VP- Chief Nursing Officer

at Northern Light Health in Portland, Maine, United States Job Description Interested candidates should provide their curriculum vitae and a letter of interest outlining key leadership experiences to Beth Ross of AMN Healthcare using the email address below. All interactions will remain confidential. To apply, provide recommendations, or to request additional information on this opportunity, please contact: Northern Light Health CNO - Prospectus Final 2.pdf (https://url.us.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/WwiAClYyOyi2gym6LsGf9Tz09HH?domain=amnhealthcare-my.sharepoint.com) Betty Petro Senior Consultant 585.643.9018 Elizabeth.

Petro@AMNHealthcare.com Beth Ross Consultant 617.905.6164 Beth.

Ross@AMNHealthcare.com

Northern Light Health Department:

SVP Clinical Operations Position is located:

Cianchette Corporate Office, Brewer, ME Work Type:

Full Time Hours Per Week:

40.00

Work Schedule:

8:00 AM to 5:00

PM Summary:

The System Chief Nursing Officer serves as the senior nursing executive for Northern Light Health, responsible for advancing nursing practice, workforce strategy, and clinical alignment across the enterprise. Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, this leader works in close partnership with system and local leadership to drive greater consistency, collaboration, and performance across all care settings. The CNO leads efforts to standardize nursing practice and clinical education, reduce variation across sites, and strengthen system-wide governance. Key priorities include ensuring the organization has a sustainable nursing workforce, developing internal pipelines, supporting the integration and retention of international nurses, and building stronger pathways for frontline staff to advance into professional roles. This role requires a leader who is equally comfortable operating at the system level and engaging directly with frontline teams. The CNO serves as a visible and accessible presence across the organization, fostering a culture of engagement, accountability, and continuous improvement. In partnership with the COO and other executives, the CNO plays a critical role in advancing clinical integration efforts, improving patient experience and quality outcomes, and ensuring nursing is positioned as a strategic driver of organizational performance.

Responsibilities:

+ Lead the integration of artificial intelligence and automation to reduce clinical burden and administrative tasks for nursing workforce. + Utilize advanced data analytics to move beyond simple reporting toward predictive workforce planning and patient outcome optimization. + Rapidly adapt to the shifting Maine labor market, redesigning care models rather than relying on static long-term plans. + Foster a "culture of inquiry" where staff are empowered to redesign care delivery using evidence-based practice. + Act as a primary business partner to the CFO , focusing on the economic value of nursing care and evidence-based resource allocation. + Direct accountability for reducing contract labor and optimizing throughput through supply chain and fiscal stewardship. +

Psychological Safety:

Actively mitigate workplace violence and incivility through bold, values-based decision-making. +

Change Management:

Lead through uncertainty with high emotional intelligence (EQ) to combat burnout and moral distress across the system. + Oversee nursing practice across the entire system, including ambulatory, home health, and population health initiatives. + Transition to a shared leadership model that includes diverse clinical and non-clinical partners. + Establish in collaboration with other stakeholders and begin execution of a system-wide nursing workforce strategy, including pipeline development, retention, and integration of international nurses with particular focus on assessing and strengthening the nursing leadership structure and succession planning for key roles. + Improve RN, CNA , and support staff engagement, with measurable gains in employee experience. + Continue reducing reliance on contract labor while maintaining safe, sustainable staffing models. + Implement a consistent, system-wide approach to nursing practice, clinical education, and care delivery, reducing variation across sites.

Other Information:

Professional Experience + Ten (10) + years of progressive nursing leadership experience, including senior-level roles within a health system or large, multi-site organization. + Demonstrated experience leading nursing practice across multiple facilities or a system-level scope. + Proven track record driving quality, patient safety, and patient experience outcomes aligned with national benchmarks. + Experience operating effectively within a matrixed organizational structure, influencing across entities and stakeholders. + Strong background in clinical operations, care delivery model redesign, and throughput optimization. + Experience partnering with physician leadership and working within dyad or triad leadership models. + Experience in unionized environments strongly preferred, with the ability to effectively partner within organized labor structures. + Proven track record in workforce strategy, including recruitment, retention, labor optimization, and pipeline development. Leadership & Functional Expertise + Deep understanding of nursing practice, clinical operations, and care delivery model design across the continuum. + Experience driving standardization of clinical practice, education, and governance across multiple sites. + Strong operational and financial acumen, including experience managing labor performance, productivity, and resource allocation. + Demonstrated ability to improve quality, patient experience, and workforce engagement outcomes across varied environments. + Experience developing and implementing workforce pipelines, including early-career pathways and leadership succession planning. + Familiarity with leveraging technology to support clinical workflows and reduce administrative burden (e.g., documentation, care coordination). + Knowledge of regulatory, accreditation, and patient safety standards across acute and non-acute settings. Leadership Competencies + Visible, hands-on leader who is comfortable operating across a distributed, multi-site environment, with an expectation of regular on-site presence. + Collaborative and pragmatic executive who can build alignment across system and local leadership while respecting site-level nuances. + Strong relationship-builder with the ability to establish credibility with frontline staff, nursing leadership, physicians, and executive teams. + Change leader who brings structure, clarity, and stability in a dynamic and evolving environment. + Strategic thinker with the ability to translate enterprise priorities into practical, operational execution. + Demonstrated commitment to fostering an inclusive, respectful, and engaged workforce culture. Key Differentiators for Success + Ability to balance system strategy with operational credibility, particularly within a flagship tertiary hospital environment. + Experience building alignment and "systemness" across historically independent or decentralized entities. + Strength in developing nursing leadership capability and building a sustainable bench for the future. + Comfort navigating complexity, including labor dynamics, workforce constraints, and varying levels of performance across sites. Competencies and Skills +

Achieves Results:

Sets high standards for their own outcomes and seizes opportunities to engage others towards objectives. Consistently moves forward with direct actions in order to attain or exceed objectives. Manages their own time effectively to accomplish assigned tasks. Successfully prioritizes multiple projects and duties as needed. +

Acts Strategically:

Creates effective plans that anticipate future consequence To view full details and how to apply, please login or create a Job Seeker account