The University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital is seeking a NICU APP Assistant Manager to help shape the future of neonatal care within one of the country's premier Level 4 NICUs. This unique leadership opportunity combines clinical excellence with operational leadership, allowing you to continue caring for critically ill newborns while mentoring APP colleagues, driving quality initiatives, and influencing the strategic direction of a highly respected neonatal program.

This position offers a balanced 50% clinical / 50% leadership structure, providing the opportunity to remain actively engaged in patient care while expanding your leadership impact.
Why This Role Matters

As Assistant Manager, you'll serve as a key leader within our NICU APP team, partnering with physician leaders, nursing leadership, and fellow APPs to:

• Mentor and develop the next generation of neonatal APPs
• Advance quality improvement and patient safety initiatives
• Support APP onboarding, education, and professional growth
• Drive operational excellence and team engagement
• Deliver exceptional care to our most vulnerable patients and their families

Position Responsibilities:

Leadership and Team Support

• Works collaboratively with the NICU APP Supervisor, NICU Division Director, NICU Medical Director, Pediatrics Administrative Director (or Assistant Director), and UI Health Care Advanced Practice Provider (APP) Director to support implementation and optimization of advanced practice models of care within the NICU.
• Assists the NICU APP Supervisor in coordinating and facilitating care delivered by the APP team within the NICU.
• NICU QI and Education management
• Serves as a clinical and professional resource for NICU APP staff, providing mentorship and guidance to support best practices and professional development.
• Participates as a member of the NICU leadership team in addressing issues and barriers impacting clinical practice, safety, quality, and professionalism.

Clinical Practice

• Provides patient care services in the NICU by performing medical assessments, ordering diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, and prescribing or delivering medications under a collaborative practice agreement.
• Collaborates with physicians and interdisciplinary care team members to develop and implement care plans for critically ill infants.
• Uses clinical judgment to apply and synthesize patient information to address complex neonatal health conditions.
• Completes accurate and timely documentation of patient care in the electronic medical record and other required systems to ensure compliance, billing accuracy, and regulatory standards.

APP Development and Education

• Assists with coordination and implementation of orientation, onboarding, competency assessment, and mentoring for new APP staff in partnership with the NICU APP Supervisor and NICU leadership.
• In collaboration with the NICU Education lead will assist with...." and "In collaboration with the NICU QI lead will encourage APP involvement in unit wide quality improvement efforts
• Supports ongoing professional development opportunities for APP staff in leadership, clinical excellence, patient-centered care, education, and research.
• Encourages APP participation in quality improvement initiatives, research, and professional engagement to support the continued advancement of NICU care.

Operational and Administrative Support

• Assists with facilitation of regular APP staff meetings and promotes effective communication, collaboration, and team engagement.
• Supports adherence to regulatory and professional standards including credentialing, privileging, clinical protocols, compliance training, and institutional guidelines.
• Assists the NICU APP Supervisor and leadership team in monitoring performance metrics such as productivity, quality outcomes, patient satisfaction, and APP-specific performance indicators.
• Participates in initiatives that support retention of Level IV NICU designation, quality improvement, and institutional priorities such as national benchmarking and program development.
• Would add something about operations here such as maintaining a Teams site, creating and managing a schedule, representing needs of the APP team at the leadership level including meetings, proposals, and presentations.

Human Resources and Recruitment

• Supports the NICU APP Supervisor with recruitment efforts by assisting with outreach, interviewing, and engagement with academic institutions and professional organizations.
• Assists in maintaining a collaborative, respectful, and supportive work environment that promotes team effectiveness and staff retention.
• Supports administrative functions such as scheduling coordination, staff development initiatives, and team communication.

Professional Engagement

• Collaborates with the UI Health Care APP Director and hospital leadership to promote optimal utilization of APPs within the team-based care model.
• Participates in APP councils, leadership meetings, and relevant conferences to maintain and advance clinical and professional expertise.
• Performs additional duties as needed to support NICU operations, APP team development, and patient care excellence.

About the Department of Pediatrics:

The Stead Family Department of Pediatrics is a national leader in pediatric medicine. The Department's mission is to provide outstanding care to the children of Iowa and beyond by being a leader in state-of-the-art clinical care to children, performing cutting-edge research to find new treatments and cures for childhood illnesses and educating the next generation of pediatric health care providers. The Department comprises the medical and research staff of UI Stead Family Children's Hospital. UI Stead Family Children's Hospital is one of the nation's top-ranked pediatric care and research institutions, and Iowa's only comprehensive children's hospital.

Benefits Highlights:

• Fringe benefit package including paid vacation; sick leave; health, dental, life and disability insurance options; and generous employer contributions into retirement plans
• Paid Parental Leave
• For more information about Why Iowa?, click here

Education Requirements:

Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner (ARNP):

• A master's degree is required. A master's degree in nursing is preferred. If a master's degree is in a related field, a Baccalaureate degree in Nursing.
• A Current RN license from the State of Iowa is required.
• Current certification as a pediatric nurse practitioner (CPNP - AC or CPNP - PC) and licensure as ARNP in state of Iowa is required.
• Understands the Nurse Practice Act, including ARNP components.
• Ability to perform technical skill and function as an independent practitioner defined by collaborative practice agreement according to Iowa Board of Nursing, and UI Health Care standards.

Physician Assistant:

• Must comply with registration and licensure requirements as specified by the Iowa Board of Physician Assistant Examiners which includes graduation from an accredited PA education program and/or certification by the NCCPA.
• Current certification as Physician Assistant.
• Current license to practice as a physician assistant in the State of Iowa.

Experience Requirements:

• Minimum of three years' experience as an Advanced Practice Provider within a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU), Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU).
• Demonstrated excellent verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to perform technical skills and function as an independent practitioner defined by collaborative practice agreement according to Iowa Board of Nursing, and UI Health Care standards.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently with indirect supervision, critical thinking/problem solving skills and attention to detail.
• Demonstrated experience working effectively in a welcoming and respectful workplace environment.

Desired Qualifications:

• Demonstrated Level III NICU experience.
• Demonstrated clinical excellence through published articles and/or clinical presentations.
• Demonstrated experience providing overall medical care and medical management for patients in an inpatient setting.
• Demonstrated experience exercising autonomy in medical decision-making and services provided.
• Demonstrated experience managing length of stay, improving resource utilization and decreasing costs to patients and the institution while providing personalized care.
• Demonstrated experience in clinical care of pediatrics.
• Basic Life Support (BLS) certification.
• Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) certification.
• NRP Certification.

Position and Application Details:

In order to be considered for an interview, applicants must upload the following documents and mark them as a "Required File" to the submission:

• CV/Resume
  
  AND
• Cover Letter

Job openings are posted for a minimum of 7 calendar days and may be removed from posting and filled any time after the original posting period has ended.

For additional questions, please contact Children's Human Resources at [email protected]