Director of Nursing

Position Summary:

The Director of Nursing and Allied Health is responsible for strategic leadership and oversight of nursing and allied health services, with a strong focus on delivering high-quality, integrated primary care. This role oversees the clinical, operational, and financial performance of nursing and allied health services within the Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), ensuring alignment with the organization's mission to provide integrated accessible, and comprehensive care to vulnerable populations. The Director of Nursing is a vital leader within Duffy Health Center, a Federally Qualified Health Center with special designation for caring for individuals and populations who are homeless or at risk of experiencing homelessness. Duffy Health Center is a patient-centered medical home, and every role requires functioning effectively using a team-based approach.

Population Served:

• Medically underserved individuals, families and populations
• People experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness
• Individuals with chronic physical and behavioral health conditions
• Individuals with substance use disorder
• Low-income and uninsured patients
• Non-English speaking and immigrant communities

The Director of Nursing is seen as a leader providing health care for the homeless in our community.

Key Responsibilities:

Clinical and Operational Leadership:

• Lead the delivery of primary care nursing and allied health services, including but not limited to medical, behavioral health, and outreach support staff.
• Oversee care coordination efforts tailored to the unique needs of chronically ill, homeless and housing-insecure patients.
• Manage day-to-day clinical operations to ensure efficient patient flow, continuity of care, and compliance with care delivery standards.
• Direct and oversees management of the vaccine program and immunization clinics.

Population-Focused Care:

• Champion clinical programs that address the social determinants of health, with emphasis on housing status, substance use disorders, mental health, and chronic disease management.
• Collaborate with community partners, shelters, outreach teams, and local agencies to extend care to high-risk populations in non-traditional settings.
• Integrate harm reduction, trauma-informed care, and wraparound service models into nursing and allied health practice.
• Lead the Medical Respite program, oversees admissions and its daily operations.

Quality Improvement and Compliance:

• Oversee the development and implementation of clinical quality improvement initiatives aligned with the Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) Uniform Data System (UDS), Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set measures, and National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA)- Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) standards.
• Ensure adherence to federal, state, and local regulations, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA), and HRSA guidelines.
• Lead performance monitoring and reporting efforts to drive improvements in health outcomes, access, and equity.
• Collaborates to ensure staff compliance with Massachusetts Dept of Health regulations, including immunization requirements and reporting requirements.

Financial and Resource Oversight:

• Manage staffing models and productivity metrics to ensure efficient use of resources and alignment with the FQHC’s financial goals.
• Participate in budgeting, grant reporting, and strategic planning for clinical departments.
• Identify cost-saving opportunities without compromising quality or patient-centered care.
• Manages medical supply inventory, with the Practice Operations Manager.

Staff Supervision and Development:

• Recruit, mentor, and evaluate nursing and allied health staff including registered nurses (RNs), Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs), Medical Assistants (MAs), community health workers (CHWs), and others.
• Foster a collaborative, trauma-informed, and mission-driven clinical culture.
• Ensure timely completion of licensure, training, certifications, and continuing education. Updates competencies for Nursing and allied health roles, provides coaching to staff.
• Collaborates with local Nursing college and supervises clinical rotation assignments to students.

Interdisciplinary Collaboration and Strategy:

• Work closely with medical, behavioral health, dental, pharmacy, outreach, and case management teams to ensure coordinated, team-based care.
• Serve as a strategic advisor to the executive team on issues impacting clinical quality, workforce development, patient engagement, and care access.

Core Competencies:

• Team-based care focused leadership
• Integrated care delivery and team management
• Financial stewardship and operational efficiency
• Quality improvement and outcome-driven planning
• Cultural humility and trauma-informed approaches
• Effective cross-sector collaboration
• Maintains and models professional standards and behaviors
• Emergency management and patient safety

Skills / Abilities:

• Strong leadership and team management skills
• Knowledge of regulatory and compliance requirements relevant to FQHCs (HRSA, HIPAA, OSHA, etc.)
• Commitment to trauma-informed, patient centered, and responsive care
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills
• Proficiency with EHR systems (Epic)
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and project management skills
• Ability to work collaboratively across departments and with external partners

Equipment Operated:

• Standard clinical equipment appropriate to licensure
• Office equipment including computers, telephones, printers, and scanners
• Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems
• Microsoft Office Suite and health information platforms

Work Environment:

• Health Center, primary care, clinical and office settings with frequent collaboration across departments
• Occasional off-site work for outreach, meetings, or trainings
• May involve travel between health center locations

Physical Requirements:

• Frequent standing, walking, and sitting
• Occasional lifting of items up to 25 pounds
• Use of hands and fingers to operate equipment and electronic devices
• Ability to respond quickly in emergency situations
• Reasonable accommodations may be made for individuals with disabilities

Specific Job Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Direct Patient Care (If applicable)

• Provide direct care within scope of practice, including assessment, nursing diagnosis, treatment, and documentation
• Ensure care meets evidence-based and FQHC standards
• Support patient education and self-management

Licenses, Certifications and Required Qualifications:

Required:

• Registered Nurse (RN) license in good standing in the State of Massachusetts
• Bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN) required, master's degree in nursing, Public Health, Health Administration, or a related field preferred
• Minimum 5 years of clinical nursing experience, including 3+ years of progressive healthcare leadership
• Experience working with underserved populations, especially those experiencing homelessness
• Demonstrated knowledge of HRSA, PCMH, and UDS performance measures

Preferred:

• FQHC or community health center leadership experience
• Experience managing grant-funded programs or integrated care teams
• Certification in nursing administration or primary care preferred

Excellent Benefits

Comprehensive benefit package offered including loan repayment

Duffy Health Center is committed to creating and maintaining a diverse workforce. We actively encourage applicants from minority racial and ethnic backgrounds, as well as historically marginalized groups. This includes but is not limited to LGBTQ persons and people with lived experiences of homelessness or recovery.

Licenses, Certifications and Required Qualifications:

Required:

• Registered Nurse (RN) license in good standing in the State of Massachusetts
• Bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN) required, master's degree in nursing, Public Health, Health Administration, or a related field preferred
• Minimum 5 years of clinical nursing experience, including 3+ years of progressive healthcare leadership
• Experience working with underserved populations, especially those experiencing homelessness
• Demonstrated knowledge of HRSA, PCMH, and UDS performance measures

Preferred:

• FQHC or community health center leadership experience
• Experience managing grant-funded programs or integrated care teams
• Certification in nursing administration or primary care preferred