JobsAdvocate Health

Director Service Line Operations - Neurosciences

Advocate Health · Park Ridge, IL

Posted Sep 15, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Sep 20, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

Behavioral

Walk me through a time you had to bring a service line's operational performance back on track when it was missing targets on access, quality, or finances. What did you find and what did you do first?

whether the candidate can diagnose root causes and drive corrective action rather than just reporting problems upward

Tell me about a time you led through frontline managers rather than doing the work yourself. How did you hold them accountable when performance slipped?

ability to manage a layer removed from the front line and build accountability systems, not just personal execution

Describe a situation where you disagreed with a physician or clinical leader about how a workflow or scheduling decision should be made. How did you resolve it?

comfort partnering with and influencing clinicians without formal authority over their practice

Tell me about a time you had to build or fix a staffing and coverage model across multiple sites. What made it hard and how did you get buy-in from the people affected?

practical experience designing coverage models across locations, a named responsibility in the posting

Give me an example of a continuous improvement project you led that involved a root cause analysis. What was the gap and what changed as a result?

whether improvement work claimed is structured and outcome-driven rather than anecdotal

Tell me about a time you had to develop a struggling manager rather than replace them. What was your approach and how did it turn out?

coaching capability and patience with talent development versus a quick-fix management style

Technical

What key performance indicators would you track for a neurosciences service line, and how would you know the difference between a normal fluctuation and a real risk signal?

fluency with healthcare operational metrics like throughput, quality, and experience data, and judgment about when to act

How have you used benchmarking or performance data in the past to make the case for a change that leadership was initially skeptical of?

data-driven persuasion skills and experience translating numbers into decisions for skeptical stakeholders

Situational

Neurosciences spans inpatient, ambulatory, and specialty clinics with different clinician cultures. How would you approach integrating operations across those settings without alienating clinical leadership?

understanding of matrixed authority and the difference between operational and clinical accountability described in the posting

If you inherited a neuroscience practice that was over its labor budget but also short-staffed and burning out its team, what would you look at first and what tradeoffs would you be willing to make?

financial judgment balanced against workforce sustainability, not just cost-cutting reflex

A frontline manager comes to you with a teammate concern that's escalating quickly. Walk me through how you'd handle it versus when you'd step in directly.

judgment about delegation boundaries and when a director needs to personally intervene in people issues

This role requires frequent travel across care settings and meetings outside normal hours. How do you decide where to physically be on a given week when priorities are competing?

realistic understanding of the job's operating rhythm and ability to prioritize time across a dispersed team

How would you go about setting operational plans and performance expectations for a service line you're new to, where you don't yet have deep clinical background in neurosciences?

ability to lead a clinical service line without being a clinician, relying on process and partnership instead of subject expertise

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The full job description

As published by Advocate Health.

Department: 12913 AMG Admin - National Service Lines Status: Full time Benefits Eligible: Yes Hou rs Per Week: 40 Schedule Details/Additional Information: • Frequent local travel to various care settings  • Clinician meetings may occur before or after normal business hours  • Be available for development needs and attend to unplanned needs of the team  Pay Range: $63.45 - $95.20 Major Responsibilities   Operational Integration & Performance   • Directs clinical and administrative operations across assigned care locations to ensure consistent execution of service line, divisional, and enterprise priorities.  • Exercises direct operational authority, in partnership with the service line leadership team, to establish operational plans, set performance expectations, and implement management routines across practices.  • Accountable for adherence to approved operating and labor budgets, monitoring operational performance, identifying risks and variances, and directing corrective actions to achieve financial and operational targets.  • Drives integration across care settings and specialties to improve access, capacity, growth, and operational consistency.  • Monitors key performance indicators, including throughput, quality, experience, and financial metrics, and leads operational response to performance trends and location-based initiatives.  Leadership of Frontline Management   • Provides direct leadership to managers and supervisors, including coaching, development, and performance management, in partnership with Advocate Health Acute, Ambulatory, and Virtual Nursing and other groups as needed.  • Establishes clear leadership expectations and holds frontline leaders accountable for operational performance, quality, teammate engagement, and patient experience.  • Directs recruitment, onboarding, development, and resolution of teammate concerns through frontline leaders to maintain a strong and effective work environment.  • Ensures compliance with organizational policies, regulatory requirements, and standards of performance across assigned areas.  Clinician Partnership & Engagement Support   • Partners with clinician leadership and the service line leadership team to align operational execution with clinical priorities and care delivery needs. Exercises direct operational authority to remove barriers, coordinate stakeholders, and implement workflow, scheduling, and resource decisions that support clinician effectiveness and patient care.  • Supports clinician recruitment, onboarding, retention, and engagement through operational leadership and administrative coordination, while clinician leadership retains accountability for clinician practice and professional standards.  • Optimizes coverage models, scheduling, and resource allocation across sites in partnership with enterprise, divisional, local, and clinician leaders.  Quality, Improvement & Workforce Oversight   • Leads continuous improvement efforts focused on quality, safety, access, efficiency, and patient experience, including root cause analysis, corrective action planning, and follow-through on performance gaps.  • Uses data, benchmarking, and performance reviews to identify risks, improvement opportunities, and operational priorities across assigned locations.  • Directs workforce planning, staffing models, recruitment support, and performance expectations through frontline leaders using Advocate Health and Clinical Services operating standards.  • Designs and directs the work of assigned areas, including talent development, succession planning, feedback, recognition, and performance improvement.  • Ensures understanding of and compliance with the organization’s Code of Ethical Conduct and applicable policies, regulations, and laws. • Designs and directs the work of the assigned area(s) of responsibility. Selects, coaches, and develops teams, setting  objectives  that align with organizational strategy to inspire and motivate the teams. Manages organizational talent through performance management, succession planning, and development. Designs and directs processes by which team and individual performance are recognized, feedback is consistently delivered, and performance is systematically improved.   • Develops and/or recommends  operating and  capital budgets and controls expenditures within approved budget  objectives .   • Responsible for understanding and adhering to the organization's Code of Ethical Conduct and for ensuring that people actions, and the actions of employees supervised,  comply with  the policies, regulations, and laws applicable to the organization's business.   Minimum Job Requirements  Education • Bachelor’s Degree in Healthcare or related field required.   Certification / Registration / License  • N/A Experience • ​Typically requires 7 years of experience in operational leadership roles.       Knowledge / Skills / Abilities   • Strategic thinking with the ability to translate service line priorities into operational plans and measurable results.  • Strong operational leadership, execution, and performance improvement skills across complex healthcare environments.  • Financial, analytical, and problem-solving acumen, including use of data to identify risks, trends, and improvement opportunities.  • Ability to lead through managers, establish accountability, and drive results through clear expectations, coaching, and change management.  • Strong relationship-building and collaboration skills, with the ability to partner effectively with clinicians, executives, and cross-functional teams.  • Executive presence and strong written and verbal communication skills.  • Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and to fostering an engaged, high-performing work environment.  Physical Requirements and Working Conditions   • Frequent local travel to various care settings  • Clinician meetings may occur before or after normal business hours  • Be available for development needs and attend to unplanned needs of the team  • Exposed to normal office environment  Preferred Job Requirements  Preferred Education    • Master's degree preferred. Preferred Certification / Registration / License  • Clinical certification, licensure, Fellow status, or previous clinical experience preferred  This job description indicates the general nature and level of work expected of the incumbent. It is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required of the incumbent. Incumbent may be required to perform other related duties. Our Commitment to You: Advocate Health offers a comprehensive suite of Total Rewards: benefits and well-being programs, competitive compensation, generous retirement offerings, programs that invest in your career development and so much more – so you can live fully at and away from work, including: Compensation • Base compensation listed within the listed pay range based on factors such as qualifications, skills, relevant experience, and/or training • Premium pay such as shift, on call, and more based on a teammate's job • Incentive pay for select positions • Opportunity for annual increases based on performance Benefits and more • Paid Time Off programs • Health and welfare benefits such as medical, dental, vision, life, and Short- and Long-Term Disability • Flexible Spending Accounts for eligible health care and dependent care expenses • Family benefits such as adoption assistance and paid parental leave • Defined contribution retirement plans with employer match and other financial wellness programs • Educational Assistance Program Note: Eligibility for programs listed above may depend on your FTE or status (e.g., full-time, part-time, per diem, temporary, etc.); please ask a Recruiter for more information during an interview. About Advocate Health  Advocate Health is the third-largest nonprofit, integrated health system in the United States, created from the combination of Advocate Aurora Health and Atrium Health. Providing care under the names Advocate Health Care in Illinois; Atrium Health in the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama; and Aurora Health Care in Wisconsin, Advocate Health is a national leader in clinical innovation, health outcomes, consumer experience and value-based care. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Advocate Health services nearly 6 million patients and is engaged in hundreds of clinical trials and research studies, with Wake Forest University School of Medicine serving as the academic core of the enterprise. It is nationally recognized for its expertise in cardiology, neurosciences, oncology, pediatrics and rehabilitation, as well as organ transplants, burn treatments and specialized musculoskeletal programs. Advocate Health employs 155,000 teammates across 69 hospitals and over 1,000 care locations, and offers one of the nation’s largest graduate medical education programs with over 2,000 residents and fellows across more than 200 programs. Committed to providing equitable care for all, Advocate Health provides more than $6 billion in annual community benefits.

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