Public Health Nurse Supervisor (RN)

Salary : $103,958.40 - $140,628.80 Annually
Location : Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, WA
Job Type: Regular
Job Number:
Division: Strengthening Families
Program: SF - Substance Use Services
Opening Date: 06/26/2026
Closing Date: 7/12/2026 12:00 AM Pacific

Job Summary
Looking to provide leadership to diverse teams and is accountable for staff supervision, training, and professional development? The Public Health Nurse Supervisor performs nursing work and provides clinical and operational guidance to nurses, clinical staff, professionals, and administrative staff to ensure the delivery of high-quality health care and health education services to members of the clinic and to the public as necessary. If this sounds like you, join our Substance Use Services Program as a Nurse Supervisor this is a Regular Full-time (1.0 FTE) position in our Strengthening Families Division. The expected starting salary range for this position is between $103,958.40- $111,280.00 annuallySalary is open to negotiation based on experience and qualifications.

This is an advanced professional classification that supervises clinical and/or non-clinical staff under the general direction of a Clinic Coordinator or Program Manager as appropriate based on program or clinical setting. Employees in the classification are responsible for supervising, training, and developing diverse teams of staff. This position performs nursing work and provides instruction to nurses, clinical professionals, and administrative staff to ensure the delivery of quality health care and health education to the public. Work includes all aspects of managing staff including coordinating work assignments, conducting performance evaluations, and handling disciplinary issues.

Distinguishing Characteristics
This is a stand-alone classification, working under the direction of a Clinic Coordinator or Program Manager. This position is supervisory in nature and may also provide back-up support to nursing and other medical staff as needed. Employees utilize independent judgement and consult with their immediate supervisor on the most complex and/or sensitive personnel and safety issues.

Career Path Options
Options to continue your career at the Health Department depend on your interest, education, and training. Possibilities include:

• Program Manager I
• Program Manager II
• Assistant Division Director

Essential Functions

• Provide supervision and technical expertise to ensure that disease prevention, investigation, and management services and care are high-quality and meet the Department's statutory obligations.
• Coordinate and communicate with healthcare facilities, schools, businesses, and other partners to provide services, complete investigations, and offer technical assistance.
• Work with Program Manager and Division Director to develop team strategy, manage program contracts, and meet funding deliverables.

Examples of Key Duties
The items in this section are the key duties and responsibilities for this job and do not represent an exhaustive list. Our organization is dynamic, and duties may change based on business needs. Any new duties will remain within the scope of the job.

• Supervises and coordinates the work of nurses, clinical staff, professionals, and administrative employees in their assigned program.
• Directs staff work with a focus on achieving program, project, and department goals.
• Provides regular performance feedback to employees, including timely and thorough performance reviews. Performs regular employee check ins.
• Manages staff with varied needs and personalities effectively.
• Manages interpersonal issues with discretion in a timely manner and in a manner that minimizes future conflict. Facilitates a cohesive work team.
• Partners with HR on the investigation and resolution of disciplinary matters. Issues discipline as needed.
• Ensures employees comply with Department policies and procedures, including policies around hours worked, ethics, time off, and harassment, among others.
• Audits and approves employee's timecards in a timely manner. Reviews and approves time-off requests, taking into account staffing coverage and company policies.
• Mentors and coaches their staff. Effectively develops their direct reports. Ensures employees receive adequate training and cross-training.
• Acts as hiring authority and partners with HR on recruiting staff. Develops and implements training plans to ensure new staff are properly onboarded and trained.
• Allocates program resources (such as Department vehicles, training funds, purchasing dollars, etc) among staff.
• Reviews and evaluates processes, applying quality tools and techniques for continuous improvement. Creates process workflows and documentation.
• Forecasts staffing needs and presents them to the Clinic Coordinator or Program Manager.
• Provide back up support to nursing staff as needed.
• In non-clinical settings, may provide support to the Program Manager.
• Collaborates with clinical team to provide direction on complex cases.
• May conduct health assessments and provides guidance, education, and treatment to patients according to medical orders.
• Provides back-up coverage for program manager.
• Ensures employee safety trainings and requirements are completed.
• The work you do might require you to participate in the Title XIX Medicaid Claiming Program.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Safety & Emergency Preparedness

• Adheres to all workplace and trade safety laws, regulations, standards, and practices.
• Understands and properly follows established procedures in preventing and responding to unsafe or emergency situations. Identifies and reports potentially unsafe practices or conditions.
• Operates equipment, tools, machinery, and vehicles safely and understands processes for reporting an accident or injury.
• Understands and applies knowledge and skills necessary to successfully perform assigned emergency response role during an emergency.

When public health responds to an emergency, you may be assigned duties and responsibilities that are outside your regular job description. This may involve responding at any time and reporting to a location other than the department with different working conditions and physical requirements. You are expected to participate in emergency preparedness activities including our emergency notification system, WA SECURES. Drills and real-world events may take place at any time.

For a complete description of the classification specifications please
What you bring to the table

Knowledge and Skills

• Intermediate knowledge of standard Microsoft Office programs, Electronic Medical Records software, and other collaborative office software such as Zoom.
• Intermediate knowledge of local, state, and federal laws applicable to the body of work, including wage and hour law.
• Intermediate knowledge of Department policies, procedures, and collective bargaining agreement.
• Knowledge of professional and public health nursing principles, practices, and techniques including trauma-informed and patient-centered care, community health problems, preventative measures, and community resources.
• Knowledge of public health and nursing principles and practices relating to inequitable access to healthcare, social determinants of health, community health problems, preventive measures, and community resources.
• Knowledge of epidemiological analysis and surveillance methods and concepts.
• Knowledge of both motivational interviewing and trauma-informed care to provide individualized support for clients navigating behavior change.
• Knowledge of and skill in using therapeutic communication techniques.
• Demonstrated skill and ability to adapt and work effectively in a fast-paced environment and appropriately deal with high stress situations and working conditions.
• Knowledge of program planning and development rules, policies, and procedures.
• Skilled in planning, organizing, and leading work activities to meet established objectives.
• Skilled in coaching, mentoring, training, and educational outreach.
• Skilled in entering, analyzing, and assessing data.
• Knowledge of community health issues and inequitable access to healthcare.
• Skilled in maintaining sensitive and confidential data and using discretion when sharing information.
• Skilled in communication:
  • Listens to others and communicates in an effective manner.
  • Asks questions in ways that enhance the clarity, quality, and reliability of information.
  • Understands and learns from what others say, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately.
  • Grasps the meaning of written information and applies it to work situations.
  • Conveys ideas and facts using language the audience will best understand, taking into consideration the audience and nature of the information.
  • Writes in a clear, concise, and organized manner for the intended audience.

Foundational Competencies

• Knowing and managing oneself: Understands that all equity, trauma-informed, and restorative practices start with oneself. Exercises a high degree of self-reflection, personal accountability, resilience, flexibility, and adaptability. Is willing to learn, apply, and model agency values and ethical standards.
• Restorative practices and conflict resolution: Articulates through words and actions authentic commitment to create an environment in which all people are treated with dignity and respect and afforded equal opportunities and impartial treatment. Centers work inequity and trauma informed and restorative practices to achieve and maintain collaboration and teamwork and to effectively work with historically underrepresented and/or underserved populations to advance community health. Utilizes restorative practices to address harm and promote healing to strengthen relationships between individuals and social connections within communities.
• Collaboration and engagement: Provides balanced and objective information to help teammates, partners, and the public understand problems, alternatives, opportunities, and solutions. Works directly with partners within the Department, in the community, and members of the public affected by the work to obtain feedback and understand diverse points of view, concerns, and aspirations. Identifies preferred solutions together, incorporating advice and recommendations to the maximum extent possible.
• Evidence informed practices and decision-making: Applies evidence informed practices and methodologies to achieve the greatest impact in delivery of services to internal and external customers and partners. Incorporates the social determinants of health into public health work. Integrates research and evidence into the decision-making process. Seeks to systematically identify and eliminate inequities resulting in differences in health and in overall living conditions. Utilizes evidence informed practices to increase equity in systems and policy. Creates a robust culture of assessment and evaluation and continuous process improvement.
• Cross cultural communication and Engagement: Understands that cultural awareness, appreciation, and humility can only occur when you practice curiosity and open-mindedness. Operates with a high level of humility and cultural agility to achieve effective intercultural communication, engagement, and collaboration in the workplace and in the community. Is open to feedback and continuously self-reflects on one's own actions and responses. Centers personal accountability on the Department's mission, values, and ethical standards.

Who should apply

The items below are the requirements for the job and are relevant to this position. The organization values work experience, lived experience, and education and realizes that people take different paths to acquire knowledge.

• Bachelor's degree in public health, nursing, healthcare administration, or related field required. For some programs, a Bachelor's of Science in Nursing (BSN) is required.
• Four years of nursing experience in a healthcare or public health setting required.
• Experience in public health preferred.
• Two years of experience in a clinical setting as a supervisor or lead required.

We will consider any equivalent combination of education and experience that provides the necessary qualifications to successfully perform the duties of the position.

Professional Certifications, Licensure, and Other Requirements
Require or prefer the below for this classification.

• Current State of Washington Registered Nurse License or multi-state license endorsement required.
• Valid driver's license and acceptable driver's abstract required prior to employment for some programs.
• Basic Life Support (BLS) for Health Care Providers and AED certifications required within 90 days of hire.
• Immunizations and immunization screening required at hire and annually based on program area.

Working Conditions & Physical Requirements

Work Environment

• Work is performed in a trauma informed, patient-centered environment within an office, clinical, or community setting. In most environments, exposure to hazards is limited to those commonly found in office, community, or clinical environments, including communicable diseases.
• Some programs may perform work at a patient's residence. In entering a patient's residence, exposure to hazards include those normally found in entering an unknown residence.
• Exposure to communicable diseases, bloodborne pathogens, and biohazardous materials and waste.
• The potential for dealing with dissatisfied or angry customers exists, requiring skills in conflict resolution.
• Constant direct intera