Nursing Operations Director

Unity Hospice•De Pere, WI

7d•Onsite

About The Position

As a leader in end-of-life care, Unity is committed to attracting and retaining a diverse workforce of motivated, engaged, and mission-driven professionals. Our culture is grounded in Excellence, Collaboration, Integrity, Compassion, and Accountability. Working at Unity is more than a job; it is a calling. Our team is dedicated to making a meaningful difference in the lives of patients, families, and the communities we serve. The Nursing Operations Director provides strategic and operational leadership for nursing services across Hospice & Palliative Care. This role ensures efficient, high-quality, patient-centered care while overseeing staffing strategy, workforce engagement, operational performance, and financial stewardship. The Director partners with nursing leadership, Human Resources, and other departments to develop sustainable staffing models, improve productivity, support employee engagement, and advance organizational priorities. This role also serves as a key liaison with facility partners and external stakeholders.

Requirements

BSN and current RN license required; MSN, MHA, MBA, or related master’s degree strongly preferred.
Minimum of 7 years of progressive nursing experience.
Minimum of 5 years of nursing leadership experience, preferably in hospice, palliative care, home health, or a related healthcare setting.
Demonstrated experience in staffing strategy, workforce management, and operational improvement.
Strong leadership, coaching, mentoring, and team-development skills.
Knowledge of nursing operations, staffing models, productivity, caseload management, and workforce planning.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to use data to drive operational improvements.
Excellent communication and relationship-building skills with employees, leaders, healthcare facilities, and community partners.
Knowledge of hospice and healthcare regulations and standards.
Ability to lead through change and effectively implement organizational initiatives.
Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic environment.
Sound judgment, discretion, confidentiality, and professional integrity.
Commitment to Unity’s mission, values, policies, and regulatory requirements.

Nice To Haves

MSN, MHA, MBA, or related master’s degree

Responsibilities

Provide strategic leadership and oversight of nursing operations across Hospice & Palliative Care.
Lead and develop Nurse Team Leaders and other nursing leaders to achieve operational, quality, and engagement goals.
Establish caseload, productivity, staffing, and operational expectations.
Evaluate and implement staffing models and team structures that support quality care and workforce sustainability.
Maintain visibility and engagement with nursing teams.
Partner with Human Resources on recruitment, retention, engagement, and workforce planning.
Develop and maintain master nursing schedules, staffing allocations, and scheduling standards.
Monitor vacancies, turnover, retention, and staffing trends and implement strategies to improve workforce stability.
Conduct stay interviews and support employee engagement initiatives.
Represent Unity and serve as a nursing liaison with partner facilities.
Address facility concerns and oversee service recovery when needed.
Support facility onboarding, outreach, relationship development, and market growth initiatives.
Participate in state survey activity involving Unity patients as appropriate.
Monitor nursing productivity, labor utilization, staffing targets, and operational performance.
Participate in nursing budget development and manage resources within established guidelines.
Review requests for additional or unbudgeted resources.
Identify opportunities to reduce cost, waste, and variation while maintaining quality patient care.
Manage direct-report performance, including operational outcomes, engagement, and customer service.
Oversee onboarding and orientation processes.
Set performance expectations and provide ongoing coaching, feedback, and leadership development.
Address performance concerns and support succession planning.
Foster a culture of recognition, accountability, collaboration, and professional growth.
Manage departmental budgets, approve timecards and PTO, and ensure appropriate staffing coverage.
Conduct performance evaluations and Empower reviews.
Perform other job-related duties as assigned.