Medical Program Director (Registered Nurse)
Carlsbad
Medical Program Director (Registered Nurse)
Full Time • Carlsbad
Benefits:
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- 401(k)
- Vision insurance
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
Position Overview: The Medical Program Director (RN) provides leadership and operational oversight for the Medical Department (Clinic). This role combines strong nursing expertise, program management, and team leadership to ensure the delivery of high-quality patient care and successful surgical programming. The Director serves as a key liaison between patients, families, physicians, volunteers, and hospital partners, ensuring exceptional communication, coordination, and patient outcomes. The Director is responsible for managing Surgery Weekends, supervising staff and volunteers, supporting outreach activities, and fostering a collaborative, patient-centered environment.
Leadership and Management
- Lead and manage the daily operations of the Medical Department to ensure efficient and effective healthcare services.
- Serve as a strong leader, mentor, and resource for medical staff, volunteers, and administrative team members.
- Promote a culture of accountability, teamwork, patient safety, and service excellence.
- Develop, implement, and evaluate policies and procedures to ensure regulatory compliance and best practices.
- Manage healthcare programs and services associated with Rady Children's Hospital and collaborate closely with hospital coordinators.
Clinical and Patient Care Responsibilities
- Serve as a Registered Nurse leader and advocate for patient-centered care.
- Act as a liaison between patients, families, surgeons, physicians, and care teams to facilitate communication and coordination.
- Support patient consultations, evaluations, diagnostic testing, surgeries, laser treatments, speech therapy, and dental treatment scheduling.
- Provide clinical guidance and ensure continuity of care throughout the patient journey.
- Participate in patient outreach events and assist with patient assessments when appropriate.
Operational Oversight
- Manage and coordinate Surgery Weekends, ensuring staffing, scheduling, resources, and operational readiness.
- Prepare and maintain cohesive surgery schedules and secure necessary clinical and volunteer resources.
- Develop and manage departmental budgets and monitor resources responsibly.
- Plan and facilitate Joint Oversight Committee meetings and Medical Program Committee meetings.
- Oversee staff training and professional development initiatives.
Community Engagement
- Represent the organization in community and professional settings.
- Support patient outreach and education activities that further the mission of Fresh Start Surgical Gifts.
- Build strong relationships with healthcare providers, community partners, and volunteers.
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) required; Master's degree preferred.
- Current California Registered Nursing (RN) License required.
- Minimum of 5 years of clinical nursing and healthcare leadership experience; nonprofit experience preferred.
- Current CPR certification required; ACLS, PALS, and CNOR certifications preferred.
- Strong leadership, communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills.
- Knowledge of healthcare regulations, accreditation standards, and clinical operations.
Personal Attributes
- Demonstrated compassion and commitment to serving underserved populations.
- Excellent relationship-building and conflict-resolution abilities.
- Adaptability and sound decision-making in a dynamic healthcare environment.
- Highest standards of integrity, professionalism, and ethical conduct.
Salary Range: $120,000-$140,000
DISCLAIMER
The duties listed above are intended only as representation of the essential functions of this position. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position. The job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee and is subject to change at the sole discretion of the employer. Nothing in this document alters an employee’s at-will employment status.
We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race (including traits historically associated with race, such as hair texture and protective hairstyles, including braids, locks, and twists), ethnicity, religion, religious creed (including religious dress and grooming practices), color, caste, sex (including childbirth, breast feeding, and related medical conditions), gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, uniform service member and veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, age (40 and over), protected medical condition (including cancer and genetic conditions), genetic information, disability (mental and physical), reproductive health decision-making, medical leave or other types of protected leave (requesting or approved for leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act or the California Family Rights Act), domestic violence victim status, political affiliation, or any other protected status in accordance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws.
The duties listed above are intended only as representation of the essential functions of this position. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position. The job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee and is subject to change at the sole discretion of the employer. Nothing in this document alters an employee’s at-will employment status.
We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race (including traits historically associated with race, such as hair texture and protective hairstyles, including braids, locks, and twists), ethnicity, religion, religious creed (including religious dress and grooming practices), color, caste, sex (including childbirth, breast feeding, and related medical conditions), gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, uniform service member and veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, age (40 and over), protected medical condition (including cancer and genetic conditions), genetic information, disability (mental and physical), reproductive health decision-making, medical leave or other types of protected leave (requesting or approved for leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act or the California Family Rights Act), domestic violence victim status, political affiliation, or any other protected status in accordance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws.
Compensation: $120,000.00 - $140,000.00 per year
Fresh Start Children’s Charity Mission
As a top organization that helps children, Fresh Start Surgical Gifts transforms the lives of disadvantaged infants, children, and teens with physical deformities caused by birth, accidents, abuse, or disease through the gift of reconstructive surgery and related healthcare services.
Our Vision
Fresh Start’s vision is to build a community of volunteers committed to seeing that every child with a physical deformity is given the opportunity to have a positive self-image, thereby enriching the lives of both the receiver and giver.
Our Commitment
Fresh Start commits to long-term, comprehensive restorative surgery and care with every single one of our children. To help accomplish that goal of transforming lives of children, we host six Surgery Weekends annually where volunteer medical professionals transform the lives of children with deformities through reconstructive surgery. Dental Clinics serve children requiring more complex dental procedures outside the scope of a Surgery Weekend. Dental Clinics are held 13-14 times annually and serve 15-30 children at each Clinic with services ranging from restorative and orthodontic work done for children with cleft lip or palate to fillings and more basic care.
History
Fresh Start’s founder, the late Dr. Dennis Nigro, a renowned San Diego plastic surgeon, traveled to remote areas to provide reconstructive surgeries at the beginning of his career. While abroad, he witnessed sub-optimal operating rooms and procedures, so in the late 1980’s he began to bring children with physical deformities from around the world and the local community to his own office in San Diego to receive a higher level of long-term care. Dr. Nigro recognized that there was a whole population of people, especially children, who suffered from correctable conditions but could not afford the medical attention they needed.
In 1991, Dr. Nigro founded and incorporated Fresh Start Surgical Gifts – a non profit organization providing charity surgery for children – with the majority of care still provided within his own office but with more of a focus on local, San Diego children. In 2001, Fresh Start received a large gift in support of its mission – from this, we established a separate Foundation, the Fresh Start Surgical Gifts Foundation, that provides at least 4% of its invested funds each year to support overhead and administrative costs, allowing 100% of every donation to be designated towards the Medical Program and enabling Fresh Start to become a sustainable organization. After the large donation in 2001, Fresh Start began to expand, and, in 2009, opened the Fresh Start Clinic at Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego, which allowed us to treat complex conditions, provide care more frequently, and reduce high rental costs for operating room space.
Most recently, in 2010, Fresh Start began a brand new collaboration with the Plastic Surgery Foundation to expand Fresh Start nationally. Since its inception in February, 2014, Fresh Start Caring for Kids Foundations has successfully hosted numerous Surgery Weekends at the University of Chicago Medical Center. The gradual expansion of Fresh Start nationwide has allowed Fresh Start to focus more of our resources and time on our local patient base within San Diego and Imperial Counties. Over the coming years, Fresh Start’s goal is to dramatically increase our local patient base within San Diego and the surrounding areas, as the new branches begin to accept more international and national cases within their own communities.
Since Fresh Start’s inception, over 7,900 children have received no-cost charity surgery & medical care valued at over $42,000,000 and Fresh Start’s volunteer base is about 500 annually.
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