Behavioral Health Unit Director – RN Leader

UPMC; Altoona (PA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Tuition reimbursement for BSN/MSN

Sign-On Bonus $15,000

Generous vacation accrual

Competitive wages

Job summary

UPMC Altoona invites applications for a Unit Director of the 3G Behavioral Health unit. The role leads clinical and administrative operations, ensuring high-quality patient care and a healthy staff environment.

Required are a BSN and MSN (or enrollment within 1 year of hire if master’s not in nursing), plus 4+ years of progressive leadership in nursing. This is a weekday schedule with competitive wages and strong benefits.

Qualifications

• BS/BSN required at time of hire and master's degree/MSN required.
• Minimum of 4 years of progressive leadership experience required with relevant clinical experience preferred.
• Leadership ability to develop staff, establish and maintain standards of performance within a national context for professional nursing practice and comply with administrative requirements.
• Superior interpersonal and communication skills sufficient to effectively create relationships to support a healing environment with patients, families, staff, physicians, and hospital personnel including senior management in both written and verbal communication.

Responsibilities

• Lead the day-to-day operations of the Behavioral Health Unit, ensuring the delivery of safe, high-quality, patient-centered care.
• Establish and monitor clinical, quality, financial, and operational goals that align with organizational priorities.
• Utilize evidence-based practice, quality metrics, and patient outcomes data to drive continuous improvement initiatives.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory, professional, and organizational standards of nursing practice.
• Foster a positive, collaborative work environment built on trust, accountability, respect, and inclusion.
• Recruit, mentor, coach, and develop staff and nursing leaders to support professional growth, leadership development, and succession planning.
• Support performance management, employee engagement, conflict resolution, and staff retention initiatives.
• Promote continuing education, specialty certification, competency validation, and lifelong learning.
• Engage staff and stakeholders in shared governance, departmental planning, and decision-making processes.
• Lead change initiatives and operational improvements while supporting staff through transitions.
• Build strong partnerships with physicians, interdisciplinary teams, academic institutions, and community stakeholders to enhance patient care and workforce development.
• Manage department budgets, staffing plans, and resources to ensure efficient and effective operations.
• Maintain appropriate staffing levels and workforce plans that support patient care needs and employee well-being.
• Promote fiscal stewardship and accountability for resource utilization.
• Advance a culture of excellence by championing patient safety, quality improvement, and relationship-based care.
• Partner with interdisciplinary teams to improve patient outcomes, patient satisfaction, and staff engagement.
• Support initiatives that enhance the clinical, psychological, and emotional well-being of patients and their families.

Skills

Leadership

Staff development

Strategic planning

Financial management

Interdepartmental collaboration

Change management

Education

BSN

MSN

Job description

UPMC Altoona invites applications for a Unit Director of the 3G Behavioral Health unit. The role leads clinical and administrative operations, ensuring high-quality patient care and a healthy staff environment.

Required are a BSN and MSN (or enrollment within 1 year of hire if master’s not in nursing), plus 4+ years of progressive leadership in nursing. This is a weekday schedule with competitive wages and strong benefits.