National Director of Skilled Nursing

Job Description

Job Description

Description:

THE COMPANY

Cogir Senior Living, based in Scottsdale, Arizona, proudly oversees a network of senior living communities spanning 13 states nationwide. As a trusted leader in senior housing, we are dedicated to growth while maintaining our commitment to exceptional care for our residents and a supportive, growth-focused environment for our team members.

At Cogir, our culture is rooted in the core values of human focus, creativity, and excellence, which inspire us to continuously improve and achieve excellence in all we do. Join us in our mission to enrich the lives of our residents while building a meaningful and fulfilling career!

WHAT WE OFFER

Competitive wages, training, and growth opportunities.

Early access to paycheck (pay on demand).

Health, Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance.

Paid Vacation, Holidays, and Sick Leave.

401K with company match.

Free meals at work.

Employee Assistance Program.

Generous Employee Referral Program and more.

Job Summary

The National Director of Skilled Nursing is responsible for the strategic leadership, clinical oversight, regulatory compliance, and overall performance of the organization's skilled nursing portfolio. This role provides direct leadership to the Regional Directors of Health and Wellness for Skilled Nursing and serves as the senior clinical and regulatory leader for the division.

The National Director of Skilled Nursing serves as the organization's primary subject matter expert for skilled nursing operations, CMS regulations, survey readiness, reimbursement, Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement (QAPI), infection prevention, and risk management. This position partners closely with operational leadership to support acquisitions, transitions, startups, performance improvement initiatives, and the continued growth of the skilled nursing division.

Guided by the organization's pillars of Excellence, Human Focus, and Creativity, this leader will champion innovative clinical practices, foster a culture of accountability, and ensure the highest standards of resident care, regulatory compliance, and operational excellence throughout the portfolio.

Responsibilities:

Clinical Leadership & Operational Oversight

• Provide strategic leadership and clinical direction for all skilled nursing operations.
• Partner with Executive Directors, Nursing Home Administrators (NHAs), Directors of Nursing (DONs), Regional Vice Presidents, and ownership groups to drive clinical excellence and operational performance.
• Develop, implement, and monitor clinical standards, policies, procedures, and best practices across the skilled nursing portfolio.
• Support acquisitions, management transitions, startups, and operational stabilization efforts.
• Analyze clinical and operational performance metrics and implement action plans to improve resident outcomes and organizational performance.
• Serve as the primary resource for skilled nursing operational and clinical best practices.

Regional Leadership & Team Development

• Directly supervise and support Regional Directors of Health and Wellness within the skilled nursing division.
• Establish performance expectations, accountability measures, and professional development plans for regional clinical leaders.
• Conduct regular coaching, performance evaluations, and succession planning activities.
• Ensure consistency in clinical operations, regulatory compliance, quality outcomes, and resident care practices across all skilled nursing communities.
• Build and maintain a high-performing clinical leadership team capable of supporting future portfolio growth.
• Provide leadership and support during surveys, complaint investigations, leadership transitions, and operational turnarounds.

Regulatory Compliance & Survey Readiness

• Serve as the organization's skilled nursing regulatory expert.
• Ensure compliance with CMS regulations, federal requirements, state licensing regulations, accreditation standards, and applicable payer requirements.
• Lead survey preparedness initiatives and support communities during annual surveys, complaint investigations, Immediate Jeopardy situations, and enforcement actions.
• Conduct compliance audits, mock surveys, and focused clinical reviews to proactively identify areas of risk.
• Develop corrective action plans and monitor implementation to ensure sustained compliance.
• Provide regulatory interpretation and compliance guidance to operational and clinical leaders.

Quality Assurance & Performance Improvement (QAPI)

• Lead and oversee QAPI programs across the skilled nursing portfolio.
• Analyze quality measures, Five-Star metrics, infection control data, rehospitalization rates, falls, wounds, medication management outcomes, and resident satisfaction indicators.
• Develop and implement initiatives that improve quality outcomes and operational performance.
• Establish reporting mechanisms and dashboards to monitor performance trends and organizational goals.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement and accountability throughout the division.

Clinical Reimbursement & Documentation

• Provide oversight and guidance related to PDPM, Medicare, Medicaid, managed care reimbursement, and clinical documentation practices.
• Partner with reimbursement, finance, and operations teams to ensure documentation accuracy, reimbursement integrity, and regulatory compliance.
• Monitor reimbursement-related metrics and support optimization efforts while maintaining clinical and ethical standards.
• Collaborate with facility leaders to improve census quality, case mix management, and reimbursement performance.

Infection Prevention & Resident Safety

• Oversee infection prevention and control programs in accordance with CMS, CDC, and state requirements.
• Support outbreak response planning, surveillance activities, and infection control education initiatives.
• Monitor resident safety programs including falls, pressure injuries, medication management, accident prevention, and adverse event reduction.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to improve resident safety and reduce organizational risk.

Clinical Training & Leadership Development

• Develop and support onboarding programs for skilled nursing clinical leaders.
• Partner with Learning & Development teams to establish ongoing education, competency validation, and leadership development programs.
• Mentor Regional Directors of Health and Wellness, Directors of Nursing, and other clinical leaders.
• Support succession planning and leadership pipeline development within the skilled nursing division.

Collaboration & Stakeholder Engagement

• Partner with Operations, Finance, Human Resources, Risk Management, Legal, Compliance, and Revenue Cycle teams to support organizational goals.
• Serve as a liaison with ownership groups, regulatory agencies, healthcare partners, consultants, and industry organizations.
• Participate in strategic planning and growth initiatives for the skilled nursing division.
• Maintain current knowledge of regulatory changes, reimbursement updates, industry trends, and emerging best practices.

Qualifications:

Education

• Active Registered Nurse (RN) license in good standing required.
• Active Nursing Home Administrator (NHA) license in good standing required.
• Bachelor's Degree in Nursing required.
• Master's Degree in Nursing, Healthcare Administration, Public Health, Business Administration, or related field preferred.

Experience

• Minimum of seven (7) years of progressive leadership experience within skilled nursing operations.
• Minimum of three (3) years of regional, divisional, or corporate oversight of multiple skilled nursing facilities required.
• Prior responsibility for the clinical, regulatory, and operational performance of a portfolio of at least ten (10) skilled nursing facilities strongly preferred.
• Multi-site skilled nursing oversight experience required.
• Extensive knowledge of CMS regulations, state survey processes, F-Tags, and long-term care compliance requirements.
• Demonstrated expertise in survey readiness, quality improvement, QAPI, infection prevention, and risk management.
• Strong understanding of PDPM, Medicare, Medicaid, managed care reimbursement, and clinical documentation requirements.
• Demonstrated success improving survey outcomes, Five-Star ratings, quality measures, reimbursement performance, and regulatory compliance across multiple facilities.
• Experience supporting acquisitions, operational transitions, startups, or turnaround initiatives preferred.
• Experience working with ownership groups, REITs, and third-party management organizations preferred.
• Proven ability to lead, mentor, and influence multidisciplinary teams across multiple locations.
• Strong analytical, organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills.

Key Competencies

• Skilled Nursing Regulatory Expertise
• CMS & State Regulatory Compliance
• Survey Readiness & Enforcement Management
• QAPI Leadership
• PDPM & Reimbursement Strategy
• Clinical Operations Excellence
• Risk Management
• Infection Prevention & Control
• Leadership Development
• Strategic Planning
• Performance Improvement
• Data Analytics
• Change Management
• Relationship Building

Additional Requirements

• Compliance with all company policies, procedures, and safety standards.
• Ability to respond to urgent clinical, operational, and regulatory matters as needed.
• Commitment to maintaining the highest standards of ethics, professionalism, and resident-centered care.
• Ability to travel extensively based on business needs.