UNC Health Nash (UNC Nash) has exclusively retained Kirby Bates Associates to identify their next Chief Nursing Officer. UNC Nash is a county-owned, non-profit managed affiliate of UNC Health Care, a leading national healthcare system.  It serves eastern North Carolina through four hospitals, including the acute care facility, Nash General Hospital (260 licensed beds), Nash Day Hospital, Coastal Plain Hospital (Behavioral Health), and Bryant T. Aldridge Rehabilitation Center. UNC Nash’s partnership with UNC Health provides access to clinical expertise, innovation, resources, and research that enhance care for the communities it serves.

UNC Nash, a growing and high-performing affiliate of UNC Health, is seeking a dynamic and strategic Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) to join its executive leadership team. Reporting directly to the President and Chief Executive Officer, the CNO will play a pivotal role in advancing nursing excellence, innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and supporting the organization’s continued growth as a regional healthcare hub. The CNO will assume responsibility for nursing operations and nursing practice across all care sites at UNC Health Nash.

Since 2018, UNC Nash has undergone a significant transformation, achieving measurable improvements in quality, market share, and patient experience, alongside a cultural shift toward collaboration and accountability. The organization is now poised for continued expansion, including a major patient tower scheduled to open in 2027, and seeks a confident, collaborative nursing leader who can balance strategy with operations and elevate nursing practice to the next level.

Opportunity Highlights: 

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for a high-performing organization recognized for excellence in quality, patient satisfaction, and safety.
• Strengthen collaboration among nursing, physicians, and medical staff to support a team-based model of care.
• Expand and enhance partnerships with community colleges and universities to support workforce development.
• Standardize and hardwire processes to ensure consistent performance across key quality indicators.
• Support strategic expansion efforts and partner closely with the executive team to identify trends, optimize operations, and sustain inpatient growth.
• Contributes to the pursuit of initial Magnet designation and the advancement of professional nursing practice.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees required, one of which must be in Nursing.
• Licensed to practice as an RN in North Carolina, or eligible for licensure.
• Ten years of progressive nursing leadership experience; prior Chief Nursing Officer experience strongly preferred.  
• Demonstrated success leading organizational culture change, with a focus on accountability and collaboration.
• Magnet experience required.
• Strong executive presence with the ability to engage, influence, and constructively challenge peers within a high-performing leadership team.
• Proven track record of improving nurse retention, engagement, and leadership development.
• Commitment to community engagement, with willingness to reside in the Rocky Mount area.

EEO Statement

Kirby Bates Associates is an EEO/AA Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and expression, national origin, age, disability or protected veteran status. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all of our associates.

About Kirby Bates Associates, LLC

Led and operated by successful healthcare executives, Kirby Bates Associates drives organizations to achieve sustainable outcomes and advance organizations’ key initiatives through Executive Search, Interim Leadership and Executive Advisory Services. Kirby Bates has the firsthand clinical operations experience to recognize organizational challenges, understand their implications and present mission, margin, results-focused solutions. It is known nationally for its inclusive approaches and the clinical, operational, and financial acumen it brings to each engagement.

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