Director of Nursing Job Description Guide for Recruiters

To attract the best and brightest candidates, recruiters need a well-crafted job description that highlights the key responsibilities, skills, and qualifications necessary for a successful Director of Nursing. This template will guide you through creating an effective job description, ensuring you capture the attention of top candidates and ultimately secure a dedicated leader for your healthcare organization.

What Is a Director of Nursing?

A Director of Nursing (DoN) is a senior nursing leader responsible for the overall management of nursing services, nursing staff, and clinical care standards within a healthcare facility or system (hospital, long-term care facility, outpatient clinic, etc.). They bridge the gap between nursing operations, clinical quality, regulatory compliance, and executive leadership.

Where to Find a Director of Nursing?

• Professional nursing leadership associations and networks: e.g., national/regional nursing leadership forums, CNO/DoN networks.
• Healthcare leadership job boards and executive search firms: Senior nursing leadership roles often require specialized executive recruitment.
• Internal promotion pathways: Identify high-potential nurse managers or assistant directors within your organization who could be developed for the DoN role.
• Industry conferences and symposiums: Leadership conferences for nursing administration provide opportunities to connect with qualified candidates.
• LinkedIn and other professional social platforms: Use search filters for “Director of Nursing”, “Nurse Executive”, “Nursing Services Manager”, etc., and passive candidate outreach.
• Referrals from nursing leadership teams and peer organizations: High-calibre DoNs often are known through peer networks; tapping into these networks may yield a stronger cultural fit.
• Specialty recruitment agencies / executive search for healthcare leadership: For hard-to-fill or high-impact roles, using a retained or specialized search

Director of Nursing Job Description Template

We are seeking an experienced Director of Nursing to lead our nursing department, ensuring delivery of safe, high-quality, patient-centered care, while managing staffing, budgets, compliance, and continuous improvement efforts. The successful candidate will be responsible for the strategic direction and operational execution of all nursing services across [facility name].

Director of Nursing Responsibilities:

• Develop, implement, and monitor nursing policies, procedures, and clinical protocols.
• Supervise and mentor nursing managers, charge nurses, and nursing staff; ensure staffing levels meet care demands and regulatory requirements.
• Manage nursing department budget: forecast staffing needs, define resource allocation, and monitor expenditures.
• Ensure regulatory compliance, accreditation readiness, and implement corrective action plans when necessary.
• Lead quality improvement, patient safety, and risk‐management initiatives; analyze metrics and implement change.
• Collaborate with medical, allied health, and administrative leadership to integrate nursing care into organizational strategy.
• Oversee recruitment, onboarding, training, performance evaluation, and retention programs for nursing staff.
• Serve as a visible nursing leader on the unit/floor, interfacing with staff, patients/families, and external stakeholders as needed.
• Monitor and respond to nursing care trends, staffing challenges, and budget pressures and ensure alignment with organizational mission and values.

Required Qualifications:

• Registered Nurse (RN) licensure (unencumbered).
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) required; Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), Master in Healthcare Administration (MHA), or Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) preferred.
• Minimum of 5-10 years of progressive nursing leadership experience (unit manager/assistant director level).
• Demonstrated experience in budget management, staffing models, regulatory compliance, and quality improvement.
• Knowledge of accreditation standards (e.g., Joint Commission, CMS, state nursing board).

Required Skills:

• Strong leadership, communication, change management, and team-building skills.
• Ability to analyze nursing metrics/data and implement operational improvements.
• Commitment to patient-centered care, nursing excellence, and organizational values.

Challenges in Hiring a Director of Nursing

• Scarcity of high-calibre candidates: The DoN role requires both strong clinical experience and leadership/management skills, narrowing the candidate pool.
• Talent competition: Hospitals, long-term care, and outpatient specialties all compete for nursing leadership talent, often making counter-offers likely.
• Retention risk: Leadership roles in healthcare are high‐pressure; turnover among senior nursing leaders can be costly both in continuity and morale.
• Fit & culture: Given the strategic nature of the role, cultural alignment, leadership style, and ability to drive change matter a lot.
• Complexity of role: Nursing leadership today isn’t simply oversight of staff; it involves financials, compliance, quality improvement, technology, workforce optimization, and often multiple sites.
• Cost of vacancy: When the DoN role is unfilled or under‐resourced, the nursing services (and by extension patient care) may suffer, which in turn increases risk.

How Much Does It Cost to Hire?

• The average salary for a Director of Nursing is around $107,687 to $108,675 per year, but it can vary significantly based on experience, location, and the type of facility. The salary range is wide, with the 25th percentile at approximately $83,000 and the 75th percentile around $125,500.
• The average cost per hire for healthcare roles is ~$9,000–$12,000.
• For executive roles, the cost per hire is often significantly higher; one analysis shows that the average cost per hire for executive-level positions is US$28,329.
• Recruitment agency fees alone for high-level healthcare roles may range from 20% to 30% (or more) of the new hire’s annual salary.

Conclusion

Recruiting a Director of Nursing is one of the most strategic hires a healthcare organization can make. It involves a blending of clinical leadership, operational management, and strategic oversight. For recruiters, building a strong job description, sourcing candidates from appropriate channels, understanding recruitment challenges, and budgeting realistically for costs and timelines are all critical to success.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What should I include in a “director of nursing job description”?

A: Include a clear summary of the role’s strategic importance, list of key responsibilities (staffing, budget, compliance, quality improvement), required qualifications (RN licensure, leadership experience, advanced degree preferred), reporting structure, scope of responsibility (units, teams, budget size), and competencies required (leadership, financial acumen, regulatory knowledge).

Q: Where should I source candidates for the Director of Nursing?

A: Use professional nursing leadership associations, executive search firms, internal talent development programs, industry job boards, LinkedIn, referrals, and leadership conferences. For hard-to-fill roles, a retained search may be warranted.

Q: How can I improve the retention of a newly hired Director of Nursing?

A: Provide strong onboarding, clear scope and expectations, leadership support, opportunities for professional growth, ensure alignment with organizational mission and values, build strong peer networks, and monitor job satisfaction/engagement early. Retention is key to maximizing the ROI of the hire.

Q: Should I use an executive search firm vs in-house recruiting for a Director of Nursing search?

A: For a role as strategic and high-impact as a DoN, many organizations choose an executive search firm (retained search) because of the candidate market, need for confidentiality, and the importance of fit. The trade-off: higher upfront cost, but potentially higher quality and speed. If you have strong internal recruitment capability and leadership development pipeline, internal sourcing may suffice, but weigh cost, time-to-fill, and risk of a mis-hire.