Job description
The Center Chair for Nursing serves as the Chief Nursing Administrator for all nursing programs at Chestnut Hill College. The College’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing includes both a Traditional Undergraduate Nursing Program and an Accelerated Second-Degree Program (ABSN), each registered with the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing.
The Chair is responsible for program quality and growth, curricular integrity and innovation, student outcomes, and compliance with all state and accrediting agency requirements. This role provides strategic leadership to advance program excellence, sustainability, and innovation in alignment with the College’s mission. The Nursing Program at Chestnut Hill College is an exciting and modern new adventure in Baccalaureate Nursing education. Boasting a 22,000 sq foot state-of the art Nursing Clinical Arts Lab, a fully equipped Simulation Suite, three clinical skills labs and a ten bed Health Assessment space, this site is located on the bucolic Sugarloaf campus in Chestnut Hill. Offering two Bachelor of Science programs in Nursing (traditional 4 years) Undergraduate Program and an Accelerated Second Bachelor’s degree (ABSN), the College welcomed almost 40 nursing majors to our community.
About Chestnut Hill College
Founded by the Sisters of Saint Joseph in 1924, Chestnut Hill College is an independent, Catholic institution rooted in a strong liberal arts tradition that fosters equality through holistic education. Distinguished by its strong mission, collegial environment, and dedication to personalized instruction through a small faculty-to-student ratio, the College promotes the spiritual, academic, social, ethical, and moral development of the whole person. Located in the charming Chestnut Hill neighborhood of Northwest Philadelphia, it serves a culturally diverse student body.
Responsibilities:
Leadership, Strategy, and Operations
- Serve as the Chief Nursing Administrator for all nursing programs.
- Provide strategic and innovative leadership to faculty, staff, administrators, and students.
- Lead long-term strategic planning for the growth and sustainability of nursing programs.
- Identify, prioritize, and pursue opportunities for program expansion, partnerships, and innovation.
- Execute strategic initiatives that support enrollment growth and program diversification.
- Oversee the day-to-day operations of the Center for Nursing.
- Develop and manage the Center budget, including resource allocation and fiscal planning.
- Recruit, hire, support, and retain qualified faculty, staff, and laboratory/simulation specialists.
- Ensure accountability for program outcomes, including accreditation status, student performance, and regulatory compliance.
Academic Programs, Accreditation, and Outcomes
- Ensure that the nursing curriculum aligns with state regulations, national accrediting standards, and the mission, goals, and values of Chestnut Hill College.
- Maintain curricular integrity, innovation, and program relevance across all nursing pathways.
- Ensure excellence and consistency in classroom, laboratory, and clinical learning environments.
- Maintain expertise in an area of nursing specialization and contribute to the academic mission as appropriate.
- Ensure ongoing compliance with CCNE standards, Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing regulations, and all accreditation requirements.
- Lead accreditation readiness, reporting, and continuous improvement processes, including preparation for the October 2026 CCNE site visit.
- Collaborate with faculty to implement and maintain a data-driven Systematic Plan of Evaluation (SPE).
- Identify key performance indicators and student success metrics to support continuous program improvement.
- Monitor and analyze student outcomes (e.g., NCLEX pass rates, retention, graduation rates) to inform program and resource decisions.
Partnerships, Faculty Engagement, and Service
- Develop and strengthen partnerships with healthcare systems, clinical agencies, and community organizations.
- Oversee compliance with and expansion of clinical affiliation agreements.
- Collaborate with Enrollment Management and other campus partners to support student recruitment for all nursing programs.
- Participate in fundraising and advancement activities in support of nursing initiatives.
- Serve as a mentor to faculty, staff, and students within the Center for Nursing and across the College.
- Serve on College committees and participate in shared governance.
- Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and collegial academic environment.
- Engage in scholarly activities such as research, publication, and grant writing, appropriate to a chief administrative role.
- Attend and participate in state and national conferences to represent the program and stay current with best practices.
- Hold leadership or membership roles in professional nursing organizations.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Terminal degree in nursing (PhD, EdD, or DNP) from an accredited institution.
- Unencumbered license to practice nursing in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, or a multi-state professional nurse license permitting practice as a Registered Nurse in Pennsylvania.
- Minimum of five (5) years of progressive experience in nursing higher education.
- Minimum of five (5) years of leadership experience in nursing education (e.g., program director, department chair, assistant/associate dean, or equivalent).
- Demonstrated experience with program administration, faculty supervision, and academic operations.
- Proven ability to lead and manage accredited nursing programs in compliance with state regulatory bodies and national accrediting agencies (e.g., CCNE).
- Demonstrated experience in nursing curriculum development, implementation, and evaluation.
- Experience implementing and overseeing data-driven assessment and continuous improvement processes (e.g., Systematic Plan of Evaluation).
- Demonstrated success in improving student outcomes, including retention, graduation rates, and NCLEX performance.
- Strong leadership, organizational, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build and sustain collaborative relationships across faculty, staff, administration, and external partners.
- Understanding of and commitment to the College’s Mission and Core Values, including a shared dedication to inclusive, mission-driven education that supports the development of the whole person.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience serving as a Chief Nursing Administrator, Program Director, or academic leader of a nursing program.
- Experience leading a nursing program through initial accreditation or reaccreditation (CCNE preferred).
- Experience with ABSN or accelerated nursing program development, implementation, or expansion.
- Demonstrated success in strategic planning, program growth, and enrollment management.
- Experience developing and maintaining clinical partnerships and affiliation agreements.
- Record of scholarly achievement, including publications, presentations, or grant activity.
- Active participation or leadership in professional nursing organizations at the local, state, or national level.
- Experience with budget management and resource allocation in an academic or clinical setting.
- National certification in a nursing specialty.
How to apply
Application Process
Interested candidates should submit the following via ADP Workforce Now HERE:
- Cover letter specifying teaching interest
- Curriculum vitae
- Copies of relevant licenses or certifications (if applicable)
- Contact information for three professional references
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until positions are filled. No phone calls, please.
Chestnut Hill College is committed to a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion as a core value. To foster an inclusive community and support our diverse student body, we embrace equal access. We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives, and encourage applications from groups historically underrepresented in higher education. We are committed to increasing the diversity of the college community and the curriculum.
