Description

Position: Associate Director of Community Nursing Services

Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:30 am - 4:30 pm, with flexibility to support organizational needs

Status: Full-time | Exempt

Salary: $105, 000 - $115, 000 (Annualized)

Hospice of Orange & Sullivan Counties, Inc. is seeking an experienced and compassionate Associate Director of Community Nursing to join our Clinical Leadership Team.

This is an exciting opportunity for a nursing leader who is passionate about hospice care, developing clinical teams, and ensuring patients and families receive exceptional care when they need it most.

The Associate Director of Community Nursing provides clinical leadership and operational support to our community nursing team while partnering closely with interdisciplinary colleagues to ensure high-quality, patient-centered hospice services. This role combines clinical expertise, team leadership, quality improvement, staff development, and operational oversight to help advance excellence across our community-based services.
About the Role

The Associate Director of Community Nursing provides oversight, coordination, and clinical leadership for community-based hospice services. This position ensures that care is delivered in accordance with hospice philosophy, professional standards, organizational policies, and applicable regulatory requirements.

The ideal candidate is a confident clinical leader who can balance compassionate patient care with sound clinical judgment, staff leadership, regulatory compliance, and operational decision-making.

Key Responsibilities

Clinical Leadership & Patient Care

• Provide clinical oversight and guidance to community nursing staff to promote safe, effective, and compassionate hospice care.
• Review patient information, diagnoses, prognoses, medications, and clinical needs to support appropriate care planning and staffing.
• Evaluate patient cases through home visits, clinical conferences, record review, and collaboration with members of the interdisciplinary team.
• Guide clinicians in developing individualized Plans of Care and establishing appropriate short- and long-term goals.
• Support coordination of Face-to-Face visits and patient status reviews with hospice physicians, nurse practitioners, and RNs.
• Address patient, family, and caregiver concerns and intervene when necessary to promote positive outcomes.
• Facilitate weekly interdisciplinary group (IDG) meetings and promote effective communication and coordination of care.

Team Leadership & Staff Development

• Provide direct supervision to Community RNs, LPNs, and Hospice Aide Specialists.
• Coach, mentor, and support staff in achieving clinical and service excellence.
• Participate in recruitment, interviewing, hiring, onboarding, and orientation of nursing personnel.
• Conduct performance evaluations and provide ongoing feedback and professional development.
• Address performance concerns in accordance with HOSC policies and procedures.
• Plan and facilitate in-service and continuing education opportunities for nursing staff.
• Oversee staffing schedules, on-call coverage, weekend coverage, PTO, and holiday schedules.

Quality, Compliance & Operations

• Monitor clinical documentation for quality, accuracy, completeness, timeliness, and compliance.
• Support Quality Assessment and Performance Improvement (QAPI) initiatives, including data collection, record review, and analysis of clinical outcomes.
• Identify opportunities to improve clinical processes, workflows, and patient care delivery.
• Ensure compliance with applicable federal and state regulations, Medicare Hospice Conditions of Participation, The Joint Commission standards, and HOSC policies and procedures.
• Stay informed regarding regulatory and industry changes affecting hospice and palliative care.
• Review staff payroll documentation for accuracy and timely submission.
• Participate in organizational committees, staff meetings, educational programs, and community activities.
• Provide leadership coverage and participate in the Administrator on Call rotation as assigned.
• Collaborate with the Director of Community Nursing, Chief Clinical Officer, and other members of leadership to address clinical and operational priorities.

Requirements

What We're Looking For

We are looking for a seasoned hospice or healthcare nursing leader who brings strong clinical judgment, emotional intelligence, and the ability to lead through both everyday operations and complex situations.

Required Qualifications

• Current Registered Professional Nurse (RN) license in New York State.
• Bachelor's degree in Nursing (BSN) or Master's degree in Nursing preferred.
• 5-7 years of nursing leadership or management experience, preferably in hospice or a hospital setting.
• Previous hospice or hospital experience required.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and work effectively within an interdisciplinary environment.
• Strong clinical assessment, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Demonstrated understanding of hospice philosophy, end-of-life care, and pain and symptom management.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities while remaining calm and effective in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Proficiency with electronic medical records and other technology platforms.
• Valid driver's license with an acceptable driving record.

Preferred Qualification

• Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse (CHPN) certification preferred. If not currently certified, the CHPN credential must be obtained within one year of employment.

The Ideal Candidate

You may be a great fit for this role if you are:

• A Clinical Leader - You have the experience and confidence to guide clinicians through complex patient and family situations.
• A People Developer - You enjoy mentoring staff, building strong teams, and helping clinicians grow professionally.
• A Hospice Advocate - You understand the philosophy of hospice and are passionate about supporting patients and families through end-of-life care.
• A Quality Champion - You are committed to clinical excellence, regulatory compliance, continuous improvement, and exceptional patient experiences.
• A Collaborative Partner - You understand that the best hospice care comes from a strong interdisciplinary team working toward a common goal.

Physical & Field Requirements

This position requires the ability to work in a clinical environment and, when needed, assist with community-based patient care. The role may involve standing, walking, bending, reaching, and assisting with patient transfers. The ability to lift up to 20 pounds routinely and up to 50 pounds on occasion may be required.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.