Job Description

Job Description

Job Description

Job Title: CNO

Job Description

The CNO provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for nursing services, ensuring that nursing operations align with the hospital’s mission, quality goals, and financial objectives. This role leads organization-wide nursing strategy, oversees regulatory compliance, and manages the nursing workforce to deliver safe, high-quality, and efficient patient care.

Responsibilities

• Provide organization-wide leadership for nursing strategy, governance, and professional practice, ensuring consistent standards of care across all nursing departments.
• Partner closely with executive leadership, including the chief executive, operations, medical, and financial leaders, to align nursing operations with overall hospital goals and priorities.
• Lead long-term workforce planning and succession planning for nursing, identifying and developing future nursing leaders and ensuring appropriate leadership continuity.
• Represent nursing leadership in board meetings, executive committees, and regulatory discussions, advocating for nursing practice and patient care priorities.
• Oversee nursing budgets, staffing models, productivity metrics, and labor cost management to ensure efficient use of resources while maintaining quality care.
• Establish, implement, and monitor nursing policies, procedures, and administrative workflows that support safe, effective, and compliant nursing practice.
• Ensure effective collaboration with key departments such as Quality, Human Resources, Infection Control, Risk Management, and Finance to support integrated patient care and organizational performance.
• Support department directors and nurse leaders with operational guidance, performance management, and problem solving to meet clinical, quality, and financial targets.
• Ensure compliance with all applicable state, federal, and accrediting body requirements, including standards from organizations such as the Joint Commission and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
• Oversee nursing-related quality initiatives, patient safety programs, and performance improvement projects, ensuring that evidence-based practices are implemented and sustained.
• Review nursing quality metrics, incident reports, and corrective action plans at a leadership level, and drive follow-up actions to address trends and improve outcomes.
• Lead preparation for and participation in surveys, audits, and accreditation reviews, ensuring nursing readiness and adherence to regulatory standards.
• Guide nursing recruitment, retention, and engagement strategies to build and maintain a highly skilled, motivated nursing workforce.
• Oversee leadership training, performance evaluations, and disciplinary escalation processes for nursing leaders and staff, ensuring fair, consistent, and constructive management.
• Collaborate with Human Resources on labor relations, credentialing, and professional standards to maintain a competent and appropriately credentialed nursing staff.
• Promote a culture of accountability, professionalism, and continuous improvement within nursing, encouraging innovation, shared governance, and ongoing professional development.

Essential Skills

• Proven nursing leadership experience in roles such as Nurse Director, Nurse Manager, Director of Nursing, or Chief Nursing Officer (CNO).
• Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or equivalent advanced nursing leadership education.
• Demonstrated ability to provide executive-level leadership for nursing strategy, governance, and professional practice.
• Strong experience in developing and managing nursing budgets, staffing models, productivity metrics, and labor cost controls.
• In-depth knowledge of state, federal, and accrediting body requirements, including standards from the Joint Commission and CMS.
• Experience leading quality initiatives, patient safety programs, and performance improvement efforts in a clinical setting.
• Proven capability in workforce planning, succession planning, and nursing leadership development.
• Experience collaborating with executive leadership teams and representing nursing in board or executive-level meetings.
• Ability to interpret and act on quality metrics, incident reports, and corrective action plans at a leadership level.
• Strong collaboration skills with departments such as Quality, HR, Infection Control, Risk Management, and Finance.
• Track record of guiding recruitment, retention, engagement, and performance management for nursing staff.
• Ability to promote and sustain a culture of accountability, professionalism, and continuous improvement.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience as a Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) or Director of Nursing in an acute care or similar healthcare environment.
• Background as a Nurse Director or Nurse Manager overseeing multiple units or service lines.
• Formal leadership training or participation in nursing leadership development programs.
• Experience managing disciplinary processes and performance evaluations in a structured, fair, and consistent manner.
• Familiarity with succession planning frameworks and leadership pipelines for nursing roles.
• Exposure to regulatory surveys, audits, and accreditation processes, including preparation and response activities.
• Ability to foster engagement and professional growth among nursing staff through mentoring and coaching.

Work Environment

The CNO works in a hospital-based environment with a strong focus on collaboration across clinical and administrative departments. The role involves frequent interaction with executive leadership, nursing leaders, and interdisciplinary teams to align nursing operations with organizational goals. The position is primarily office-based within the hospital setting but requires regular presence on patient care units to support nursing leaders and monitor operational performance. The work schedule may extend beyond standard business hours to accommodate meetings, regulatory activities, and organizational needs, and may include participation in on-call or after-hours leadership coverage as required by the facility.

This is a Contract position based out of Memphis, TN.

The pay range for this position is $75.00 - $100.00/hr.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following:
• Medical, dental & vision
• Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
• 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
• Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
• Short and long-term disability
• Health Spending Account (HSA)
• Transportation benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

This is a fully onsite position in Memphis,TN.

This position is anticipated to close on May 27, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 30,000 consultants and more than 4,500 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email actalentaccommodation@actalentservices.com for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.

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