Director of Nursing Programs

John Carroll University; University Heights (OH); On-site; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

John Carroll University seeks a Director of Nursing Programs to provide academic, strategic, and operational leadership for the BSN and future DNP, including program growth, faculty development, and regulatory compliance.

The role requires building durable partnerships with Cleveland-area health systems, guiding budget planning, and advancing student success while aligning with the Jesuit mission. Teaching of one nursing course annually is expected.

Qualifications

• Current, valid RN licensure in Ohio or multi-state license
• Master’s degree in nursing from an accredited program
• DNP/PhD/EdD or near completion within two years
• Experience in academic nursing, clinical education, or nursing professional development
• At least five years of progressive leadership experience
• Proven ability to recruit, develop, and retain staff
• Budget ownership and resource management
• Experience launching or growing a program or service line
• Experience with external regulatory, accreditation, or survey oversight
• Strong partnerships with health systems and community organizations
• Excellent communication skills with diverse stakeholders
• Commitment to John Carroll’s Jesuit mission

Responsibilities

• Provide academic, strategic, and operational leadership for nursing programs
• Recruit, mentor, and develop full-time and part-time faculty
• Lead curriculum review and assessment
• Direct day-to-day program operations and budgeting
• Oversee admissions, advising, progression, and student concerns
• Develop partnerships with healthcare organizations and communities
• Lead growth initiatives for new programs and delivery models
• Ensure regulatory compliance and accreditation standards
• Attend governance meetings and participate in academic life
• Teach one nursing course annually and mentor new faculty members

Skills

Leadership

Budget management

Faculty development

Strategic planning

Collaboration

Education

Master’s degree in nursing

DNP/PhD/EdD or near completion

Tools

Banner

Canvas

Enrollment CRM

CCNE accreditation

Job description

John Carroll University is seeking an accomplished nursing leader to guide the continued growth and academic excellence of its nursing programs. This faculty of practice director- level position offers the opportunity to shape a developing nursing enterprise grounded in JCU’s mission to form ethical leaders, innovative thinkers, and compassionate healthcare professionals.

Following the graduation of its inaugural BSN cohort in Spring 2026, JCU is positioned to thoughtfully scale the undergraduate program and expand its graduate offerings through a proposed multi-track DNP .

The Director will provide academic, strategic, and operational leadership; recruit, mentor, and develop faculty; foster a collaborative and high-performing culture; and ensure that nursing curricula reflect professional standards, evolving workforce needs, and JCU’s Jesuit Catholic mission.

The successful candidate will bring experience leading teams and complex programs within an academic, clinical, or healthcare environment. This individual will exercise sound judgment in faculty development and program decision-making, ensure continued regulatory and accreditation compliance, steward resources responsibly, and strengthen partnerships with Cleveland-area health systems and community organizations. We welcome academic and industry leaders who can bridge nursing education and practice while building durable opportunities for student learning, faculty engagement, workforce development, and innovation.

The Director of Nursing Program provides administrative, operational, and strategic leadership for John Carroll University’s nursing programs, including the Bachelor of Science in Nursing and the future Doctor of Nursing Practice, and for future program offerings developed during the appointment. Reporting directly to the Dean of the College of Health, the Director holds accountability for the people, budget, quality, growth, and day-to-day performance of the nursing enterprise.

The Director is expected to lead through others. The role is measured by the strength of the faculty and staff team it builds, the reliability of the operation it runs, the partnerships it secures, and the enrollment and outcomes it delivers.

As a faculty member of the University, the director also attends a variety of internal and external meetings and participates in committee work.

Duties and Responsibilities

Team Building and Academic Leadership

• Lead, mentor, and evaluate full-time and part-time faculty, clinical instructors, coordinators, and program staff; support excellence in teaching, scholarship, service, and professional growth.
• Recruit, onboard, develop, and retain a diverse, mission-aligned team, including clinicians transitioning into academic roles.
• Establish clear roles, expectations, and accountability structures; delegate substantive authority and develop successors.
• Conduct performance evaluation and, in collaboration with the Dean and Provost, advance faculty appointment, promotion, and retention recommendations.
• Author and maintain position descriptions across the program as the organization evolves.
• Partner with faculty through shared governance to review and strengthen curricula, pedagogy, assessment, and student learning across undergraduate and future graduate programs.
• Ensure that nursing education integrates disciplinary standards with JCU’s Jesuit Catholic mission, the University Core, ethical formation, service, and care for the whole person.

Program Operations and Student Success

• Direct the day-to-day program operations including course scheduling, faculty workload, clinical placement logistics, laboratory and simulation resources, and student progression processes.
• Develop and manage the program budget in partnership with the Dean; forecast staffing, clinical, and capital needs against enrollment projections and program priorities.
• Maintain appropriate faculty-to-student ratios, qualified instructional personnel, current learning resources, and reliable systems that ensure safe care delivery and high quality education.
• Oversee admissions, advising, progression, petitions, and resolution of student concerns in partnership with faculty, staff, Enrollment Management, and Student Success.
• Use data to monitor enrollment, retention, progression, licensure, employment, student experience, faculty capacity, and program effectiveness and lead timely improvement efforts.

Strategy, Growth, and Partnership Development

• Lead strategic planning for the nursing programs in alignment with the College of Health & University priorities and in collaboration with faculty, academic & university leadership, and the nursing community advisory board.
• Evaluate opportunities for new programs, pathways, credentials, and delivery models; develop sound academic and business cases and guide approved initiatives through shared governance and external approval.
• Shepherd new programs through curricular governance, regulatory approval, and accreditation processes.
• Partner with enrollment management and marketing to build demand, shape the applicant funnel, and grow the program’s regional visibility and reputation.
• Pursue grant and philanthropic opportunities in partnership with Sponsored Programs, University Advancement, and community agencies.
• Develop and sustain academic-practice partnerships that expand clinical capacity, faculty and preceptor pipelines, workforce pathways, research, innovation, and community impact.
• Represent JCU nursing with healthcare organizations, professional associations, alumni, donors, and community partners.

Academic Quality, Accreditation, and Regulatory Compliance

• Lead ongoing curriculum review, revision, and systematic program assessment, with documented follow-through on findings.
• Partner with the Dean/program administrator of record to maintain compliance with Ohio Board of Nursing requirements, CCNE standards, University policies, and applicable state and federal requirements.
• Maintain accurate policies, faculty and preceptor qualifications, program records, affiliation agreements, and documentation required for licensure certification and regulatory reporting.
• Convene regular faculty meetings that produce genuine faculty participation in planning, implementing, and evaluating the curriculum.
• Teach one nursing course annually and mentor new faculty members in teaching pedagogy.

Student Experience & Mission Engagement

• Ensure effective academic advising, progression monitoring, petition review, and resolution of student concerns
• Monitor and act on retention, progression, licensure examination, and placement outcomes.
• Serve as a faculty member of the University and participate in College and University governance, committees, initiatives, and academic life.
• Champion nursing as an expression of JCU’s Jesuit Catholic mission by advancing ethical leadership, compassionate care, health equity, service, and formation of the whole person.
• Support University Advancement and other institutional priorities in ways that strengthen nursing and the College of Health.

Required Qualifications

• Current, valid, unencumbered licensure as a registered nurse in Ohio, or a multistate license privileging practice in Ohio, at the time of appointment.
• Minimum of a Master’s degree with a major in nursing from an accredited program.
• An earned DNP , PhD, or EdD, or a realistic completion date of the doctoral degree within two years of appointment.
• Demonstrated teaching experience in academic nursing, clinical education, or nursing professional development and readiness to contribute as a Faculty of Practice.
• At least five years of progressively responsible professional experience, including at least three years leading and supervising teams of licensed professionals, faculty, or comparable professional teams.
• Demonstrated success recruiting, developing, and retaining professional staff, including in tight labor markets.
• Demonstrated ownership of a budget, staffing plan, or operating unit, with evidence of managing resources against defined performance targets.
• Demonstrated record of building, launching, or substantially growing a program, service line, department, or operation.
• Experience operating under external regulatory, accreditation, or survey oversight — for example, state boards of nursing, programmatic accreditation, The Joint Commission, CMS conditions of participation, Magnet designation, or comparable frameworks.
• Demonstrated success building and sustaining external partnerships, affiliations, or community relationships.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, and the ability to work effectively with students, faculty, clinicians, and partners from diverse cultural and professional backgrounds.
• Interest in understanding and supporting John Carroll’s Jesuit mission to inspire individuals to excel in learning, leadership, and service in the region and in the world.

Preferred Qualifications

• Strong preference for a DNP or PhD in nursing already conferred.
• Prior teaching experience in a pre-licensure registered nursing education program for 24 months or more.
• Experience with CCNE or ACEN accreditation, including self-study preparation and site visits.
• Experience launching a new academic program, campus, service line, or business unit.
• Senior nurse executive experience in a hospital or health system (for example, Director of Nursing, Nursing Professional Development, Clinical Education, or service line leadership).
• National certification in nursing administration or executive practice ( NEA -BC, CENP , or equivalent).
• Familiarity with higher education systems such as Banner, Canvas, and enrollment CRM platforms; proficiency with Microsoft Office and Google Workspace.
• Evidence of professional contribution through publication, peer review, presentation, or professional association leadership.

Normal Work Location, Hours and Conditions

University core business hours are generally 8:30 am – 5:00 pm. However this position will require work to be performed outside of normal business hours based on department operations.

About John Carroll University

John Carroll University is a private, coeducational, Jesuit Catholic university, founded in 1886, dedicated to developing people with the knowledge and character to lead and to serve. The University is located in University Heights, Ohio, an attractive residential suburb 10 miles east of downtown Cleveland. Academically, the University consists of the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Health and the Boler College of Business, which include graduate programs. The University offers more than 70 Academic Programs in the arts, social sciences, natural sciences, and business at the undergraduate level, and in select areas at the master’s level.

The University enrolls approximately 2,500 undergraduate students and 500 graduate students and has a student-to-faculty ratio of 13:1. John Carroll University is one of 27 Jesuit universities in the United States and has been listed in U.S. News & World Report magazine’s top 10 rankings of Midwest regional universities for more than 30 consecutive years.

EEO Statement

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. We welcome and value all individuals and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.

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1 John Carroll Boulevard, University Heights, Ohio, 44118