Clinical Practice and Development Manager, Full Time, Days

East Tennessee Children's Hospital•Knoxville, TN

12d•Onsite

About The Position

The Manager is responsible for supervising and mentoring unit-based educators, ensuring role clarity, alignment with organizational priorities, and validation of educator contributions through measurable outcomes. This includes oversight of orientation programs, competency validation, continuing education, and professional growth initiatives. A key function of the role is to foster strong, bidirectional communication between Educators, Nurse Managers, Central Educators, and Nursing Directors, promoting collaboration, shared accountability, and alignment of clinical and operational goals. The Manager partners closely with nursing leadership to assess practice gaps, support change initiatives, and drive continuous improvement in care delivery using the full scope of the NPD model—including learning facilitation, role development, leadership, inquiry, and outcome evaluation—to ensure a highly competent, engaged, and future-ready nursing workforce. The Manager will provide leadership in establishing and advancing the Clinical Practice and Professional Development program, including program development & department infrastructure.

Requirements

Licensed RN in Tennessee or Compact License
Certification in NPD required within 6 months of reaching eligibility criteria
BLS
3 years professional nursing experience in direct patient care
2 years of management experience
At least 1-year of documented training-related experience such as competency building, proven communication skills, etc.
Adult teaching and assessment experience
Advanced knowledge of the Nursing Professional Development (NPD) Practice Model roles, scope of practice, and system-wide application.
Understanding of adult learning principles, curriculum design, and competency-based education.
Thorough knowledge of clinical nursing standards, regulatory/accreditation requirements, quality improvement methodologies, and patient safety practices.
Strong foundation in onboarding methodologies, competency validation techniques
Skilled in leading, coaching, mentoring, and developing unit-based educators, including managing performance and delivering data-driven feedback.
Ability to translate complex clinical and organizational needs into actionable education strategies and influence outcomes across a matrixed environment.
Skilled in managing multiple high-priority projects simultaneously, leading organizational change, and supporting practice improvement initiatives.
Ability to interpret complex metrics, evaluate program effectiveness, and analyze outcome data to drive continuous improvement
Demonstrated understanding of hospital nursing operations, staffing models, patient acuity, workflow design, and workforce demand, with the ability to develop and implement education and professional development strategies that support organizational goals while balancing frontline caregivers' responsibilities for safe, effective patient care.
Knowledge of simulation foundations and facilitation.
Working knowledge of hospital nursing operations, staffing models, patient acuity, workload demands, and clinical workflow processes to effectively align educational and professional development initiatives with operational priorities while minimizing disruption to patient care delivery.
Understanding of workforce planning principles, including staffing, scheduling, productivity, and clinical resource utilization.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree or Doctoral degree preferred
Graduate degree in Nursing or Nursing Education preferred
Ability to obtain NPD certification within 6 months of reaching eligibility

Responsibilities

Supervising and mentoring unit-based educators.
Ensuring role clarity, alignment with organizational priorities, and validation of educator contributions through measurable outcomes.
Oversight of orientation programs, competency validation, continuing education, and professional growth initiatives.
Fostering strong, bidirectional communication between Educators, Nurse Managers, Central Educators, and Nursing Directors.
Partnering with nursing leadership to assess practice gaps, support change initiatives, and drive continuous improvement in care delivery.
Providing leadership in establishing and advancing the Clinical Practice and Professional Development program, including program development & department infrastructure.
Assessing and analyzing current practices to ensure they align with staff learning needs and institutional standards.
Evaluating data and identifying gaps in performance and outcome, then creating targeted action plans that implement evidence-based strategies, foster growth, and continuously improve outcomes.
Defining and maintaining clear role boundaries, standard workflows, and performance expectations for the education team.
Acting as the primary liaison facilitating seamless, two-way communication between unit-based educators, nurse managers, and the central education department.
Collaborating with hospital leadership, cross-functional committees, and clinical teams to align education with broader organizational goals.
Collaborating with Clinical Practice to provide continuous professional development programs specifically tailored to elevate the skills of the unit-based educators.
Driving consistency across the hospital system by standardizing educational processes, competencies, and tools.
Reviewing, directing, and evaluating unit-specific orientation, onboarding, and competency programs to ensure new staff meet educational and clinical outcomes.
Integrating clinical standards, quality initiatives, and patient safety practices directly into educational programming to support optimal patient outcomes.
Regularly monitoring and analyzing clinical education program outcomes and metrics to measure effectiveness and implement continuous quality improvements.
Collaborating with Quality & Safety and Infection Prevention departments to identify learning gaps or needs related to actionable items based on data review.
Assisting with the creation of education-based initiatives.
Collaborating with nursing leaders to design and implement learning strategies that balance workforce development needs with staffing constraints, patient care demands, and operational efficiency.
Supporting the development of accessible and sustainable education programs for frontline staff.