NURSE MANAGER

Thurston County•Olympia, WA

19d•$7,891 - $10,379

About The Position

Thurston County Public Health & Social Services is recruiting a Nurse Manager for its Disease Control & Prevention Division. The role oversees a division of approximately 10 staff and supports multiple programs through strategic planning, staff management, and fiscal oversight. The manager oversees complex budgets with diverse funding streams, contracts, grants, and reporting requirements while leading work to investigate and manage communicable diseases and sexually transmitted infections. The Nurse Manager provides clinical expertise, training, and leadership; sets program goals; and develops community partnerships. The position guides nursing and disease investigation staff, develops and evaluates public health nursing services, supports evidence-based practice, and ensures compliance with clinical protocols, public health regulations, and professional nursing standards. It also manages employees and program resources, supports grant and contract administration, and may assist with complex communicable disease investigations. The position is based in a quiet office setting in Olympia, Washington. The regular schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with potential options for alternative or compressed schedules and/or remote work. Occasional travel may be required for meetings or training. The role includes after-hours, weekend, and holiday phone support and may require 24/7 response during public health emergencies and disease outbreaks.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Nursing or related advanced nursing education.
Current Washington State Registered Nurse license.
Five years of professional environmental work experience, including budget preparation and program planning and implementation.
At least two years of supervisory experience overseeing nursing staff.
Ability to use a personal computer and software packages to perform the duties of the position.
Strong oral communication and interpersonal skills; excellent written communication skills.
Ability to plan, organize, and manage competing priorities under pressure.
Ability to supervise, motivate, and develop employees and teams, provide direction, and respond fairly and sensitively to staff input and concerns.
Ability to interact sensitively with people from diverse cultural, socioeconomic, educational, racial, ethnic, and professional backgrounds, and with people of all ages, gender identities, sexual orientations, and lifestyles.
Ability to serve the public in a timely, accurate, complete, and professional manner and communicate clearly.
Ability to use strategic thinking, flexibility, initiative, attention to detail, and sound professional ethics.

Nice To Haves

Two years of public health nursing experience.
Experience establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with community stakeholders, colleagues, elected officials, and boards of commission.
Strong interpersonal skills in communicating, negotiating, and building inclusive, equitable relationships with people from diverse backgrounds.
Numerical and fiscal oversight aptitude.
Data analysis skills.
Strong collaborative problem-solving skills.
Knowledge of tuberculosis prevention, control strategies, and case management.
Ability to create, review, and update clinical policy and standing orders.
Experience in grant writing, reporting, and management.

Responsibilities

Provide clinical guidance to nurses and disease investigators on diseases including tuberculosis and sexually transmitted infections.
Develop, implement, and evaluate public health nursing programs and services based on community needs, agency goals, and evidence-based practices.
Ensure adherence to clinical protocols, public health regulations, and professional nursing standards.
Develop, revise, and implement policies and procedures related to nursing practice.
Monitor and evaluate program effectiveness, client outcomes, and service delivery quality.
Collect and analyze data to support program improvement and public health initiatives.
Stay current with public health nursing practices, laws, and trends.
Support and empower public health nurses to practice to the full extent of their education, training, and licensure in accordance with state Nurse Practice Acts.
Identify and remove barriers to independent nursing judgment and evidence-based decision-making.
Advocate for systems, policies, and workflows that enable optimal use of nursing skills in public health service delivery.
Assist with communicable disease case investigations requiring a higher level of nursing support.
Establish and maintain working relationships with governmental agencies, academic institutions, industrial organizations, professional societies, and other groups for service planning and development.
Monitor expenditures and program performance against the approved budget and cost-effectiveness standards.
Manage grants and contracts, including identifying and preparing grant applications for Board of Health approval, ensuring requirements are met, analyzing and achieving deliverables and outcomes, and maintaining and submitting accurate files and reports.
Manage employees, including recommending staff selection, coordinating training, setting expectations and goals, evaluating performance, and recommending disciplinary action when needed.
Provide after-hours, weekend, and holiday on-call phone support.
Perform other assigned work, including 24/7 response during public health emergencies and disease outbreak investigations.

Benefits

Retirement plan.
Pre-tax savings accounts, including flexible spending accounts for health care and daycare expenses.
Comprehensive health care and dental and vision care for employees and their families.
Paid vacation for full-time regular employees.
Paid holidays for full-time regular employees.
County-paid training and opportunities to participate in professional organizations and attend conferences.
Potential alternative or compressed schedules and/or remote working.
Three voluntary deferred compensation plans.
Public Service Loan Forgiveness eligibility for full-time public service employees who meet program requirements.
Position is eligible for benefits.