Director Nursing - Surgical Services

Calling All Esteemed Leaders! Are you a nursing leader who is passionate about operational excellence, caregiver development, quality improvement, and delivering exceptional patient care across the continuum? Do you thrive in collaborative environments where stewardship, communication, planning, and performance improvement work together to support organizational success? If so, we invite you to explore this leadership opportunity with Providence.

The Role

The director of nursing manages assigned department(s) and functions across the area continuum of care to provide integrated services in a fiscally responsible manner through direction, support, and development of supervisors and staff, and through collaboration with medical staff, other hospital directors, administrative staff, and community groups and agencies.

Embraces and articulates the mission, vision, values and goals of the St. Joseph Health System-Sonoma County to create a culture of trust, excellence and shared purpose.

What You’ll Do

Improving Performance

• Strengthen focus on excellence in a culture that measures quality and continuous improvement of performance to meet the needs and expectations of patients and community. 
  • Assures that organizational and department policies and procedures are current, appropriate, and followed consistently.
  • Assures a safe and efficient work environment for employees.
  • Assures quality improvement processes are effectively monitoring quality of services and lead to strategies for further improvement.
  • Creates excellence in how customers are served, both internally and externally with staff.
  • Works proactively to resolve complex problems in a timely manner.
  • Assures the performance improvement process includes regular dialogue and feedback with employees about goals, responsibilities, expectations and performance.
  • Models and encourages the spirit of service and excellence in the organization (e.g., internal and external customers, coordination and delivery of patient care that responds to patient and family needs, physical, physiological, spiritual and social needs, interdisciplinary QI activities, participation in committees and PI teams).
  • Understands and helps others see the integration of the mission, vision and values to the strategic goals and operations.

Communication

• Demonstrates that communication is the primary key in relationships. Creates a culture that fosters open, honest and respectful exchange. 
  • Clearly communicates the strategic initiatives and direction of the St. Joseph Health System-Greater Sonoma County.
  • Acts as a liaison by effectively involving medical staff, other departments or stakeholders.
  • Assures availability of staff meetings to promote open, honest and timely communication and provide information and a mechanism for employee communication and input into decision making.
  • Effectively communicates information to foster dialogue, shared decision making, collaboration, responsibility and accountability among all employees.
  • Maintains accessibility for 1:1 communication with staff and provides avenues for appropriate follow-up with employees.
  • Utilizes team building strategies to promote positive relationships and develop cohesive inter and intradepartment work groups.
  • Openly addresses difficult issues and supports difficult decisions.
  • Integrates values into retreats, meetings, education forums, celebrations and other activities as appropriate for employees, volunteers and medical staff.
  • Communicates issues facing the organization in the context of our mission, vision and values to foster a shared sense of purpose.
  • Expresses compassion at all times through the expression of truth, feeling and listening to individuals or groups.

Stewardship

• Assumes responsibility and accountability for fiscal management of specific departments across all entities in collaboration with staff and physicians. 
  • Communicates with staff and colleagues on a consistent basis regarding key financial goals and performance.
  • Formulates, presents, and defends annual budget (including personnel, supplies, resources, and space) based on assessments of departments' resources, programs, and projected needs.
  • Monitors budget, analyzes variances using data and documents justification and takes corrective action to adhere to budget.
  • Analyzes trends, identifies opportunities and implements changes in systems or technology to improve efficiency, productivity, and decrease costs.
  • Implements changes in systems, equipment or technology to increase efficiency, safety, productivity, and promote cost containment.
  • Facilitates implementation of new technology, products, and supplies to provide safe effective services and maximize productivity.
  • Selects, manages and evaluates outcomes for contract services.
  • Performs responsibilities to provide quality, cost-effective services in the stewardship of area resources.

Competency

• Develops a work environment that promotes mutual respect, participation, growth and effective use of employee talents. 
  • Develops, with staff input, appropriate standards of performance (required qualifications, job description, performance standards, and annual competencies).
  • Holds self and staff accountable for excellence in performance.
  • Complies with and assures compliance for all components of STAR initiative.
  • Assures timely assessment of employee performance.
  • Assesses staff development needs and assures employees have needed skills by providing staff education programs for mandatory compliance and ongoing staff education.
  • Creates an atmosphere of trust and growth by providing for reflection, dialogue and recognition of performance, both positive and where improvement is needed.
  • Identifies and assures resolution of discrepancies between performance and standards through coaching, counseling, feedback, and use of the progressive disciplinary process.
  • Provides and supports opportunities and resource materials to enhance professional and personal growth and development of employees.
  • Assures a communication system exists to listen and respond to employees concerns, grievances and suggestions.

Planning

• Initiates the strategic, operational, programmatic and other plans/policies to achieve the mission and area vision by providing efficient and effective services. 
  • Identifies changes in daily operations that promote mission, vision and strategic goals achievement.
  • Seeks opportunities to shape the environment in support of the system's mission, vision, values and goals.
  • Helps others anticipate and understand change by providing relevant information and solicits input in an effective manner with people whom the change affects.
  • Encourages ideas, suggestions and participation of others and involves others in planning, decision making and assessment processes.
  • Seeks support, implements and evaluates with others changes in service design.
  • Establishes and meets timelines established by project teams.
  • Performs periodic follow-up to assure actual implementation of change and its effect on the organization.
  • Markets services to internal and external customers.
  • Creates opportunities for partnership and integration with other departments, entities and the community.
  • Markets programs in service to mission and vision to the community.
  • Understands healthcare issues relevant to the area and the System.
  • Identifies and fulfills own educational and developmental needs and keeps updated on advances related to responsibilities.
  • Promotes professional image within the organization and in the community.

Age-Related Competencies

• Ensures that staff possesses the appropriate knowledge and skills necessary to provide care to the age of the patients served, including knowledge of the principles of growth and development and psychosocial characteristics and interventions for the population served on the unit.
• Ensures that staff is competent in assessing and interpreting age-appropriate data about patients in order to provide the care needed.
• Ensures that staff possesses the appropriate communication skills for the patient population served.
• Ensures that staff demonstrates knowledge of age-specific community resources and continually updates staff appropriately.

What You’ll Bring

Education & Credentials

• Graduate of school of nursing.
• Actively participating in a healthcare-related Master's program until completion.
• Bachelor's Degree in Nursing (preferred).
• Required upon hire: California Registered Nurse License (Vendor Managed).

Experience & Expertise

• 5 years of recent experience in an acute hospital setting.
• 2 years of management experience.

Professional & Leadership Capabilities

• Leadership skills consistent with the mission, vision and values of the St. Joseph Health System and the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange as demonstrated in the Values Standards and Key Indicators.
• Excellent communication skills, advanced knowledge of job-specific skills and computer proficiency.
• Flexibility and the ability to prioritize multiple projects and work time.
• Proven ability to work well with individuals and groups.
• Ability to work with diverse populations of all ages.

Why Join Us?

• Integrated Leadership Opportunity: Lead assigned departments and functions across the continuum of care while supporting integrated services and organizational excellence.
• Mission-Driven Culture: Help advance the mission, vision, values, and goals of St. Joseph Health System-Sonoma County through leadership, stewardship, and service.
• Quality & Performance Focus: Drive quality improvement, performance excellence, patient-centered care, and operational effectiveness.
• Caregiver Development Impact: Support employee growth, engagement, communication, and professional development while fostering a culture of trust and accountability.

Ready to Shape the Future of Healthcare?

If you are a nursing leader committed to quality, operational excellence, caregiver development, and patient-centered care, we encourage you to apply and help advance exceptional care across Providence.

The full pay range is listed in accordance with applicable law. Final compensation will be determined based on qualifications, experience, organizational compensation alignment, and the approved hiring department budget for the position. This position may also be eligible for incentive compensation and benefits.