Palliative Care Nursing Director

Clinical Management Consultants; Weed (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 300,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare coverage

Retirement benefits

Paid time off

Continuing education support

Leadership development resources

Job summary

Clinical Management Consultants seeks a Palliative Care Director in Northern California to shape a vital service line focused on patient-centered, compassionate end-of-life care for a rural community.

The role offers executive visibility, cross-disciplinary collaboration with physicians, nursing, and social services, and the autonomy to lead quality improvement, staffing continuity, and program development while balancing clinical priorities.

Qualifications

• Experience leading palliative care or serious illness programs.
• Experience in rural or community hospital settings is preferred.
• Strong collaboration with medical staff, nursing, social services, and case management.

Responsibilities

• Oversee palliative care operations including pain and symptom management.
• Lead program development, staffing continuity, and quality improvement initiatives.
• Coordinate care transitions, hospice coordination, and goals-of-care discussions.
• Educate clinical staff and expand the program across the organization.

Skills

Clinical leadership

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Healthcare administration

Quality improvement

Education

MD or DO or equivalent

Job description

An accomplished serious-illness care leader can shape a vital service line while remaining close to the patients, families, and clinicians who benefit from it most. This Northern California opportunity seeks a Palliative Care Director prepared to advance patient-centered care, strengthen compassionate end-of-life care, and guide a growing program serving a rural healthcare community.

The healthcare organization offers an accessible leadership environment where clinician judgment, interdisciplinary partnership, and practical decision-making are valued. The incoming director will benefit from executive visibility, a thoughtful onboarding process, an emphasis on staffing continuity, and a collegial culture that supports autonomy and long-term professional growth. This is an appealing setting for a leader who prefers meaningful influence over unnecessary bureaucracy.

Within Palliative Care, the director will oversee a dynamic workflow encompassing serious illness care, symptom management, advanced illness management, and hospice coordination. The Palliative Care Director will have operational ownership and decision-making authority across care coordination, pain and symptom management, goals-of-care discussions, advance care planning, and patient and family support. Working alongside physicians, nursing professionals, and an interdisciplinary team, this leader will improve quality of life while balancing clinical priorities, staffing support, program development, and quality improvement. The role also offers meaningful opportunities to strengthen supportive care practices, educate clinical staff, refine workflows, and expand the program’s strategic contribution.

Reporting to senior clinical and administrative leadership, the director will receive executive support while maintaining high visibility throughout the hospital. Core relationships will include medical staff, nursing leaders, case management, social services, pharmacy, rehabilitation, and other ancillary departments involved in complex care transitions. Through collaborative clinical leadership, this individual will influence daily operations, staff development, physician alignment, care standards, organizational goals, and the consistent delivery of compassionate, coordinated services.

Northern California combines remarkable outdoor access with a grounded, community-oriented lifestyle. Residents enjoy four-season recreation, scenic open spaces, regional dining, local arts, and a pace that can offer easier commutes and more attainable housing than the state’s largest metropolitan areas. For leaders seeking professional purpose without sacrificing personal time, the region provides an attractive setting for career and lifestyle balance.

The selected leader can expect competitive Northern California executive compensation, with the formal salary range shared during the confidential recruitment process based on experience and credentials. A comprehensive package is anticipated to include healthcare coverage, retirement benefits, paid time off, continuing education support, and leadership development resources.