RN Operating Room Manager

RN Operating Room Manager

Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced Registered Nurse (RN) Operating Room Manager to provide clinical and operational leadership for a busy surgical services department.

The ideal candidate will have operating room experience as a circulator, along with a minimum of 2 years of leadership experience in a hospital or ambulatory surgery center setting. This position provides 24/7 accountability for the department while primarily working a Monday–Friday daytime schedule.

The successful candidate will lead a multidisciplinary surgical team, support patient safety and quality initiatives, oversee daily operations, and ensure efficient delivery of surgical services.

Department Overview

The surgical department includes:

• 6 main operating rooms
  

• 1 cystoscopy room
  

• 1 minor procedure room
  

• Approximately 7–25 cases per day, depending on services and case mix
  

• Hybrid OR services
  

• Robotic surgical capabilities, including Xi and SP robotic systems
  

Common surgical specialties include:

• Gynecology
  

• General Surgery
  

• Urology
  

• Orthopaedics
  

• Spine
  

• Ophthalmology
  

• Vascular Surgery
  

The department includes surgical RNs, scrub technicians, charge RNs, and nursing team leads.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide overall leadership and management of operating room services.
  

• Oversee daily clinical and operational activities of the OR department.
  

• Ensure safe, efficient, and high-quality patient care throughout the perioperative process.
  

• Lead and support surgical nursing staff and scrub technicians.
  

• Coordinate staffing, assignments, scheduling, and daily workflow.
  

• Collaborate with surgeons, anesthesia providers, nursing leadership, and other healthcare professionals.
  

• Monitor department performance, productivity, quality, and patient safety.
  

• Ensure compliance with organizational policies, regulatory requirements, and professional standards.
  

• Promote a culture of accountability, teamwork, communication, and continuous improvement.
  

• Support implementation of new surgical services, equipment, technology, and workflows.
  

• Assist with operational planning and resource management.
  

• Address staffing concerns, performance issues, and operational challenges.
  

• Support orientation, training, competency development, and professional growth of team members.
  

• Work closely with charge RNs and team leads to ensure appropriate coverage and patient flow.
  

• Maintain 24/7 accountability and ownership of department operations.
  

• Participate in escalation processes when significant operational or clinical issues arise.
  

• In exceptional circumstances, may assist with circulating or scrubbing a case or assume a charge RN role during emergent situations or severe staffing shortages.
  

Schedule & Leadership Expectations

• Monday–Friday position with 8-hour day shifts.
  

• Start times may be as early as 6:30 AM, with the end of the day dependent on operational needs.
  

• This is a leadership position with 24/7 accountability for the department.
  

• There is no designated managerial on-call schedule; however, the Manager may be contacted outside regular working hours when significant issues require leadership escalation.
  

• Routine floor shifts are not expected.
  

Required Qualifications

• Current Registered Nurse (RN) license.
  

• BLS certification required.
  

• Operating room nursing experience required.
  

• Previous experience working as an OR circulator required.
  

• Minimum 2 years of leadership experience required.
  

• Leadership experience may include:
  

  • Nurse Manager
    

  • Assistant Nurse Manager
    

  • Team Lead
    

  • Charge RN
    

  • Similar OR leadership roles
    

• Experience in a hospital or ambulatory surgery center operating room is acceptable.
  

• Strong understanding of perioperative nursing practices and surgical workflows.
  

• Excellent communication, organizational, leadership, and problem-solving skills.
  

Licensure Note

Candidates may be considered while an Illinois RN license transfer is in process, provided they have previously held an RN license in another state and have professional operating room nursing experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous OR management experience.
  

• Experience managing multidisciplinary surgical teams.
  

• Experience with high-volume surgical departments.
  

• Experience with robotic-assisted surgery and advanced surgical technology.
  

• Experience with hybrid OR environments.
  

• Strong knowledge of staffing, scheduling, quality improvement, and regulatory compliance.
  

Leadership Responsibilities

The OR Manager will be responsible for:

• Staff leadership and development.
  

• Workforce planning and staffing coordination.
  

• Performance management.
  

• Departmental communication and engagement.
  

• Quality and patient safety initiatives.
  

• Operational efficiency.
  

• Resource and equipment management.
  

• Collaboration with physicians and interdisciplinary leadership.
  

• Maintaining a positive and accountable team culture.
  

Compensation & Benefits

• Competitive salary of $66.23–$77.91 per hour.
  

• $20,000 sign-on bonus with a 2-year commitment.
  

• Relocation assistance may be available based on individual circumstances and will be discussed during the interview process.
  

• Comprehensive benefits package may be available based on employment eligibility.
  

Equal Opportunity Employer: Qualified applicants will be considered without regard to legally protected characteristics. Reasonable accommodations may be available for qualified individuals with disabilities.