APC Service Line Lead, Surgical Specialties (San Francisco, CA)

The APC Service Line Lead for Surgical Specialties serves as the designated Advanced Practice Clinician (APC) leader for the Surgical Specialties service line. Reporting to the Director of Advanced Practice and partnering closely with the Surgical Specialties Service Line Physician Chair, Surgical Specialties operational leaders, and other key stakeholders, the APC Service Line Lead provides strategic, operational, and professional leadership for APC practice across the service line and supervisory oversight of APCs in collaboration with operational leadership.

The APC Service Line Lead for Surgical Specialties is responsible for advancing the organization's vision of a high-performing advanced practice model in which APCs are fully integrated into care delivery, leadership, workforce strategy, and organizational growth. This position is accountable for promoting APC practice excellence, ensuring practice standardization, optimizing scope of practice, enhancing access and capacity, developing future APC leaders, and serving as the primary liaison between APCs and organizational leadership.

Through collaboration with physician leaders, operational partners, and APCs, the APC Service Line Lead supports the development and execution of service-line goals, workforce initiatives, clinical practice models, quality improvement efforts, provider engagement strategies, and professional development programs designed to improve patient outcomes and strengthen team-based care. In partnership with physician and operational leadership, the APC Service Line Lead provides supervisory oversight and professional leadership for APCs across the service line. Responsibilities include participation in recruitment, onboarding, performance management, employee engagement, coaching, professional development, succession planning, and retention initiatives. The APC Service Line Lead collaborates with operational leadership on performance evaluations, goal setting, recognition, performance improvement plans, and other personnel-related matters. This position is an internal leadership appointment available exclusively to full-time SWBMG Advanced Practice Clinicians currently practicing within the organization. The selected APC Service Line Lead will maintain a 0.7 FTE clinical practice within their specialty and receive 0.3 FTE of protected time for leadership and administrative responsibilities.

The APC Service Line Lead is accountable for advancing organizational goals through leadership, workforce development, clinical practice excellence, and service-line initiatives. They are accountable for leadership and oversight in the following areas:

Strategic Leadership

• Collaborates with physician and operational leadership to develop and execute APC strategic priorities. • Supports service-line growth initiatives, access expansion, and care model innovation. • Represents APC interests and perspectives in service-line planning and organizational decision-making. • Leads implementation of advanced practice initiatives aligned with organizational goals and priorities.

Workforce Planning and Talent Management

• Partners with leadership to identify APC workforce needs and recruitment priorities. • Participates in APC candidate screening, interviewing, selection, and onboarding processes. • Supports APC retention, succession planning, and leadership pipeline development. • Identifies future staffing needs based on growth, access, and operational demands.

APC Supervision and Team Leadership

• Provides day-to-day professional leadership and support for APCs within the service line. • Partners with operational leadership in the recruitment, selection, onboarding, and retention of APCs. • Participates in performance evaluations, goal setting, professional development planning, and succession planning. • Collaborates with operational leadership in addressing performance concerns, employee relations issues, and performance improvement activities. • Promotes APC engagement, accountability, professional practice excellence, and adherence to organizational standards. • Serves as a resource and escalation point for APC practice-related concerns and opportunities.

Professional Practice and Performance

• Promotes consistent standards of APC practice across the service line.

• Supports performance management processes, professional development planning, and annual goal setting.

• Facilitates practice standardization and role clarity across departments and clinic sites.

Clinical Practice Optimization

• Leads efforts to ensure APCs are practicing at the top of their education, training, and licensure. • Evaluates opportunities to improve patient access, continuity, capacity, and operational efficiency. • Supports implementation of evidence-based practices and care delivery innovations. • Partners with physicians and operational leaders to optimize APC utilization, team-based care models, and practice integration across ambulatory, inpatient, procedural, perioperative, and surgical practice environments.

Quality, Safety, and Patient Experience

• Leads APC engagement in quality improvement initiatives aligned with Surgical

Specialties and organizational priorities.

• Monitors service-line metrics and identifies opportunities for improvement. • Promotes a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and clinical excellence. • Partners with service-line leadership to improve patient access, surgical throughput, care coordination, and operational efficiency.

Leadership Development and Engagement

• Serves as a mentor and resource for APC professional growth. • Champions APC engagement, communication, and shared governance activities. • Facilitates communication between frontline APCs and organizational leadership. • Supports development of future APC leaders through mentorship and leadership development initiatives.

Data, Metrics, and Organizational Accountability

• Reviews APC workforce, access, productivity, quality, engagement, and retention metrics. • Utilizes data to identify opportunities for service-line improvement and strategic growth. • Participates in regular reviews of APC performance and service-line outcomes. • Provides updates to the Director of Advanced Practice and service-line leadership regarding APC initiatives and results.

The APC Service Line Lead role is designed to develop APC leadership capability within the organization and create a sustainable succession pipeline for future advanced practiceleadership positions. The appointment provides APCs with the opportunity to gain experience in strategic planning, workforce management, practice optimization, quality improvement, talent development, and organizational leadership while maintaining active clinical practice.

APC Service Line Leads serve as key partners in advancing the Advanced Practice strategic vision and are expected to contribute to the growth, engagement, and professional development of APCs across the service line. Through this role, leaders will develop competencies in influence, collaboration, change management, operational excellence, and healthcare leadership. The APC Service Line Lead role is a term-limited leadership appointment that represents a carveout of the APC's existing position. The appointment includes designated administrative and leadership responsibilities but does not include additional compensation or a change in employment status. Clinical expectations will be adjusted to accommodate leadership responsibilities as determined by service line leadership.

The APC Service Line Lead will establish annual goals in collaboration with the Director of Advanced Practice and service line leadership. Performance expectations may include, but are not limited to:

• APC engagement and retention • Recruitment and onboarding support • Quality and patient experience initiatives • Service-line strategic priorities • APC professional development and mentorship • Clinical practice optimization • Leadership participation and organizational citizenship

Progress toward established goals will be reviewed regularly throughout the appointment term.

The APC Service Line Lead position is a two-year leadership appointment that includes protected administrative time to fulfill leadership responsibilities.

Performance will be evaluated through achievement of established goals, service-line outcomes, leadership effectiveness, APC engagement, workforce initiatives, quality metrics, and progress toward strategic objectives.

At the conclusion of the two-year appointment, the role may be renewed based on demonstrated performance, achievement of agreed-upon goals and objectives, organizational priorities, and leadership needs.

If the appointment is not renewed, or if the individual elects not to continue in the leadership role, the APC will return to their regular clinical position within the Surgical Specialties service line and resume the standard clinical expectations, responsibilities, and compensation structure applicable to APCs in that service line. While the anticipated term of appointment is two years, continued service in the role is contingent upon satisfactory performance, achievement of role expectations, and ongoing organizational need. Should the appointment end before the conclusion of the term, the individual will return to their APC position within the service line and resume the standard clinical expectations, responsibilities, and compensation structure associated with that role.

The APC Service Line Lead will report to the Director of Advanced Practice.

The APC Service Line Lead will continue practicing within their clinical specialty in accordance with established supervisory and collaborative practice requirements applicable to their profession and specialty.

The APC Service Line Lead will collaborate with interdisciplinary teams, Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation (SPMF) leadership, and California Pacific Medical Center (CPMC) Operations. The APC must maintain all licensure, certifications, credentials, and clinical qualifications required for continued practice as an APC within their specialty and service line.

Minimum Qualifications • Current NP or PA employed full-time (1.0 FTE) within the service line and in good standing. • Minimum of three (3) years of APC clinical experience. • Consistently meets performance expectations. • Demonstrated ability to effectively collaborate with physicians, APCs, operational leaders, and interdisciplinary teams. • Strong communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills. • Demonstrated interest in leadership, professional development, and practice improvement. • Ability to balance clinical and administrative responsibilities effectively.

Preferred Qualifications 

• Five (5) or more years of APC clinical experience.• Demonstrated leadership experience through committee participation, project leadership, quality improvement initiatives, mentorship, precepting, or other formal or informal leadership roles. • Experience with provider engagement, workflow optimization, operational improvement, or practice transformation initiatives. • Demonstrated commitment to advancing APC practice and professional development.

Joining Sutter means more than stepping into a role - it’s an opportunity to:

• Be part of a forward-thinking program shaping the future of care
• Practice in a system investing heavily in innovation, technology, and growth
• Contribute to expanding access to world-class neurological services in San Francisco
• Build your career within a modern, collaborative, and evolving care environment

If you’re looking to combine meaningful clinical work with innovation and growth, this is your opportunity to make an impact.

San Francisco offers a unique combination of professional opportunity, intellectual energy, and quality of life for physicians drawn to innovation and impact.

As a global hub for healthcare innovation, life sciences, and research, the city attracts forward-thinking clinicians and collaborators shaping the future of medicine. Its strong academic environment and commitment to equity and access create a compelling setting for advancing healthcare.

Outside of work, San Francisco offers an exceptional lifestyle, with world-class dining, arts, and culture alongside easy access to Northern California’s natural beauty, from coastal trails to wine country. The region’s diverse communities support both personal fulfillment and professional growth.

It is the policy of Sutter Health and its partners to provide equal employment for all qualified individuals; to prohibit discrimination in employment because of basis of race, color, creed, religion, marital status, sexual orientation, registered domestic partner status, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, ancestry, national origin (including possession of a driver's license issued to individuals who did not present proof of authorized presence in the U.S.), age, medical condition, physical or mental disability, military or protected veteran status, political affiliation, pregnancy or perceived pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding or related medical condition, genetic information or any other characteristic made unlawful by local, state or federal law, ordinance or regulation. We promote the full realization of equal employment opportunities through a positive continuing program within each medical group, company, hospital, department, and service area. Equal employment opportunities apply to every aspect of Sutter's employment policies and practices.