Graduate Nursing Director

Saint Leo University Brasil•San Jose, CA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

Saint Leo University seeks a mission-driven Graduate Nursing Director for a twelve-month, blended administrative and teaching faculty position based at the university’s campus in St. Leo, Florida. The appointment may be at the assistant or associate professor level. The Director reports to the Dean, College of Health Professions, and devotes approximately 50% of the role to program administration and 50% to graduate-level teaching. The reduced teaching assignment is approximately 7–8 credit hours per semester, combining didactic, clinical, and laboratory/simulation instruction across on-ground, online, and hybrid modalities. The Director provides strategic, academic, administrative, and operational leadership for graduate nursing programs, supporting program quality, regulatory compliance, student success, faculty development, curriculum oversight, accreditation readiness, and institutional goals. The role is being created to lead the Direct Entry MSN program, launching January 2027, and the MSN–Family Nurse Practitioner program, launching August 2027. The Director will also lead planning and preparation for the College’s future expansion into doctoral-level nursing education, including future program development, accreditation readiness, and operational oversight. The Director monitors student and program outcomes; supports innovative, evidence-based teaching; leads program reviews and accreditation activities; develops faculty engagement and a collaborative academic culture; oversees student progression and program policies; coordinates assessment and reporting; builds clinical and community partnerships; and manages program budgets and personnel as assigned. The role also maintains an active record of scholarly and professional activity and supports faculty and student scholarship. Teaching responsibilities include graduate classroom instruction, clinical supervision, laboratory and simulation instruction, student advising and mentoring, course curriculum development and assessment, contributions to accreditation and student-success initiatives, maintaining currency in nursing practice, supporting recruiting and retention, and serving on committees as assigned. The work takes place in office, classroom, simulation laboratory, clinical, and virtual learning environments. Occasional evening and weekend work and travel to clinical sites, professional meetings, and university events may be required.

Requirements

Earned doctorate in Nursing or a closely related field from a regionally accredited institution.
Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from an accredited institution.
Current, unencumbered Registered Nurse (RN) license and eligibility to obtain and maintain Florida RN licensure.
At least five years of professional nursing practice experience, with expertise in one or more of long-term care, acute care, critical care, community settings, obstetrics, pediatrics, and/or mental health.
At least five years of teaching experience in nursing education.
Experience and credentials to teach nursing courses in accordance with accreditation guidelines.
Demonstrated experience with curriculum development, program assessment, and accreditation processes.
Demonstrated leadership experience in higher education or healthcare settings.
Demonstrated success with active learning strategies.
Experience applying technology in teaching, including a learning management system.
Demonstrated effectiveness working collaboratively.
Strong written and verbal communication skills.
Ability to interact effectively with a diverse student and colleague community.
Willingness to take initiative and thrive in a dynamic environment.

Nice To Haves

Experience with nursing simulation software and equipment.
Experience serving in an academic leadership role such as program coordinator, assistant chair, chair, director, or dean.
Certification as a family nurse practitioner.
Experience with CCNE accreditation standards.
Experience overseeing pre-licensure or graduate nursing programs.
Record of scholarship, publications, presentations, and professional service.
Experience with simulation-based nursing education.
Experience managing budgets and personnel.

Responsibilities

Monitor student learning outcomes and program effectiveness measures.
Promote innovative teaching methodologies, simulation, technology-enhanced learning, and evidence-based educational practices.
Ensure compliance with State Board of Nursing requirements, accreditation standards, state regulations, and professional nursing requirements.
Lead program reviews, self-studies, and accreditation activities.
Foster faculty engagement in teaching excellence, scholarship, professional development, and service; support faculty orientation and onboarding; and promote a collaborative and inclusive academic culture.
Monitor student retention, progression, graduation, and licensure outcomes; review and enforce nursing program policies and procedures; and support student leadership and professional engagement opportunities.
Coordinate data collection, analysis, and reporting for accreditation and assessment; monitor program performance indicators; complete documentation and reporting; and develop action plans for improvement.
Establish and maintain relationships with healthcare organizations and clinical partners, secure and maintain clinical placements, and represent the program in professional, educational, and community organizations.
Implement nursing curriculum design, assessment, and program evaluation at the program level; address healthcare trends and workforce needs; represent the program to stakeholders; and manage program budgets and personnel as assigned.
Maintain an active record of scholarly and professional activities, engage in professional nursing organizations and community service, and support faculty and student scholarship initiatives.
Teach assigned graduate-level MSN, DEMSN, and/or MSN-FNP courses in on-ground, online, and hybrid modalities.
Provide clinical supervision and oversight of graduate nursing students, supporting safe and competent practice consistent with program requirements and Board of Nursing standards.
Provide laboratory and simulation instruction using nursing simulation software and equipment.
Advise and mentor graduate nursing students in academic progression, professional development, and program engagement.
Develop and assess curricula for courses taught, including reviewing and revising course content, learning outcomes, and instructional methods.
Contribute teaching data, documentation, and evidence of teaching effectiveness to accreditation, program evaluation, and assessment activities.
Maintain nursing practice currency through research, certifications, and/or relevant professional development; teach traditional and non-traditional age students; and support recruiting and retention through student engagement.
Serve on program and university committees as assigned.
Lead strategic planning, feasibility assessment, and preparation for future doctoral-level nursing education in coordination with the Dean and university leadership.
Direct development, implementation, and accreditation-readiness activities for a future doctoral nursing program, including curriculum design and program evaluation infrastructure.
Maintain operational oversight of doctoral program development and, upon implementation, ongoing doctoral program operations; coordinate faculty recruitment and assignment, curriculum development, clinical placements, and regulatory and accreditation requirements.

Benefits

Free tuition for employee, spouse, and dependents.
Tuition Exchange opportunity for dependents of employees.
Paid sick leave, vacation, and holidays.
Medical, dental, and vision coverage.
Group medical plan including Teledoc, Surgery Plus, and a wellness incentive program.
Employer-funded health reimbursement account.
Employer-paid short-term disability insurance.
Employer-funded employee assistance program with healthcare and dependent options.
Employer-provided life insurance.
Discounted on-campus dining meal plans.
Nationwide pet insurance.
Flexible spending accounts.
403(b) retirement plan.
Wellness Center access.