Director of Occupational Therapy Education in Union, New Jersey at RWJBarnabas Health

Job Title: Director

Location: Union (UNC)

Department Name: Therapy Education

Req #: 0000262236

Status: Salaried

Shift: Day

Pay Range: $125,000.00 - $175,000.00 per year

Pay Transparency:

The above reflects the anticipated annual salary range for this position if hired to work in New Jersey.

The compensation offered to the candidate selected for the position will depend on several factors, including the candidate's educational background, skills and professional experience.

Director of Occupational Therapy Education – Children's Specialized Hospital, RWJBarnabas Health

At Children's Specialized Hospital, part of RWJBarnabas Health, the Director of Occupational Therapy Education provides clinical, educational, and professional leadership for Occupational Therapy services across inpatient, outpatient, and long-term care programs. Working closely with the AVP of Therapy Services and the interdisciplinary Clinical Director Team, this leader plays a key role in advancing the clinical mission, vision, quality, and consistency of Occupational Therapy practice throughout the organization. The Director will champion evidence-based practice, develop and deliver clinical education, mentor clinicians and leaders, support professional development, and translate emerging evidence into meaningful improvements in patient care. This role also provides leadership in program development, clinical competency, quality improvement, student education, mentorship, and the Therapy Clinical Ladder Program. Joining Children's Specialized Hospital means becoming part of an organization committed to clinical excellence, innovation, collaboration, and advancing pediatric rehabilitation while helping therapists grow as clinicians and leaders.

A typical day for the Director of Occupational Therapy Education may include:

• Partnering with the AVP of Therapy Services and Clinical Director Team to align Occupational Therapy clinical priorities with hospital and organizational goals.

• Leading the development and delivery of ongoing clinical education, including new staff orientation, competency programs, continuing education, performance improvement initiatives, clinical pathways, and practice guidelines.

• Developing and implementing evidence-based training and competency programs that support consistent, high-quality Occupational Therapy practice across inpatient, outpatient, and long-term care settings.

• Serving as a knowledge broker by translating current research, evidence, and professional standards into practical clinical education and changes in practice.

• Fostering a culture of learning, inquiry, clinical reasoning, collaboration, and continuous professional development among Occupational Therapy staff.

• Modeling and facilitating clinical problem-solving, critical thinking, and evidence-based decision-making for clinicians and clinical leaders.

• Monitoring professional practice and identifying opportunities for clinical change, quality improvement, and standardization across Occupational Therapy services.

• Analyzing clinical outcomes, practice effectiveness, and quality indicators to identify opportunities for improvement and make recommendations that support positive patient outcomes.

• Providing leadership to sustain evidence-based practice standards, identifying barriers to implementation, and developing solutions to support successful practice change.

• Facilitating OT Leadership Team meetings to promote communication, collaboration, shared learning, and consistency across sites and service areas.

• Collaborating with Operational Directors, Clinical Directors, and interdisciplinary leaders to align clinical education and practice priorities with operational and organizational needs.

• Developing and delivering educational materials and training related to clinical practice, documentation, billing, policies and procedures, regulatory requirements, and organizational initiatives.

• Assessing staff education needs and recommending continuing education opportunities to be hosted or sponsored by Children's Specialized Hospital based on staff feedback, clinical trends, emerging evidence, and organizational priorities.

• Providing clinical expertise and coordinating education and training for staff working with diverse pediatric patient populations across the continuum of care, including interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary initiatives.

• Providing clinical input and consultation to OT leaders regarding clinical performance, professional practice, and development needs.

• Supporting clinical mentorship programs and Fellowship and Residency programs to promote professional growth and development.

• Managing the Therapy Clinical Ladder Program, including program implementation, ongoing development, and evaluation.

• Supporting Occupational Therapy student experiences and clinical education processes, including collaboration with academic partners and clinical instructors.

• Reviewing and supporting the ongoing development of Occupational Therapy and Therapy policies and procedures to ensure they remain relevant and aligned with current professional standards and organizational needs.

• Maintaining clinical expertise and meeting minimum annual expected clinical volumes.

• Participating in continuing education, professional development, leadership meetings, organizational initiatives, and other activities that support clinical excellence.

This role might be for you if:

• You are an experienced pediatric Occupational Therapist passionate about advancing clinical excellence and professional practice.

• You enjoy developing clinicians through education, mentorship, coaching, and meaningful professional development opportunities.

• You are passionate about evidence-based practice and enjoy translating research and emerging evidence into practical clinical applications.

• You thrive in a leadership role that combines clinical expertise, education, collaboration, and program development.

• You enjoy facilitating learning, asking questions, solving complex clinical problems, and fostering a culture of inquiry.

• You are energized by opportunities to lead practice change and quality improvement across multiple clinical settings.

• You communicate effectively with clinicians, leaders, physicians, interdisciplinary professionals, students, and organizational partners.

• You are highly organized, self-directed, adaptable, and able to manage multiple priorities across a complex healthcare organization.

• You enjoy presenting, developing educational content, facilitating meetings, and engaging clinicians in professional learning.

• You value collaboration and believe strong clinical leadership can improve consistency of care and outcomes for children and families.

• You are committed to lifelong learning, professional growth, innovation, and advancing the practice of pediatric Occupational Therapy.

• You have deep knowledge of pediatric interventions, therapeutic modalities, clinical reasoning, and current evidence-based Occupational Therapy practice.

To Be Considered:

To be considered for this opportunity, you must meet the following criteria:

• Education: Degree in Occupational Therapy from an accredited program. Master's or Doctoral degree preferred.

• Licensure: Current and unrestricted New Jersey Occupational Therapist license required.

• Certification: Current National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) certification and maintenance of current registry required. American Heart Association (AHA) BLS Provider Certification required.

• Experience: Minimum of seven (7) years of pediatric Occupational Therapy experience required. Ten (10) or more years of pediatric Occupational Therapy experience preferred.

• Leadership Experience: Previous supervisory, clinical leadership, mentorship, clinical education, or program development experience preferred.

• Clinical Expertise: Demonstrated expertise in pediatric Occupational Therapy interventions, therapeutic modalities, clinical reasoning, evidence-based practice, and the ability to support clinical practice across diverse pediatric populations and settings. Ability to maintain clinical expertise and meet minimum annual expected clinical volumes.

• Skills: Excellent communication, presentation, problem-solving, critical-thinking, leadership, collaboration, organization, and educational skills required. Demonstrated ability to translate evidence into clinical practice and develop meaningful education and competency initiatives.

• Schedule: Ability to work a full-time schedule and provide clinical and educational leadership across assigned Children's Specialized Hospital locations and service areas.