Executive Director

Hospice Executive Director —

Sacred Ground Hospice House Location:

Knoxville, TN Organization Type:

501(c)(3) Nonprofit Residential Hospice Position Summary The Hospice Executive Director (ED) serves as the senior leader responsible for the overall administration, operations, clinical quality, spiritual mission, and financial stewardship of Sacred Ground Hospice House. This role ensures that the organization continues to deliver exceptional residential hospice care in alignment with its Christian foundation, nonprofit values, and regulatory requirements. The ED provides strategic leadership, directs daily operations, oversees staff and volunteers, maintains compliance with all federal and state hospice regulations, cultivates community partnerships, maintains current and develops new fundraising resources, and preserves the sacred mission of compassion, dignity, and spiritual care at the end of life. Key Responsibilities 1. Mission, Leadership & Culture

• Uphold and embody the spiritual, compassionate, mission‑centered identity of Sacred Ground.
• Cultivate a culture of dignity, grace, and ministry‑oriented care for patients, families, and staff.
• Lead with authenticity, servant leadership, and emotional/spiritual maturity. 2. Regulatory & Clinical Oversight
• Partner with the Clinical Director/Director of Nursing to ensure high‑quality, patient‑centered care.
• Ensure organizational compliance with all relevant regulatory and accrediting bodies, ensuring that Sacred Ground Hospice House operates in accordance with applicable standards for residential hospice homes in the state of Tennessee.
• Participate in or provide oversight for essential care coordination activities as appropriate to the Executive Director role, supporting effective communication, safe practices, incident reporting, and QAPI (Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement) initiatives. 3. Operational Management
• Direct day‑to‑day operations of the 16‑bed residential hospice facility, ensuring smooth coordination of admissions, staffing, scheduling, and patient flow.
• Supervise department leads (clinical, operations, spiritual care, bereavement, volunteers, housekeeping, etc.).
• Oversee contracts (DME, pharmacy, vendors, and consulting medical leadership). 4. Financial Stewardship
• Manage annual budgets, financial performance, and operational sustainability in alignment with nonprofit principles.
• Monitor census, operational efficiency, payer mix, and operational outcomes.
• Collaborate with the Board on stewardship planning, resource allocation, and long‑term sustainability. 5. Community Relations & Development
• Support development, fundraising, donor relations, grant writing, and community outreach in partnership with the Board.
• Serve as the primary ambassador for Sacred Ground in the East Tennessee community.
• Strengthen relationships with referral sources (hospice agencies, hospitals, SNFs (Skilled Nursing Facilities), ALFs (Assisted Living Facilities), palliative providers). 6. Human Resources & Team Leadership
• Recruit, retain, mentor, and evaluate staff, promoting a supportive, mission‑aligned environment.
• Provide leadership coaching, performance oversight, corrective action, and employee engagement.
• Ensure staff receive appropriate training in hospice philosophy, spiritual care, safety, and compliance. 7. Spiritual & Family Support Integration
• Ensure families are supported emotionally and spiritually, reflecting Sacred Ground's faith‑centered mission.
• Support integration of chaplaincy, spiritual care volunteers, and bereavement services.
• Promote family communication, presence, and compassionate bedside environment.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in healthcare administration, nursing, social work, business, or related field.
• 5+ years of leadership experience in nonprofit management or hospice, palliative care, healthcare administration, senior living.
• Demonstrated success in supervising interdisciplinary teams.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Nonprofit leadership experience (501(c)(3)).
• Experience with faith‑based or spiritual‑care‑oriented organizations.
• Master's degree (MBA, MHA, MSN, MSW, MDiv or related).
• RN license or prior clinical hospice experience.
• Understanding of hospice regulations, compliance, and QAPI processes.

Desired Personal Attributes:

• Compassionate, grounded, emotionally mature, and mission‑driven.
• Strong communicator and community relationship‑builder.
• Organized, decisive, proactive, and comfortable leading through crisis.
• Deep respect for end‑of‑life care as sacred work.

Compensation:

Compensation will be based on qualifications and experience. About Sacred Ground Sacred Ground Hospice House was established in 2017 as a nonprofit mission‑driven ministry following the closure of Halls Residential Hospice. Built on the belief that end‑of‑life care is holy work, Sacred Ground provides compassionate residential hospice care infused with family support and spiritual presence. In 2020, God led the organization to a new home at 1120 Dry Gap Pike, and in August 2021, Sacred Ground opened a new 16‑room facility serving patients and families throughout East Tennessee.

The mission remains unwavering:

to provide loving, comprehensive hospice care while allowing families to be family members—not caregivers. The mission serves over 200 patients and their families annually.

Pay:

$75,000.00 - $85,000.00 per year

Work Location:

In person