System Chief Nursing Officer

American College of Healthcare Executives; Tennessee; On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Vanderbilt Health in Nashville, TN invites a System Chief Nursing Officer to set the vision for nursing practice standards, quality, and workforce development across a rapidly growing academic health system.

The System CNO will partner with executive and physician leaders to drive clinical transformation, advance evidence-based practice, and foster professional nursing excellence across eight hospitals and related settings. This is a unique opportunity to shape nursing leadership and outcomes.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees required (one must be in Nursing). Doctorate preferred.
• Current RN license in Tennessee (or ability to obtain); NEA-BC or CENP preferred.
• At least 10 years progressive executive nursing leadership experience in a large, complex health system, with CNO in a multi-hospital environment strongly preferred.
• Experience across academic and community-based healthcare settings.
• Demonstrated success developing high-performing teams and future nurse leaders.
• Exceptional strategic, communication, and relationship-building skills with executive, physician, and board stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Serve as System CNO, vision and strategic direction for nursing practice standards and patient care.
• Lead system-wide clinical transformation across eight hospitals and regional network.
• Partner with executive, physician, and operational leaders to advance quality, safety, and patient experience.
• Develop nurse leaders and foster workforce engagement and professional nursing excellence.

Skills

Executive nursing leadership

Strategic thinking

Communication

Relationship-building

Team development

Education

Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees

Doctorate preferred

Nurse Executive Certification (NEA-BC) or CENP preferred

Job description

System Chief Nursing Officer
Vanderbilt Health
Nashville, TN

Kirby Bates Associates has been exclusively retained by Vanderbilt Health to conduct a search for their next System Chief Nursing Officer. This is an exceptional opportunity to shape the future of nursing at a world-class academic health system recognized for innovation, growth, and clinical excellence.

Vanderbilt Health is the largest comprehensive research, teaching, and patient care health system in the Mid-South, serving nearly four million patient visits annually across eight hospitals, more than 200 locations, and a growing regional network. Headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, the health system employs approximately 46,000 people and is nationally recognized for clinical excellence, groundbreaking research, and innovation in personalized medicine. Home to one of the country’s top-funded academic medical centers, the nation’s largest heart transplant program, and Tennessee’s only adult and pediatric Level I Trauma Center, Vanderbilt Health combines world-class care with a strong community mission, advancing health through exceptional patient care, education, research, and strategic growth across the region.

The System Chief Nursing Officer (System CNO) serves as the senior nursing executive for Vanderbilt Health, responsible for the vision and strategic direction for nursing practice standards, quality, workforce development, and patient care across a rapidly growing, integrated academic health system. Reporting at the highest levels of the organization, the System CNO sets the vision for nursing excellence, leads system-wide clinical transformation initiatives, partners with executive, physician, and operational leaders, and advances evidence-based practice, innovation, research, and professional nursing standards. This highly visible executive role offers the opportunity to shape the future of nursing across multiple hospitals and care settings while fostering a culture of collaboration, exceptional patient outcomes, workforce engagement, leadership development, and professional nursing excellence. The System CNO reports directly to the Deputy CEO & Chief Health System Officer.

Opportunity Highlights

• Shape the future of nursing across a nationally recognized academic health system, leading strategy, practice standards, workforce development, and clinical transformation across eight hospitals and a rapidly expanding regional network.
• Drive system-wide impact at scale, influencing care delivery for millions of patient encounters annually while partnering with executive leaders, physician leaders, researchers, and operational teams to advance quality, safety, and patient experience.
• Leave a lasting leadership legacy by developing the next generation of nurse leaders, advancing professional practice, and helping integrate community hospitals and regional care settings into a unified, high-performing system of care.
• Unprecedented Growth: Vanderbilt Health has responded to Nashville’s rapid expansion with four new floors at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital and the 15-floor Jim Ayers Tower at VUH, the system has expanded to almost 2,000 inpt beds and revenues have tripled over the past 10 years.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees required (one of which must be in Nursing). Doctorate preferred.
• Current RN license in the state of Tennessee (or ability to obtain); Nurse Executive Certification (NEA-BC) or Certified in Executive Nursing Practice (CENP) preferred.
• At least 10 years progressive executive nursing leadership experience in a large, complex health system, with experience as a CNO in a multi-hospital environment strongly preferred.
• Experience working across both academic and community-based healthcare settings.
• Demonstrated success developing high-performing teams and future nurse leaders.
• Exceptional strategic, communication, and relationship-building skills with executive, physician, and board stakeholders

To learn more about this exciting opportunity, please contact:

Jocelyn Clarke
Assistant Vice President,
Executive Search

Peggy Loughery, MSN, RN
Senior Vice President,
Executive Search

EEO Statement

Kirby Bates Associates is an EEO/AA Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and expression, national origin, age, disability or protected veteran status. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all of our associates.