Director of Respiratory Care

Department Overview

The Director of Respiratory Care provides leadership, direction, and administrative oversight for respiratory therapy services at OHSU, ensuring the delivery of high-quality, safe, efficient, and patient-centered care across adult, pediatric, and diagnostic respiratory programs. This role advances respiratory care strategy and establishes practice standards, staffing frameworks, workforce development strategies, and competency pathways that support clinical excellence while aligning operational performance and financial stewardship.

 

The Director fosters a culture of accountability and continuous improvement by holding self, leaders, and staff accountable for adherence to OHSU policies, regulatory requirements, accreditation standards, professional standards of practice, and evidence-based respiratory care delivery.

 

The Director is responsible for operational performance, workforce planning, quality outcomes, regulatory readiness, and financial management for respiratory services. The role partners closely with physician, nursing, and operational leaders to advance respiratory care quality, improve patient outcomes, optimize resource utilization, and support organizational priorities.

 

The Director leads respiratory governance structures and leadership forums that support shared decision-making, professional practice, quality improvement, and operational performance. This role promotes innovation, staff development, and interdisciplinary collaboration while ensuring alignment between clinical excellence, operational performance, and responsible financial management.

Function/Duties of Position

Leadership, Governance, Strategy

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for Respiratory Care services across adult, pediatric, and diagnostic programs.
• Advance the respiratory care strategy in alignment with organizational priorities, patient care needs, and emerging best practices. 
• Lead respiratory governance structures, councils, and leadership forums that support professional practice, quality improvement, workforce engagement, and operational performance.
• Establish departmental goals, priorities, and performance expectations and monitor progress toward outcomes.
• Partner with physician, nursing, and operational leaders to promote interdisciplinary collaboration and achieve organizational objectives.
• Serve as the senior respiratory care leader and escalation point for operational and clinical issues.

Operations and Financial Performance 

• Direct operational performance of Respiratory Care services, ensuring efficient, effective, and patient-centered care delivery.
• Develop, monitor, and manage departmental operating and capital budgets.
• Ensure responsible stewardship of financial, human, and material resources.
• Lead productivity management, workforce deployment, and resource utilization initiatives.
• Identify and implement operational improvements that enhance quality, efficiency, access, throughput, and financial performance. 
• Monitor key operational and financial metrics and develop action plans to address performance gaps.

Quality, Safety and Professional Practice

• Establish, implement, and maintain respiratory care practice standards consistent with OHSU policies, regulatory requirements, accreditation standards, and evidence-based practice.
• Foster a culture of accountability by holding self, leaders, and staff accountable for compliance with organizational policies and professional standards.
• Lead quality, patient safety, and regulatory readiness activities for Respiratory Care services. 
•  Define and monitor clinical quality indicators and implement improvement strategies to enhance patient outcomes.
• Promote evidence-based practice, clinical excellence, and continuous improvement.
• Support performance improvement initiatives that advance safety, quality, and patient experience.

Workforce Planning, Staffing and Professional Development

• Develop and oversee staffing frameworks that support safe, efficient, and high-quality respiratory care delivery.
• Lead workforce planning efforts to ensure appropriate staffing levels, skill mix, and resource allocation.
• Establish and maintain competency pathways, onboarding programs, and ongoing professional development processes.
• Promote employee engagement, retention, succession planning, and leadership development. 
• Ensure staff maintain required competencies, certifications, and regulatory requirements.
• Foster an inclusive, accountable, and high-performing work environment. 

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in respiratory care, Healthcare Administration, Business Administration, or related field. 
• Minimum of seven (7) years of relevant experience is required, with at least three (3) years in progressive leadership roles
• Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) with valid Oregon licene

Demonstrated experience with:

• large-scale financial management o leading leaders (manager/, supervisor reports)
• clinical program development and service line performance o physician partnership in a matrixed environment 

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in healthcare administration, Business Administration, Healthcare Leadership, or related field. 
• Experience in academic medical center or integrated delivery system
• Experience leading within a unionized organization 
• Experience leading cross-continuum respiratory services (ICU, procedural, ambulatory) 

Additional Details

Full-time Monday-Friday position, with occasional remote work schedule option, and call as required. Occasional travel required. This position works in a busy environment with a lot of interruptions, multiple demands and people interactions that, at times, may be stressful. This position must deal with situations on a daily basis with a high degree of intensity. Exposure to human tissue/fluids.

Why apply to OHSU?

We are Oregon's only public academic health center. In addition to caring for patients, we lead groundbreaking research. We also train the next generation of health care professionals. As Portland's largest employer, we give you opportunities to learn and advance in a system of hospitals and clinics across Oregon and Southwest Washington. All are welcome. OHSU welcomes people of all ages, ethnicities, genders, national origins, religions and sexual orientations. We are striving to build an anti-racist, multicultural institution and encourage people with diverse backgrounds to apply. To request reasonable accommodation, contact askhr@ohsu.edu