teams.
With oversight of a comprehensive perioperative portfolio, the CAO will lead initiatives in budget management, capital planning, business development, and clinical quality improvement. This includes enhancing patient flow, satisfaction, and outcomes across a system that performs over 186,000 procedures annually in 57 operating rooms and specialized procedural suites. The CAO will also support high-level strategic projects in partnership with the Chief Clinical Officer and Chief Operating Officer, helping to shape the future of surgical care delivery.
UC San Diego Health offers a world-class surgical environment, including advanced technologies such as intraoperative MRI, robotic systems, and microsurgical techniques. Facilities span Jacobs Medical Center, Hillcrest Medical Center, Moores Cancer Center, and the Koman Family Outpatient Pavilion, with recent expansions adding new ORs and procedural capabilities. The institution’s multidisciplinary approach ensures safe, effective, and personalized care throughout the surgical journey—from evaluation to recovery.
This is a rare opportunity for a dynamic leader to make a lasting impact at a nationally recognized academic health system. The ideal candidate will bring deep experience in perioperative leadership, strategic planning, and clinical operations, along with a collaborative and forward-thinking approach to healthcare transformation.
This role is onsite in San Diego, CA.
In this role, the CAO will:
The ideal candidate will be a clinical leader (BSN & MSN/MBA) with experience in an academic medical center and multi-site experience, and a deep understanding of perioperative services delivery models. Candidates should have a minimum of ten years’ experience in relevant perioperative services leadership and increasing responsibility in healthcare administration, financial or data analysis, and strategic operations.
The salary range for the role is anticipated to be between $330,000 – $375,000. The final hiring salary is commensurate with experience.
Please direct all applications, nominations and inquiries to Diane Smith, RN, BSN and April Allen, the WittKieffer consultants assisting UC San Diego Health with this recruitment using the WittKieffer Candidate Portal and clicking the buttons below or via e-mail, to [email protected].