Career Center

Executive Director of the Coalition for Nursing Equity and Excellence

The Executive Director of the Coalition for Nursing Equity and Excellence provides leadership for the Coalition for Nursing Equity and Excellence, in full partnership with the University of Minnesota and Minnesota State and related educational  entities, in cultivating, leading and supporting initiatives and innovations to meet the needs of Minnesota’s nursing workforce. This is done by creating collaborations with a broad spectrum of industries, industry associations, communities, Tribal Nations, businesses, state agencies, stakeholders, regulators, national accreditation commissions, and community-based organizations. This position works in partnership with Minnesota State colleges and universities, the University of Minnesota, and partners, to advance nursing education excellence across Minnesota. The Executive Director is responsible for identifying, developing, and implementing initiatives that enable Minnesota nursing education programs to be leaders in the nation and the partners of choice. This includes supporting nursing programs at all levels of the nursing education pathway, developing coalitions and collaborations with other organizations, creation and supervision of projects via a project management model, creation of sustainable funding streams, and promotion of activities among community, business, faculty, students, Tribal Nation partners, and governmental entities. The position requires a broad knowledge of education, community, government, regulation, accreditation and industry partnerships, engagement with strategic partners for student success and creating a rich environment for faculty and staff to understand the future of the nursing profession and the role higher education plays in response. 

This position will report to the Dean of the University of Minnesota School of Nursing with a relationship to the Executive Director of Workforce and Economic Development at Minnesota State.

Key Duties/Responsibilities:

Lead, direct and supervise broad initiatives across the state to assist colleges and universities in offering nursing programming that meets workforce demands and provides a workforce designed to achieve health equity and nursing excellence for all in Minnesota. (60%)

• Build and support the establishment of transformational networks among education, industry, community, Tribal Nations, governmental agencies, and other key stakeholders both within Minnesota and nationally.
• Develop coalitions and collaborations with partner organizations and develops and implements revenue generation and alternative funding strategies to achieve additional funding streams. 
• Provide innovative leadership and management for stakeholders and partners to develop a strategic plan for nursing excellence and equity throughout Minnesota State and with strategic partners.
• Provide support to implement change, replicate best practices, and proactively identify and address nursing issues which impact education and practice. 
• Provide expertise or insight to promote and direct the work of the nursing excellence team. Such efforts may be community, education, or industry related.
• Supervise a team of project managers, career navigators, grant coordinators, information technology directors, communications and administrative assistants, and other operational team members working in the coalition.
• Research, analyze and evaluate alternative methods of delivery of programming or ideas for development of the projects. Such ideas may include but are not limited to development of additional partnerships, grants, and a review of other funding sources and targeting segments of the healthcare industry.

Operational Accountability: Develop and lead strategic directions for the Coalition for Nursing Equity and Excellence and with strategic partners. Monitor and evaluate progress and goals in alignment with the Minnesota State HealthForce Center of Excellence, the University of Minnesota School of Nursing, strategic partners, and other divisions. (20%)

• Align expenditures, staff efforts and other program resources with strategic priorities and the business plan.
• Operationalize various partner structures including those that cross Minnesota State college and university campuses, private colleges, the University of Minnesota, the Minnesota Board of Nursing, and other nursing associations/organizations. 
• Actively plan, organize and direct operations and nursing activities in order to achieve organizational success. Includes the establishment of timelines, measures of success, and compliance.
• Ensure compliance with grant requirements, Minnesota State regulations, policies and procedures, and applicable Federal and state law.
• Report regularly to University of Minnesota and Minnesota State leadership to ensure accountability to the mission, maintain an alignment of goals, evaluate resource utilization and ensure continuing progress in evaluation and tracking success measures.
• Supervise employees whose work is directly included in the office of nursing education excellence.
  • Identify human resource needs and reallocate existing or create new positions as needed.
  • Recruit and select staff via formal search process; lead search process; and orient new staff.
  • Support effective accomplishments, technological innovations, and creativity for advancement.
  • Reward and recognize accomplishments.
  • Evaluate staff in a timely manner to promote opportunities for enhancement of professional skills.
• Apply collective bargaining unit agreement/union contract provisions per University of Minnesota and Minnesota State guidelines. Meets regularly with Deans and Directors of nursing programs to jointly develop strategic initiatives.
• Develop relationships with the Minnesota Board of Nursing and other statewide agencies and associations that impact nursing education and practice. 
• Develop relationships with national nursing education organizations, national nursing education accrediting agencies, and other nationwide agencies and associations that impact nursing education and practice with a goal of dissemination of best practices in nursing education in Minnesota. 
• Provide direction for alternate forms of funding and revenue generation with the goal of creating a self-sustaining operation. Responsibilities may include grant writing oversight, partnerships with industry, community and government agencies.
• Develop a project management plan for tracking, recording and ensuring compliance for approved projects.
• Develop and implement internal department policies and procedures so as to provide accountability, structure and balance.

Initiate, develop and manage grants that support nursing workforce development and collaborative initiatives. (15%)

• Identify grant opportunities and share with appropriate personnel
• Coordinate and support partnership grant applications with other state agencies, partners and private entities
• Communicate with other state agencies, partners, and organizations to garner support for grant applications

Communication/Interpersonal Relationships (5%)

• Lead initiatives to solve emerging issues unmet by existing policy; integrate information and perspectives from multiple sources into cohesive policy recommendations.
• Interpret and consult on legislative proposals, interface with legislators and staff, and support government relations related to nursing workforce initiatives.
• Coordinate communication and information between nursing leaders, healthcare employers, healthcare associations, and governmental agencies.
• Provide representation and leadership at various meetings including the preparation and delivery of presentations.
• Lead and/or serve on system, statewide and national committees, task forces, implementation teams for system organizations and external organizations with respect to policy and legislative initiatives related to the nursing workforce.
• Evaluate the quality and effectiveness of policies and procedures and recommend changes; interpret policies and procedures to system, college and university leadership.
• Lead work with advancement offices to provide for effective marketing, communication and public relations in order to create a positive image, working with the media as needed in order to publicize and promote the work.
• Develop records, reports and other communication tools that promote and document efforts and success.

Qualifications

All required qualifications must be documented on application materials.

Required Qualifications

• BA/BS degree and 12 years of experience in progressively more responsible administrative and management positions demonstrating effective leadership skills and excellent organizational and managerial abilities both within the University and  the broader health care community
• Understanding of and appreciation for the mission, structure and complexity of the academic health center and the vital importance of the health sciences in the context of public higher education
• Professional Licensure/Certification: Minimum: A current unencumbered Minnesota registered nurse license.
• Demonstrated leadership experience in a nursing education academic environment.
• Experience must exhibit technical and operational mastery and demonstrate proven management experience and history of success
• Demonstrated excellence working with partnerships among business/industry, community organizations and/or other state agencies
• Excellent judgment and diplomacy
• Experience working collegially and collaboratively
• Ability to establish measurements, collect and analyze data.
• Exceptional organizational skills.
• Knowledge of trends in health care and higher education.
• Highly motivated in a fast-paced environment, ethical, flexible, creative, resourceful, willing to take risks, thrives on change, and passionate about education.
• Strong communication written and verbal skills, including buy-in, conflict resolution skills, interpersonal skills, consulting skills, facilitation skills, group process skills, leadership skills, negotiation skills, public relations skills, and relationship building skills.
• Understanding of accreditation standards to mentor program leaders regarding compliance with Accreditation

Preferred Qualifications

• A Doctor of Philosophy in nursing or a health-related field from a regionally or nationally accredited college or university recognized by the United States Department of Education, by the Council of Higher Education Accreditation or successors, or by a comparable organization if the graduate degree is from a foreign country. Additionally, a Masters in Nursing if the doctorate is in a field other than nursing. Familiarity with the University of Minnesota or comparable institution
• Experience developing and leading complex public policy agendas in a public, higher education, or health care environment
• Ten years of demonstrated leadership experience in a nursing education academic environment.
• Financial management and revenue development including grant writing and grant administration.
• Familiarity with the education, industry and state/federal governments in the State of Minnesota.
• Demonstrated ability to develop collaborative relationships and partnerships among higher education and health care entities.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Demonstrates effective interpersonal relationships with workgroups and constituencies.
• Evidence of innovation and creative thinking while working with diverse audiences.
• Evidence of self-directed project management skills for initiatives that are complex and involve multiple organizations.
• Understanding of assessment and meets or exceeds outcome standards required by local, state, and national accrediting and licensing agencies. 
• Working relationships with Minnesota State and University of Minnesota administrators, faculty and staff, and other higher education institutions.
• Grant development or grant management experience.
• Experience developing system policies and/or public policy and legislation.
• Experience with communications plans, strategies, and tools.
• Demonstrated knowledge of contemporary theories and practices affecting learning, student services, academic programming and emerging technologies.
• A commitment to higher education philosophy and student success.

About University of Minnesota Twin Cities

The University of Minnesota, founded in the belief that all people are enriched by understanding, is dedicated to the advancement of learning and the search for truth; to the sharing of this knowledge through education for a diverse community; and to the application of this knowledge to benefit the people of the state, the nation, and the world.

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