Associate Director-Emergency Department

Cooper University Health Care; Cape May Court House (NJ); On-site; USD 56,000 - 96,000; Full time

Job summary

Cooper Norcross Health is seeking an Associate Clinical Director to lead patient care services within the assigned unit, under the Nursing Director. The role blends clinical and administrative duties, with a strong emphasis on clinical leadership and patient-centered care.

You will oversee daily operations, staffing, and cross-department collaboration while driving quality initiatives and regulatory compliance, ensuring safe, high-quality care across the unit.

Qualifications

• Required: Minimum of 2 years of clinical nursing experience and at least 1 year of demonstrated leadership abilities.
• Preferred: Progressive leadership experience in acute or specialty care settings.
• BSN required; graduate from an NLN accredited school of nursing.
• Current New Jersey Registered Nurse license and BLS certification.
• Preferred: National specialty certification (NE-BC, CCRN, RN-BC, or equivalent as applicable)

Responsibilities

• Directs, implements, and evaluates patient care services within the assigned unit under the Nursing Director.
• Balances clinical and administrative duties with more than 50% clinical time.
• Supports operational effectiveness, quality outcomes, staff development, patient care, and patient- and family-centered care.
• Oversees staffing coordination, workflow, and resource utilization.
• Engages in personnel management activities such as interviewing, hiring, orientation, coaching, scheduling, and performance evaluations.
• Coordinates interdisciplinary and ancillary services to promote communication, patient satisfaction, and continuity of care.
• Participates in quality improvement initiatives and regulatory compliance efforts.
• Acts as liaison between nursing staff, physicians, and other departments to foster problem-solving and collaboration.
• Promotes staff education and competency validation in collaboration with leadership and education teams.
• Assists in patient care and drives quality at the bedside and ensures patient flow and throughput.

Skills

Leadership

Clinical nursing

Staff management

Interdisciplinary coordination

Education

BSN

Job description

About Us

Cooper Norcross Health, formerly Cooper University Health Care, is a leading academic health system affiliated with Cooper Norcross Medical School of Rowan University. Headquartered in Camden, New Jersey, Cooper Norcross Health has revenues of more than $3 billion and an A+ credit rating from both S&P and Fitch Ratings.

Cooper Norcross Health has nearly 14,000 team members, including more than 2,200 nurses, more than 1,200 employed physicians representing 95 specialties and subspecialties, and more than 700 advanced practice providers.

The health system operates MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper as well as four hospitals – its 663-bed flagship Cooper Norcross University Hospital in Camden, its 229-bed Cooper Norcross University Hospital Cape Regional in Cape May Court House, Children’s Hospital at Cooper Norcross Health in Camden, and The Recovery Village Cherry Hill at Cooper, a substance abuse rehabilitation and inpatient treatment facility, in partnership with American Recovery Services.

Cooper Norcross University Hospital in Camden is the only Level 1 Trauma Center in South Jersey and the busiest in the region. The hospital has been recognized as a top-performing regional hospital by U.S. News & World Report’s Best Hospitals annual survey for eight years.

More than 2.54 million patients visit Cooper Norcross Health facilities annually. Its ambulatory network encompasses three outpatient surgery centers, seven urgent care centers, a wound care center, and more than 130 physician, physical therapy, and radiology offices extending from the Delaware River to the New Jersey shore.

Cooper Norcross Health, a not-for-profit health system, was named one of America’s Best Large Employers for 2026 by Forbes, ranking among the top 200 in the nation. Visit CooperHealth.org to learn more.

Short Description

Assumes responsibility and accountability for the direction, implementation, and evaluation of patient care services within the assigned unit, under the direction of theNursing Director. The Associate Clinical Director divides their duties asbothclinical and administrative with more than 50% being clinical.This role supports operational effectiveness, quality outcomes, staff development,patient care,and patient- and family-centered care, while exercising independent judgment and leadership in theNursing Director’sabsence.

Demonstrates Cooper Core Values, Service Standards, Leadership Must Haves, and utilizes AIDET at all times.

Assists the Clinical Director in providing leadership, direction, and coordination of patient care services to ensure safe, high-quality, evidence-based care delivery.

Oversees day-to-day operational functioning of the assigned unit, including staffing coordination, workflow oversight, and resource utilization.

Supports personnel management activities such as interviewing, hiring, orientation, coaching, counseling, scheduling, and performance evaluations.

Coordinates interdisciplinary and ancillary services to promote effective communication, patient satisfaction, and continuity of care.

Participates in quality improvement initiatives, regulatory compliance efforts, and implementation of Joint Commission, state, and federal standards.

Acts as liaison between nursing staff, physicians, and other departments, facilitating problem-solving, conflict resolution, and collaboration.

Promotes staff education, professional development, and competency validation in collaboration with the Nursing Director and Education Department.

Assists in patient care and drives quality at the bedside.

Ensures patient flow and throughput of the unit.

Experience Required

Required: Minimum of 2 years of clinical nursing experience and at least 1 year of demonstrated leadershipabilities.

Preferred: Progressive leadership experience in acute or specialty care settings

Education Requirements

BSN required; graduate from an NLN accredited school of nursing.

License/Certification Requirements

Required: Current New Jersey Registered Nurse license and BLS certification

Preferred: National specialty certification (NE-BC, CCRN, RN-BC, or equivalent as applicable)

Salary Min ($)

USD $41.00

Salary Max ($)

USD $70.00