About the opportunity

The Center for Medical Simulation (CMS) — a Harvard Medical Faculty Practice Plan affiliated simulation and training organization — is seeking a Director, Business Operations to lead the financial, administrative, and operational backbone of a close-knit, high-performing organization at the forefront of healthcare simulation training, performance and safety, and leadership coaching. Reporting to the Managing Director, this is a high-visibility role for an operationally minded leader who wants real ownership over how a mission-driven organization runs — finance, HR, contracts, vendors, and facilities — without the layers of a large bureaucracy.

Founded in 1993, the Center for Medical Simulation is one of the original medical simulation centers in the country, working with Harvard Medical School-affiliated hospitals and partner institutions worldwide to improve teamwork, communication, and patient safety through simulation-based education. Learn more at harvardmedsim.org.

What you’ll own

Serve as the senior operational leader reporting to the Managing Director, translating strategy into day-to-day execution across finance, HR, contracts, and facilities.
Own financial operations — accounts payable, budgeting, and forecasting — and manage relationships with key vendors providing accounting, payroll, and other services.
Lead HR administration: the employee lifecycle, benefits, credentialing, and compliance.
Manage the full administrative lifecycle of client and vendor services agreements — client agreements, vendor renewals, insurance, and procurement.
Keep the physical operation running — facilities, equipment, and the logistics supporting CMS’s courses, conferences, and client engagements.
Partner across marketing, business development, and faculty program teams to support organizational growth.

First-Year Priorities

During the first twelve months, the successful candidate will be expected to:

Develop a comprehensive understanding of CMS’s mission, culture, educational programs, consulting services, and operational model.
Build trusted working relationships with executive leadership, faculty, administrative staff, institutional partners, and external service providers.
Evaluate existing operational workflows, business processes, and administrative systems, identifying opportunities to improve efficiency, consistency, and organizational effectiveness.
Strengthen financial, contract administration, vendor management, and human resources processes while enhancing reporting, documentation, and internal controls.
Support implementation of organizational priorities, technology initiatives, and operational improvements that enable future growth and scalability.
Establish themselves as a collaborative operational leader and trusted advisor to the Managing Director by providing sound judgment, responsive leadership, and practical solutions to complex operational challenges.

What you bring

Bachelor’s degree in business administration, healthcare administration, finance, or a related field.
5+ years of progressive business operations, healthcare/nonprofit administration, or professional services — ideally spanning multiple functions — with leadership experience preferred.
Experience working with outside accounting, payroll, and legal/insurance providers; fluency with QuickBooks and Microsoft 365.
Sound independent judgment and the range to brief a Managing Director in one meeting and a vendor in the next.

Work Arrangement – Hybrid / On-Site

This is a Hybrid – On-Site position requiring a regular on-site presence. The typical expectation is approximately three to four days per week on-site, with flexibility based on operational needs. The schedule will be established by the Managing Director. The Director is expected to be on-site during CMS training sessions, major programs, and other organizational activities requiring operational support and scheduled operational meetings.

Compensation

$135,000–$175,000 base salary, commensurate with experience, with consideration for candidates from consulting, advisory, or financial-services backgrounds. CMS also offers a comprehensive benefits package including medical and dental insurance, a 401(k) with employer contribution, generous paid time off, and additional benefits. A full benefits summary will be provided to candidates who advance to the offer stage.

---

At CMS the focus is on communication, collaboration, and crisis management in order to develop skills and teamwork behaviors that are best learned actively under realistic conditions. Since it first opened in 1993, CMS has run over two thousand courses and trained thousands of participants using its innovative and challenging scenarios. As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, we collaborate with hospitals, health systems, and health professions schools to improve unit culture, staff resilience, and patient care. CMS works with partners around the globe and is widely considered the world’s best simulation instructor training program.

Center for Medical Simulation Jobs

Director of Business Operations