Nursing Director, Professional Development at Cherokee Nation

Provides strategic leadership in accordance with the Cherokee Nation Health Services mission, vision and values in the design, implementation, and evaluation of nursing and clinical support professional development initiatives throughout the organization. This position ensures excellence in nursing practice through education, competency development, recruitment and retention support, regulatory compliance, and continuous improvement of clinical operations.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
• Leads the strategic planning, design, and execution of nursing professional development programs aligned with organizational goals.
• Oversees the development, delivery, and evaluation of educational curricula to ensure effective and evidence-based, patient-centered nursing care.
• Assesses staff competencies and identifies performance gaps; implements targeted solutions to enhance clinical effectiveness and patient outcomes.
• Collaborates with clinical, operational, and executive leadership to integrate development initiatives with care delivery and quality improvement strategies.
• Drives continuous improvement in nursing practices through evaluation, mentorship, and innovation.
• Ensures all educational content and clinical practices comply with internal policies, regulatory standards, and best practices.
• Provides direct supervision and collaboration with nursing leadership to review and revise policies and procedures and to develop training programs that support clinical practice and professional growth.
• Provides leadership in evaluating and enhancing nursing processes to support optimal patient safety and care quality.
• Develops and strengthens partnerships with community training programs to strengthen workforce pipelines.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

LEVEL OF RESPONSIBILITY
• Applies extensive knowledge of nursing and healthcare concepts, principles, and best practices.
• Contributes to strategic planning and direction for the department in collaboration with senior leadership.
• Establishes departmental policies, procedures, and initiatives that have a significant impact on overall organizational performance.

QUALIFICATIONS
• Bachelor’s degree in Nursing from 4-year college or university; no substitutions.
• Master’s degree preferred.
• At least five (5) years of experience in a related field.

COMPETENCIES
• Ability to develop and mentor others.
• Leadership skills.
• Oral and written communication skills.
• Problem/situation analysis. • Analytical thinking skills.
• Strategic thinking skills.
• Project management skills.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
• While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel; talk or hear and taste or smell. The employee is frequently required to stand; walk; sit and reach with hands and arms. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS
• Must possess and maintain a license as a Registered Nurse, issued by the Oklahoma Board of Nursing or a multi-state license accepted by the Oklahoma Board of Nursing.
• Must possess a valid driver's license with a driving history verified through a motor vehicle report that meets requirements for Cherokee Nation underwriting rating.
• Must obtain BLS within ninety (90) days of hire and maintain throughout employment.
• Must obtain ACLS within ninety (90) days of hire and maintain throughout employment.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS
• The employee must not be and will not be under sanction by the United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (OIG) or by the General Services Administration (GSA) or listed on the OIG's Cumulative Sanction Report, or the GSA's List of Excluded Providers, or listed on the OIG's List of Excluded Individuals/Entities (LEIE).