Director, Nursing Professional Development and Education

J  o  b    D  e  s  c  r  i  p  t  i  o  n

JOB INFORMATION

Effective Date:

4/5/2026

Entity:

Wisconsin

Job Code:

118011

Job Title:

Director, Nursing Professional Development and Education

FLSA Exemption Status:

Exempt

Management Level:

Director/Senior Director

JOB SUMMARY

The Director, Nursing Professional Development and Education is a Registered Nurse who has broad expertise in education, nursing professional development, curriculum design, and program planning, implementation and evaluation. The incumbent has strong analytic, teaching, leadership and management skills. The Director is responsible for providing strategic leadership in the planning, implementing and evaluating of all nursing education programs, nursing competency programs, and relationships with affiliated schools of nursing. The Director will lead and promote a vision that advances nursing education and development for the organization, and ensures the delivery of education and development programs across all areas of nursing services to achieve optimal outcomes and support regulary compliance across the organization.

The Director, Nursing Professional Development and Education is responsible for creating a system wide evidence-based patient education experience that reflects health literacy literature and evidence-based practice. The Director will align local education strategies with market, regional, and enterprise-wide goals to support consistency and excellence across all levels of care.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

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Provides an experience and environment of patient- and family-centered care.

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Interprets impact of broad scope organizational change for staff and develops change strategies for successful implementation.

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Incorporates UW Health’s vision, missions and values in goals and programs within the department.

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Develops and manages operational initiatives with measurable outcomes.

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Formulates objectives, goals and strategies collaboratively with other stakeholders.

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Prepares and delivers reports to operational leadership outlining progress toward meeting annual goals and objectives, to include performance related to finance, clinical activity, quality, safety, marketing, and human resources.

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Actively seeks opportunities to improve financial outcomes, engaging staff in the process.

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Establishes annual financial goals and actively uses benchmarking to high performing systems in similar area of expertise to set annual targets.

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Monitors and analyzes financial data and utilizes for decisions regarding FTE’s, staffing and operational budget. 

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Establishes an annual operating and capital budget, demonstrating fiscal responsibility through meeting budget targets.

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Creates business plan(s), justifying variances and analyzing cost benefit of programs.

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Directs and provides guidance to managers to effectively allocate resources based on patient volume, space availability, budget constraints, and program priorities, goals and objectives.

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Articulates to staff the budget and the context within the organizational financials.

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Contribute to the success of the UW Health by providing leadership, direction and coordination of operations, finances and human resources for area of responsibility.

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Manage and direct all activities within area of responsibility.

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Continually assesses all services, identifies problems, utilizes data to analyze and propose innovative approaches for solutions.

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Maintain records related to operations and services that are complete, accurate, available, and in compliance with all legal, regulatory, and policy requirements.

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Engages staff and other stakeholders in continuous improvement of systems and processes; manages resources for staff participation in improvement work activities.

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Ensures effective facilitation of improvement teams and development of leadership skills to ensure overall effectiveness of the meetings.

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Organizes and prioritizes time and resources to manage efficiency.  Appropriately delegates.

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Remains current of new trends and best practices and incorporates into the department's practices and programs.

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Articulates and enforces standards for quality/safe patient care

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Develops and implements innovative systems and processes that improve staff and patient quality and safety

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Demonstrates achievable and measurable results and develop action plans for improvement

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Initiates, monitors and enforces regulatory requirements

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Holds self and others accountable to policy, standards and commitments and provides timely follow through on questions and concerns.

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Ensures development of department initiatives to improve patient satisfaction and family centered care.

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Develops and implements clinical outcome measures for quality improvement, cost and complication reduction, and the implementation of evidence-based medicine.

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Incorporates the use of evidence based practice and appreciative enquiry into program development and improvement activities

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Actively listens to staff ideas and concerns, assesses others communication styles and adapts to them.

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Effectively facilitates meetings at the department and organizational level.

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Creates bi-directional systems that effectively communicate information and data, utilizing multiple methods.

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Articulates and presents data, information and ideas in a clear and concise manner.

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Communicates opinions and ideas in a nonthreatening and nonjudgmental manner to staff, peers and others.

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Communicates with physicians, academic department leaders, and senior administrators to maintain coordination with other UW Health programs.

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Demonstrates empathy and concern while ensuring department goals are met. 

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Manages the complex interdepartmental and interdisciplinary relationships to assure collaboration and effective/efficient operations within the department.

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Creates an environment that encourages diverse opinion, recognizes differences and incorporates into process and services.

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Exhibits awareness of personal attitudes and beliefs, recognizing its effect on response to others.

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Creates a culture and systems for recognizing and rewarding staff.

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Creates and maintains a satisfying workplace that fosters professional growth and job satisfaction for all members of the healthcare team.

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Interviews to select top talent, matching department needs with appropriate skill sets.

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Develops and implements recruitment and retention strategies that support a culture of leadership.

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Identifies and addresses own professional growth needs.

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Assesses manager and staff development needs, identifies goals and provides resources.

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Identifies lack of competency in performance and establishes a plan which includes goals, interventions and measures.

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Maintains membership in professional organization(s) to develop knowledge and resources through networking, continuing education, and participation in national, regional, and/or local activities.

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Ensures integration of ethical standards and core values into everyday work activities.

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Provides opportunities to aspiring clinicians and leaders to develop skills to meet career goals.

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Contributes to a learning environment by providing educational and research experiences to students, residents, fellows, and faculty.

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Leads and/or serves on a variety of appropriate internal and external committees to represent the department.

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Serves as a representative of the department to UW Health in order to facilitate the shared interests and relationship between the parties.

As needed, additional responsibilities reasonably within the scope of duties and physical requirements may be assigned.  ALL DUTIES AND REQUIREMENTS MUST BE PERFORMED CONSISTENT WITH THE UW HEALTH PERFORMANCE STANDARDS AND RESPECT FOR PEOPLE COMMITTMENTS.

X

Non-Clinical

JOB REQUIREMENTS

Bachelor's Degree

in Nursing

Required

or

Master's Degree

in Nursing

Required

and

Doctorate Degree

in Nursing or related field

Required

3 years

Relevant experience in nursing leadership

Required

3 years

Demonstrated progressive leadership experience

Required

Current regulatory, accreditation, and Joint Commission experience

Required

Current experience as a Director in a progressive academic medical center with a minimum of five years of education and development experience

Preferred

Licensed as a Registered Nurse (RN) in the state of WI or holds a license issued by a jurisdiction that has adopted the nurse licensure compact

Required

LICENSE, CERTIFICATIONS, AND REGISTRATIONS MUST BE MAINTAINED PER UW HEALTH POLICY. 

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Demonstrated excellence in the design and implementation of progressive and cutting-edge education and development programs

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Development of educational programs in cooperation with a School of Nursing

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Managerial skills necessary to plan, organize, direct and evaluate the nursing and patient care services education and development program

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Expert in curriculum design and program evaluation

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Effective managerial and administrative abilities as applied to the management of health care services in a patient care setting

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Knowledge and ability to use computer applications in the analysis of data, writing, and presentation of information

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Strong commitment to new practice nurses as well as experienced staff

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Strong execution skills

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Strong political skills with the ability to lead in a complex matrix environment

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Effective organizational, planning and scheduling abilities

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Ability to train, motivate and supervise subordinate staff

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Effective written and verbal communication skills with meticulous attention to detail

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Passion for teaching/learning, life long learning and excellence, which elevates the abilities and competencies of the various patient care providers

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Strong track record of establishing external relationships, which facilitate and enhance the image of nursing practice at a regional and national level

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Ability to effect collaborative alliances and promote teamwork

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Ability to insure a high level of employee and customer satisfaction

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Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with Department managers and their representatives, union representatives, employees, private consultants, other UW Campus and State agencies and the general public

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Ability to work within a data driven organization, particularly with respect to evidence based practice

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Effective analytical ability to solve complex problems and issues in a pragmatic way

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Highly visible, driven and charismatic leader of nursing and patient care services education and development, with exceptional interpersonal skills

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Ability to function effectively in a fast paced and changing environment with multiple priorities and objectives

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Strong and confident sense of personal accountability

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS/WORKING CONDITIONS

☒

Sedentary: Sedentary work involves lifting no more than 10 pounds at a time and occasionally lifting or carrying articles like docket files, ledgers, and small tools. Although a sedentary job is defined as one which involves sitting, a certain amount of walking and standing is often necessary in carrying out job duties. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required occasionally and other sedentary criteria are met.

Up to 10#

Negligible

Negligible

☐

Light: Light work involves lifting no more than 20 pounds at a time with frequent lifting or carrying of objects weighing up to 10 pounds. Even though the weight lifted may be very little, a job is in this category when it requires a good deal of walking or standing, or when it involves sitting most of the time with some pushing and pulling of arm or leg controls. To be considered capable of performing a full or wide range of light work, you must have the ability to do substantially all of these activities. If someone can do light work, we determine that they can also do sedentary work, unless there are additional limiting factors such as loss of fine dexterity or inability to sit for long periods of time.

up to 20#

Up to 10# or requires significant walking or standing or requires pushing/pulling of arm/leg controls.

Negligible or constant push/pull of items of negligible weight

☐

Medium: Medium work involves lifting no more than 50 pounds at a time with frequent lifting or carrying of objects weighing up to 25 pounds. If someone can do medium work, we determine that they can also do sedentary and light work.

20-50#

10-25#

Negligible-10#

☐

Heavy: Heavy work involves lifting no more than 100 pounds at a time with frequent lifting or carrying of objects weighing up to 50 pounds. If someone can do heavy work, we determine that they can also do medium, light, and sedentary work.

50-100#

25-50#

10-20#

☐

Very Heavy: Very heavy work involves lifting objects weighing more than 100 pounds at a time with frequent lifting or carrying of objects weighing 50 pounds or more. If someone can do very heavy work, we determine that they can also do heavy, medium, light, and sedentary work.

Over 100#

Over 50#

Over 20#

Other - list any other physical requirements or bona fide occupational qualifications not indicated above:

Over 50 lbs.

UW Health does not require, nor does it expect that its employees lift more than 50 lbs unassisted. Objects in excess of 50 lbs should be lifted or moved with mechanical means or through a team lift. Employees in patient care areas are expected to utilize mechanical lifts and adhere to the "Use of Mechanical Lifts (Liko)" policy in the Patient Services Policy and Procedure Manual.

Note: The purpose of this document is to describe the general nature and level of work performed by personnel so classified; it is not intended to serve as an inclusive list of all responsibilities associated with this position.

THE EMPLOYEE MUST BE ABLE TO COMPLETE ALL PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS OF THE JOB WITH OR WITHOUT AN APPROVED ACCOMODATION. Note: The purpose of this document is to describe the general nature and level of work performed by personnel so classified; it is not intended to serve as an inclusive list of all responsibilities associated with this position.