Administrative Director: Professional Practice and Clinical Education

Vanderbilt University Medical Center • Nashville, TN

104d

About The Position

The Vanderbilt Health Executive Search Team is conducting a national search for an Administrative Director: Professional Practice and Clinical Education. The Magnet Program Director / Administrative Director: Professional Practice and Clinical Education is a strategic nursing leader responsible for advancing nursing excellence through oversight of the Magnet Recognition Program®, professional development initiatives, and professional governance structures. This role integrates leadership in nursing education, evidence-based practice, and professional governance to foster a culture of clinical excellence, innovation, and continuous improvement.

Requirements

• Master’s Degree and 10 years of experience.
• Nursing Degree required.

Nice To Haves

• Proven experience with Magnet designation or similar nursing excellence programs.
• Knowledge of ANCC Magnet standards and application processes with expert-level writing ability.
• Expertise in nursing education, professional development, and professional governance.
• Strong communication, collaboration, and project management skills.
• Experience with data analysis, benchmarking, and quality improvement.
• Ability to lead change and foster innovation in complex healthcare environments.
• Proficiency in learning management systems and educational technologies.
• Nursing Leadership experience.
• Ambulatory experience.
• Nurse Leader and/or Nurse Educator Certification.
• Academic Medical Center experience.

Responsibilities

• Align Magnet or Pathway to Excellence activities with the Nursing Strategic Plan.
• Assess organizational readiness for Magnet or Pathway to Excellence designation or re-designation.
• Create and implement ambulatory infrastructures to support successful designation or re-designation activities.
• Utilize structures defined by the Nursing Staff Bylaws to champion Magnet and Pathway to Excellence standards.
• Partner with CNO to optimize and maintain highly functional professional practice structures.
• Promote VUMC’s Professional Practice Model across the organization.
• Build interdisciplinary relationships that enable the Magnet/Pathway to Excellence culture.
• Partner with CNO to establish strategic plans, budgets, resource allocation, and operational plans for Ambulatory Clinical Education.
• Oversee the development, implementation, and evaluation of clinical education programs and initiatives, certification support, and career advancement pathways.
• Evaluate and revise as needed onboarding, orientation, and competency development for clinical staff.
• Collaborate with academic partners to support clinical placements and pipeline development.
• Champion lifelong learning and evidence-based practice across all levels of nursing.
• Collaborate with the Central Clinical Education Department on enterprise-wide initiatives.
• Collaborate with CNO to address issues related to quality, compliance, competency, and education.
• Coach staff to prioritize and collaborate with the healthcare team.
• Collaborate with the rest of the leadership team to determine areas for improvement in clinical practice and develop improvement plans.
• Design annual needs assessments for all clinical levels to identify opportunities.
• Provide strategic oversight of professional governance councils and structures.
• Facilitate nurse engagement in decision-making, policy development, and practice improvement.
• Ensure alignment of council activities with Magnet standards and organizational priorities.
• Mentor council chairs and members to build leadership capacity and promote accountability.
• Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of professional governance structures.
• Oversee clinical ladder administration.

Benefits

• Affordable High Quality Health Plan Options
• Dental and/or vision plan
• 403 (b) retirement plan
• Paid Time off (flex PTO)
• Tuition Reimbursement and adoption assistance (maximums applied)
• Short-Long term disability
• Subsidized backup childcare

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Master's degree
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees