Director, Inpatient Allied Health

About the Role

Provides strategic leadership to inpatient allied health and laboratory leaders to ensure standardized clinical practices, operational excellence, regulatory compliance, and exceptional patient outcomes. Leads integration of lab and innovation center operations to improve patient outcomes, patient and staff engagement, interdisciplinary collaboration, and operational efficiency.

Responsibilities

• Develop, administer, and monitor departmental operating and capital budgets while ensuring achievement of financial, productivity, and operational performance goals.
• Recruit, develop, mentor, and retain high-performing leaders and staff while fostering employee engagement, accountability, succession planning, and professional development.
• Advance the organization's missions of clinical excellence, education, innovation, and research through partnerships with academic institutions, professional organizations, and interdisciplinary teams.
• Analyze operational, financial, and market data to identify opportunities for growth, efficiency, and service expansion while developing strategic business plans.
• Establish, implement, and monitor operational policies, procedures, and best practices to ensure compliance with regulatory, accreditation, and organizational standards.
• Analyze other operating data, including patient experience, throughput, length of stay (LOS), safety, quality indicators, and workforce metrics. Assess patterns and trends, then recommend and implement appropriate action.
• Represent inpatient allied health services across organizational committees, interdisciplinary councils, and professional organizations while contributing to organizational strategy and clinical practice standards.
• Lead continuous quality improvement initiatives utilizing process improvement, evidence-based practice, and organizational quality methodologies.
• Establish productivity, staffing, and workforce planning methodologies that optimize patient access, operational efficiency, and financial performance.
• Lead strategic initiatives supporting organizational growth, program development, technology implementation, and operational transformation.
• Oversee staffing models, productivity expectations, workforce utilization, and labor management in partnership with departmental leadership.
• Collaborate with executive leadership, physician leaders, nursing, support services, and interdisciplinary teams to achieve organizational strategic priorities.
• Ensure accurate, timely, and compliant clinical documentation supporting quality care, reimbursement, regulatory requirements, and research initiatives.
• Develop long-range operational strategies aligned with organizational goals.
• Establish key performance indicators and utilize dashboards to monitor operational performance.
• Ensure ongoing readiness for CARF, Joint Commission, CMS, and other accreditation surveys.
• Develop workforce strategies that support recruitment, retention, succession planning, and employee engagement.
• Lead organizational change initiatives, process redesign, and implementation of new technologies.
• Champion initiatives that improve patient and family experience.
• Perform all other duties that may be assigned in the best interest of the organization.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in an allied health profession, healthcare administration, business administration, or related field required.
• Master's degree in healthcare administration, business administration, rehabilitation sciences, or related discipline preferred.
• Licensure or registration in the State of Illinois, if applicable for professional discipline.
• Five to seven years of progressively responsible leadership experience in inpatient rehabilitation or acute healthcare operations, including management of multiple departments and leaders.

Skills

• Quantitative and analytical ability to evaluate organizational and financial performance, develop marketing strategy, and forecast staffing needs.
• Interpersonal skills necessary to provide effective leadership and communicate with patients, patient families, referring parties, managed care organizations, payors, and staff.
• Demonstrated strategic leadership skills, including the ability to develop and execute operational plans, lead organizational change, and drive continuous performance improvement.
• Strong financial and analytical acumen with the ability to interpret operational and financial data, develop budgets, forecast staffing needs, and make data-driven decisions.
• Proven ability to build collaborative relationships, communicate effectively with executive leadership and interdisciplinary teams, and influence outcomes across the organization.
• Knowledge of regulatory and accreditation standards applicable to inpatient rehabilitation with the ability to ensure ongoing compliance and operational readiness.

Reporting Relationship

Reports directly to a Vice President, Operations.