Senior Director, Allocation and Placement

Overview

Allocation and Placement is a highly regulated clinical and operational function responsible for the allocation, placement, and coordination of deceased donor organs for transplantation and approved research activities. The department serves as LiveOnNY's 24-hour operational command center for organ allocation, ensuring every allocation decision is executed in accordance with applicable federal and state law, Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) policies, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Conditions for Coverage (42 CFR §486 Subpart G), the New York State Anatomical Gift Act (NYS AGA), and all applicable LiveOnNY policies, standard operating procedures (SOPs), executive directives, and organizational requirements.

The Allocation and Placement Senior Director provides executive operational leadership for the Allocation and Placement Department and is responsible for the strategic planning, operational execution, workforce leadership, regulatory compliance, quality performance, financial stewardship, and continuous operational readiness of all allocation and placement activities. Reporting directly to the Vice President, Recovery Services, the Senior Director serves as the senior operational leader responsible for ensuring the department functions safely, consistently, efficiently, and in full regulatory compliance within a continuous 24-hour operational environment.

The Senior Director provides direct leadership and oversight of departmental Directors, Operational Managers, and Allocation and Placement Coordinators (APCs), ensuring organizational priorities established by Executive Leadership are effectively translated into operational execution. The Senior Director establishes departmental goals, operational objectives, performance expectations, staffing strategies, quality initiatives, education priorities, and process improvement activities while maintaining alignment with organizational strategy and regulatory requirements.

This position is responsible for developing and maintaining an operational infrastructure that promotes consistency, accountability, audit readiness, workforce competency, and continuous process improvement. The Senior Director ensures departmental operations are supported through effective resource allocation, workforce planning, leadership development, operational analytics, quality monitoring, technology optimization, and standardized operational practices that eliminate unnecessary variation and unauthorized discretion.

The Senior Director directs departmental performance through the development, monitoring, and analysis of operational metrics, quality indicators, productivity measures, staffing models, budget performance, service level expectations, workforce competency, and organizational key performance indicators. The position utilizes operational data and performance analytics to identify trends, evaluate organizational performance, prioritize improvement initiatives, mitigate operational risk, and support executive decision-making.

The Senior Director maintains executive responsibility for departmental regulatory readiness and directs all activities necessary to ensure continuous compliance with CMS Conditions for Coverage, OPTN Policies, applicable federal and state regulations, and LiveOnNY policies and directives. The position oversees departmental audit readiness, regulatory inspections, internal audits, corrective and preventive action activities, quality improvement initiatives, and ongoing operational monitoring to ensure sustained compliance and organizational excellence.

The Senior Director collaborates extensively with Executive Leadership and organizational departments including Clinical Operations, Surgical Recovery, Quality and Compliance, Information Technology, Hospital Services, Family Services, Materials Management, Transportation, Finance, Human Resources, and other operational and administrative stakeholders to ensure coordinated execution of organizational priorities and enterprise-wide operational initiatives.

The Senior Director is expected to exercise sound executive judgment within established organizational authority while ensuring all activities remain consistent with Executive Leadership direction, LiveOnNY policies, and applicable regulatory requirements.

The Senior Director maintains continuous awareness of departmental operations, proactively identifies operational risks, removes barriers to performance, develops future organizational capability, and ensures the Allocation and Placement Department remains prepared to support LiveOnNY's mission, regulatory obligations, and strategic objectives.

Responsibilities

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Executive Leadership and Strategic Operations

• Provides executive leadership for all Allocation and Placement operations, ensuring departmental performance aligns with organizational strategy established by the Vice President, Recovery Services and Executive Leadership.
• Directs the planning, execution, oversight, and continuous improvement of all allocation and placement activities within a 24-hour operational environment.
• Provides direct leadership, mentorship, accountability, and performance oversight for Directors, Operational Managers, and other assigned leadership personnel.
• Establishes departmental priorities, operational objectives, strategic initiatives, and performance expectations that support organizational goals and regulatory compliance.
• Develops and executes long-range operational plans designed to improve organ utilization, operational efficiency, workforce effectiveness, and service delivery.
• Serves as the senior operational authority for Allocation and Placement and provides executive leadership during complex operational events, regulatory issues, high-risk donor cases, system failures, staffing emergencies, and other significant operational circumstances.
• Ensures continuous operational readiness through proactive planning, resource allocation, contingency planning, and leadership oversight.
• Maintains executive oversight of departmental continuity of operations, disaster recovery planning, downtime procedures, and operational resilience.
• Identifies operational risks and develops mitigation strategies that protect donor safety, regulatory compliance, and organizational performance.
• Promotes a culture of accountability, professionalism, operational excellence, continuous improvement, and organizational stewardship.
• Performs other duties as assigned in support of departmental and organizational objectives.

Departmental Governance and Operational Performance

• Directs the daily operation of the Allocation and Placement Department and maintains executive accountability for departmental performance.
• Establishes departmental operational standards, performance expectations, service level objectives, and productivity benchmarks.
• Oversees workforce scheduling strategies, staffing models, succession planning, workload distribution, and resource allocation to support continuous operational coverage.

• Monitors departmental productivity, case throughput, workload trends, staffing utilization, and operational performance through established performance metrics.
• Develops and monitors departmental Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), dashboards, operational scorecards, and executive reporting tools.
• Reviews operational data to identify trends, opportunities, operational vulnerabilities, and performance improvement initiatives.
• Directs implementation of operational improvements that enhance efficiency, consistency, communication, and regulatory compliance.
• Ensures standardized execution of departmental workflows, documentation practices, communication processes, scripting, escalation pathways, and operational procedures.
• Eliminates operational variation through standardized processes, education, competency validation, and leadership oversight.
• Maintains executive oversight of contact center operations, workforce management systems, call quality, communication standards, and operational service levels.
• Ensures departmental activities consistently support organizational strategic priorities and CMS OPO performance measures.

Regulatory Compliance and Quality Systems

• Directs departmental compliance with all applicable CMS Conditions for Coverage (42 CFR §486 Subpart G), OPTN Policies, FDA regulations, New York State law, and LiveOnNY policies and procedures.
• Maintains executive responsibility for departmental regulatory readiness and continuous survey preparedness.
• Oversees internal audits, external regulatory inspections, quality reviews, operational assessments, and accreditation activities.
• Directs corrective and preventive action (CAPA) activities related to allocation operations and monitors implementation to completion.
• Reviews quality indicators, operational variances, audit findings, and compliance trends to identify opportunities for organizational improvement.
• Ensures operational policies, SOPs, work instructions, competency documents, and educational materials remain current, compliant, and operationally effective.
• Collaborates with Quality Assurance and Compliance leadership to investigate operational events, identify root causes, implement corrective actions, and monitor effectiveness.
• Ensures documentation integrity through routine monitoring, auditing, and executive review of allocation activities.
• Maintains executive oversight of departmental policy governance and ensures regulatory changes are effectively incorporated into operational practice.
• Directs preparation for CMS, OPTN, FDA, and other regulatory surveys and serves as a departmental representative during inspections and regulatory reviews.

Financial Stewardship and Resource Management

• Assists in development of, monitors, and administers departmental operating budgets in collaboration with executive leadership.
• Monitors budget performance, operational expenditures, staffing costs, overtime utilization, contractual services, and resource allocation.
• Identifies opportunities for cost containment while maintaining operational performance, donor safety, and regulatory compliance.
• Participates in annual budget planning, capital requests, technology investments, and departmental financial forecasting.
• Evaluates operational efficiency and resource utilization to ensure responsible stewardship of organizational assets.
• Collaborates with Finance and Executive Leadership to support organizational financial objectives while maintaining operational excellence.
• Ensures equipment, software systems, operational tools, and departmental resources adequately support continuous operations.

Workforce Planning, Leadership Development, and Organizational Culture

• Provides executive leadership for departmental workforce planning, recruitment, onboarding, retention, succession planning, and leadership development.
• Directs the professional development of Directors, Operational Managers, and future organizational leaders.
• Establishes leadership expectations, accountability standards, coaching practices, and performance management processes.
• Oversees performance evaluation processes, corrective action activities, employee engagement initiatives, and workforce development strategies.
• Promotes a culture of accountability, collaboration, professionalism, continuous learning, and operational excellence.
• Identifies future leadership needs and develops succession strategies that ensure organizational continuity.
• Collaborates with Human Resources to support recruitment, performance management, workforce planning, employee relations, and leadership development initiatives.
• Develops organizational strategies that improve employee retention, workforce engagement, competency, and long-term departmental stability.

Education, Competency, and Organizational Readiness

• Directs the strategic development and governance of departmental education, onboarding, competency validation, continuing education, and workforce readiness programs.
• Ensures competency frameworks accurately reflect regulatory requirements, organizational expectations, and operational responsibilities.
• Oversees validation of Allocation and Placement Coordinator competencies prior to independent practice.
• Establishes departmental education priorities based upon audit findings, quality trends, regulatory changes, and operational performance.
• Reviews competency metrics, educational outcomes, workforce readiness indicators, and compliance performance to evaluate program effectiveness.
• Collaborates with organizational education resources and subject matter experts to continuously improve training programs and competency methodologies.
• Ensures workforce education supports consistent, standardized, and policy-driven execution of allocation activities.
• Maintains executive oversight of learning management systems, competency documentation, educational records, and regulatory training requirements.

Executive Collaboration and Organizational Alignment

• Collaborates with Executive Leadership to implement organizational strategy, operational priorities, and enterprise-wide initiatives.
• Partners with Clinical Operations, Surgical Recovery, Hospital Services, Family Services, Quality and Compliance, Information Technology, Materials Management, Transportation, Finance, Human Resources, and other organizational departments to ensure coordinated operational execution.
• Represents Allocation and Placement during executive meetings, organizational committees, regulatory activities, strategic planning initiatives, and multidisciplinary operational projects.
• Provides executive reports, operational analyses, departmental updates, and strategic recommendations to senior leadership.
• Supports enterprise-wide quality improvement, technology implementation, process redesign, regulatory initiatives, and organizational change management activities.
• Fosters collaborative relationships that enhance communication, operational integration, regulatory compliance, and achievement of organizational objectives.
• Ensures departmental operations remain aligned with Executive Leadership direction, organizational strategy, and LiveOnNY's mission, vision, and values.

Qualifications

QUALIFICATIONS

Required:

• Progressively responsible leadership experience in healthcare, transplantation, organ donation, clinical operations, business administration, public health, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience directing complex, high-acuity, twenty-four (24) hour operational environments.
• Demonstrated experience leading large multidisciplinary teams and multiple operational functions.
• Demonstrated experience developing and implementing strategic operational initiatives, organizational performance improvement programs, and quality management systems.
• Demonstrated experience with operational planning, workforce development, succession planning, organizational change management, and leadership development.
• Demonstrated financial management experience, including budget development, fiscal oversight, productivity management, resource allocation, and operational forecasting.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze operational data, performance metrics, quality indicators, and organizational trends to support executive decision-making.
• Demonstrated ability to lead complex operational initiatives while maintaining organizational performance, accountability, and regulatory readiness.
• Excellent written, verbal, interpersonal, presentation, and executive communication skills.
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and healthcare information systems.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment, maintain confidentiality, and effectively lead in high-pressure operational environments.

Preferred:

• PA, RN, LPN, MA or similar medical professional
• Certified Procurement Transplant Coordinator (CPTC), Certified Transplant Preservationist (CTP), or other relevant healthcare leadership certification.
• Executive or senior leadership experience within an Organ Procurement Organization (OPO), transplant center, or other donation and transplantation program.
• Experience overseeing organ allocation and placement operations, donor management, contact center operations, or other complex clinical operations.
• Knowledge of Organ Procurement Organization (OPO) operations, organ allocation and placement processes, donor management, and transplant system operations.
• Knowledge of Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Conditions for Coverage (42 CFR §486 Subpart G), Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) Policies, United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) allocation systems, the New York State Anatomical Gift Act (NYS AGA), and other applicable federal and state regulatory requirements.
• Experience leading regulatory inspections, accreditation surveys, audit readiness initiatives, corrective action programs, and continuous quality improvement activities.
• Experience implementing healthcare technology systems, operational analytics, workflow optimization, or enterprise process improvement initiatives.
• Lean Six Sigma or other recognized process improvement certification.
• Experience developing competency-based education programs, leadership development initiatives, and organizational succession planning.
• Experience collaborating with executive leadership on strategic planning, organizational performance improvement, capital planning, and enterprise-wide operational initiatives.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

• Regularly required to sit, talk, hear, and use computer systems for extended periods
• Frequent use of hands for documentation and system navigation
•  Visual acuity including close vision and ability to adjust focus
• Reasonable accommodation may be provided to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

WORK SCHEDULE, EXCLUSIVE SERVICE & CONFLICT DISCLOSURE STANDARD

• Exempt employees are compensated based on annual salary. • Exempt employees are required to devote their full working time, attention, and effort to LiveOnNY during those worked and scheduled hours.• All employees must comply with LiveOnNY’s Conflict of Interest Policy.

Salary Range: $160,000 - $185,000

Benefits:

Dental insuranceFlexible spending accountHealth insuranceLife insurancePaid time offRetirement planVision insurance