Director of Thoracic Transplant

Discover Vanderbilt University Medical Center:

Located in Nashville, Tennessee, and operating at a global crossroads of teaching, discovery, and patient care, VUMC is a community of individuals who come to work each day with the simple aim of changing the world. It is a place where your expertise will be valued, your knowledge expanded, and your abilities challenged. Vanderbilt Health is committed to an environment where everyone has the chance to thrive and where your uniqueness is sought and celebrated. It is a place where employees know they are part of something that is bigger than themselves, take exceptional pride in their work and never settle for what was good enough yesterday. Vanderbilt's mission is to advance health and wellness through preeminent programs in patient care, education, and research.

Organization:

Transplant Clinical Services Job Summary:

The Vanderbilt Health Executive Search Team is conducting a national search for a Director of Thoracic Transplant. The Director of Thoracic Transplant provides operational and strategic oversight for the heart and lung transplant programs and related transplant center functions, including program access, clinical care and coordination, organ procurement, and organ preservation. As a member of the transplant center senior leadership team, the Director of Thoracic Transplant is accountable for comprehensive operational performance across assigned transplant services and for advancing the mission, vision, and credo of the Vanderbilt Clinical Enterprise. The Director interfaces daily with multidisciplinary stakeholders, including administrative staff, clinical teams, physicians, ancillary team members, and hospital leadership to ensure coordinated, patient-centered care across the pre-transplant, perioperative, inpatient, and post-transplant continuum. .

Shift:

First Shift;

Days Role Accountabilities:

Establishes and executes department goals and operational plans aligned with institutional policy, the Transplant Center mission, and Vanderbilt Clinical Enterprise priorities; drives reliable day-to-day operations across assigned heart and lung transplant services. Responsible to the Associate Nursing Officer/Chief Nursing Officer for the integration and standardization of transplant-specific nursing and clinical practice across the Clinical Enterprise. Oversees transplant program access (referrals, intake, scheduling, evaluation coordination) to improve timeliness, reduce barriers to care, and optimize transitions across the transplant continuum. Provides operational oversight and readiness for organ procurement, transport, and preservation processes; ensures effective coordination among multidisciplinary teams and external partners. Accountable for patient safety, quality outcomes, patient experience, and regulatory readiness; Leads performance improvement initiatives, event reviews, and sustainment of evidence-based pathways. Participates in strategic planning, budgeting, and resource allocation for thoracic transplant programs; manages assigned budgets, staffing models, and productivity to meet operational and financial targets. Serves as a clinical, administrative, and operational leader and mentor; builds a collaborative, multidisciplinary culture; actively promotes organ donation and transplantation locally and nationally.

Note:

This list reflects core responsibilities; additional duties may be assigned based on organizational need. Qualifications•

External:

Master's Degree and 7 years of experience; RN required

Preferred Qualifications:

Cardiothoracic or Transplant leadership experience strongly preferred. Academic Medical Center experience is strongly preferred. #LI-JC1

Our Nursing Philosophy:

We believe highly skilled and specialized nursing care is essential to Vanderbilt University Medical Center's mission of quality in patient care, education and research. We believe nursing is an applied art and science focused on helping people, families and communities reach excellent health and well-being. As a Vanderbilt University Medical Center employee, you make a difference to our patients and their families by bringing compassion and care to those in need of hope and healing. Please see our current employee benefits offered: Affordable High Quality Health Plan Options Dental and /or vision plan 403 (b) retirement plan Paid Time off (flex PTO) Tuition Reimbursement and adoption assistance (maximums applied) Short-Long term disability Subsidized backup childcare And many more... Ask us about our current inpatient nursing supplemental Pay Program! Achieve the

Remarkable:

Learn more about VUMC Nursing here.

Core Accountabilities:

Organizational Impact:

Establishes key tactical and operational plans of a sub-function or multiple departments that has longer-term effect on results of the sub-function.

• Problem Solving/ Complexity of work: Integrate knowledge and in-depth analysis from several areas to resolve complex problems that are both technical and operational.

Breadth of Knowledge:

Applies comprehensive knowledge of professional/technical area and broad management knowledge of other professional areas to carry out objectives.

Team Interaction:

Leads multiple departments with a function.

Core Capabilities :

Supporting Colleagues:

• Develops Self and Others:

  Acts upon constructive feedback from all levels of the organization and initiates strategies to develop talent in others.

• Builds and Maintains Relationships:

  Leverages relationships and insight to forecast potential future needs and influence delivery of work to exceed expectations.

•

Communicates Effectively:

Anticipates difference audience concerns, styles and finds mutually beneficial solutions across conflicting and sensitive issues.

Delivering Excellent Services:

• Serves Others with

Compassion:

Demonstrates in-depth knowledge of broad-based issues and considers the interests of others to improve satisfaction of services.

• Solves Complex Problems:

  Critically evaluates complex information and identifies trends/risks to make recommendations to improve processes across areas.

•

Offers Meaningful Advice and Support:

Provides ongoing feedback and development discussions to motivate and support team members to maximize performance.

Ensuring High Quality:

• Performs Excellent Work:

  Anticipates problems or obstacles which may interfere with quality standards and develops plants to ensure area's quality standards are met.

• Ensures Continuous Improvement:

  Routinely draws upon valuable learning from others, past experiences, and new information to determine key opportunities.

•

Fulfills Safety and Regulatory Requirements:

Develops appropriate corrective actions for unsafe environments in order to ensure operational and safety compliance.

Managing Resources Effectively:

• Demonstrates Accountability:

  Identifies potential obstacles to goal achievement and develops solutions to address those obstacles.

• Stewards Organizational Resources:

  Creates the appropriate systems and processes to effectively manage resources.

•

Makes Data Driven Decisions:

Applies in-depth knowledge of data to recommend and implement new approaches to improve decision making capabilities.

Fostering Innovation:

• Generates New Ideas:

  Identifies opportunities and leads development of new initiatives that create value across areas.

• Applies Technology:

  Creates the energy and drive for self/others to identify and leverage technology in new, innovative ways to drive greater efficiencies.
• Adapts to

Change:

Anticipates the change process and clearly communicates impact on others/own team(s), assisting them in embracing the change.

Position Qualifications:

Responsibilities:

Certifications:

LIC-Registered Nurse•

Tennessee Work Experience:

Relevant Work Experience Experience Level:

7 years

Education:

Bachelor's (Required) This role offers the opportunity to make a meaningful impact within Vanderbilt Health, supported by a comprehensive benefits package which may include health, disability, retirement and/or wellness offerings to enhance your well-being and professional growth. Vanderbilt Health is committed to fostering an environment where everyone has the chance to thrive and is committed to the principles of equal opportunity. EOE/Vets/Disabled.

PEOPLE ARE AT THE HEART OF ALL WE DO.

Our vision: The world leader in advancing personalized health.

Our mission:

personalizing the patient experience through our caring spirit and distinctive capabilities. Making Health Care Personal. We're looking for like-minded individuals driven to make a difference. We invite you to explore careers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. At VUMC, we place a priority on designing with and for our patients and families. We value collaboration, embrace continuous learning and discovery, and seek to be a place where everyone has the chance to thrive. We're the largest private employer in Middle Tennessee, with a growing team and expanding footprint in towns and communities across the region. We employ more than 28,000 people who work in inpatient and outpatient clinical care, research, and graduate medical education as well as critical supporting roles in administration, information technology and informatics, finance, legal and community affairs, communications and marketing, fund-raising, groundskeeping and facilities, and many more. Our growing health system has more than 1,700 licensed hospital beds at: Vanderbilt University Hospital Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital Vanderbilt Stallworth Rehabilitation Hospital Vanderbilt Wilson County Hospital Vanderbilt Bedford Hospital Vanderbilt Tullahoma-Harton Hospital It's also home to hundreds of outpatient clinic and surgical locations throughout the region. We serve our community with many unique and specialized services including the Level 1 Trauma Center, a highly experienced Transplant Center that does the most heart transplants in the world, a National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, Lung Institute, Burn Center and many more. World-leading academic departments and centers make scientific discoveries, advance clinical care and train the next generation of health care professionals. Our robust research enterprise consistently ranks among the highest in the country as measured by peer-reviewed grant funding from the National Institutes of Health. We're honored to be consistently considered among the nation's best hospitals, including being nationally ranked in multiple medical specialties for treating the most complex conditions in adults and children by US News and World Report. Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt ranked as the No. 1 children's hospital in the southeast in 2024. We support each other and encourage excellence among all who are part of our workforce. High-achieving employees stay at VUMC for professional growth, appreciation of benefits, and a sense of community and purpose. Join us in Making Health Care Personal.