Director of Patient Safety
Job Description
The Director of Patient Safety is a full-time leadership role based in Asheville, NC, at an 853-bed Magnet®-designated regional tertiary and quaternary care center that serves as the area's only trauma center, comprehensive stroke center, Level III NICU, and home to the only children's hospital in Western North Carolina. The hospital anchors a six-hospital acute care system spanning more than 1,200 licensed beds across the region.
The role. Reporting into senior hospital leadership, the Director of Patient Safety leads the design and implementation of reliable, systems-based approaches to identifying and mitigating patient safety risk across the organization. This leader drives measurable reductions in avoidable harm by advancing a strong safety culture, developing and delivering patient safety education, and engaging patients and families as active partners in safe care delivery. The Director works in close partnership with executive and clinical leaders to align safety strategy with operational priorities, and may carry responsibility for risk management and claims activities where not otherwise assigned to a separate function.
What we're looking for.
- Bachelor's degree in a healthcare-related field (Master's degree preferred)
- Three to five years of recent healthcare experience in patient safety, risk management, and/or quality, within a clinical setting such as a hospital or ambulatory surgery center (clinical background preferred)
- Certified Professional in Patient Safety (CPPS); if not currently certified, must be obtained within one year of employment start date and maintained throughout tenure in the role
Schedule. Full-time, Monday through Friday administrative day hours with no weekend requirement.
Compensation. $125,000 - $180,000 per year plus Incentive Bonus of Up To 17.5%
Meet Your Recruiter
Brent McKenzie
Franchise Partner (Southwest FL)
Brent McKenzie’s career in hospitality began at his family’s resort, where he learned the business from the ground up. From there, he moved into restaurants, starting as a dishwasher and working through every role a restaurant has to offer. Over 25 years, that hands-on experience grew into more than a decade of management, including opening several new businesses of varying sizes. He capped off his hospitality career running restaurant operations at a large luxury convention hotel. Along the way, he developed a sharp eye for talent: the ability to recognize who’s ready to perform on day one, and who has the potential to grow into something bigger.
When COVID reshaped the hospitality industry in 2020, Brent brought those same instincts into healthcare recruiting. Six years in, he’s built a reputation for taking the time to understand what each client actually needs, not just the job description, but the team dynamics, the culture, and the kind of person who’ll thrive there. For candidates, he’s the kind of recruiter who listens first. He wants to know where you’re trying to go in your career, what you’re looking for in your next role, and what would make a move worth making. That way, when he brings an opportunity to the table, it’s one worth considering.
Brent is dedicated to seeing every search through. His attention to detail, persistence, and genuine interest in the people on both sides of the hire are what his clients and candidates come back for.