Hospice Executive Director

Overview:

Lead with Compassion. Serve with Purpose. Transform Hospice.

We have an exciting and rewarding opportunity for a RN Hospice Executive Director to join our leadership team. This role is ideal for a licensed Registered Nurse (RN) with strong leadership experience in hospice care, home health, or clinical operations management.

If you’re a natural leader who is passionate about patient-centered care, team development, and clinical excellence, we invite you to bring your talent to a place where you can truly make a difference.

The Executive Director RN II provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for assigned Hospice location with a mid-sized census. This role will oversee and lead the day-to-day operations, including managing and directing interdisciplinary teams, ensuring the delivery of high-quality and patient-centered care, fostering a culture of compassion, respect and integrity to meet business and organizational goals, regulatory standards, and community needs. Responsibilities include leadership and development, financial performance, community outreach, human resources, office operations and communication and relationship building with the Governing Body, referral partners, the community. In this role, the Administrator ensures assigned Hospice location delivers outstanding service, while upholding the company’s mission, vision and values.

• Provides leadership for a mid-sized hospice program, accountable for clinical quality, operational performance, and balanced, sustainable census growth.
  • Demonstrates a commitment to excellence through focusing on quality care and/or service.

• Incorporates continuous quality improvement principles in day-to-day activities.
• Uses statistical and qualitative information to manage quality.
• Requires employees to exhibit technical knowledge and effective skill education related to their job.
• Promotes and monitors compliance with requirements and standards established by accrediting or licensing agencies, regulatory agencies and state or federal law relevant to areas of responsibility.
• Ensures that policies and procedures are followed.
• Accepts responsibility for remaining current in the latest trends, developments and technologies relative to area of work by: Actively pursuing self-development, attending in- services, and circulating relevant information to appropriate employees.
• Recommends and implements policies and procedures, which have been developed by the Administrator and Governing Body that guide and support the provision of services.

• Manages Human Resources effectively.
• Shows consistency between words and actions.
• Promotes positive communications and keeps employees informed of changes by ensuring meetings with appropriate staff are conducted and documented. Is available to employees when issues arise.
• Promotes/provides for core orientation, at the direction of the Administrator, plus location and job specific orientation, in service training and continuing education for employees, volunteers and contract personnel.
• Conducts educational programs for outside agencies as deemed necessary.
• Recommends a sufficient number of qualified and competent persons to provide services. Responsible for the selection, supervision, and evaluation of interdisciplinary team members in collaboration with the Administrator.
• Collaborates with the Administrator, Corporate leadership and employees to establish goals and standards for performance; reviews and monitors progress regularly and redirects efforts where goals are not being met.
• Determines qualifications and competence of employees, in collaboration with the Administrator.
• Completes all performance evaluations in collaboration with the Administrator prior to due date.
• Takes appropriate and timely action in disciplinary situations in collaboration with the Administrator; documents actions taken in accordance with policy.
• Makes appropriate assignments among employees in accordance with their personal abilities and limitations; ensures fair and consistent workload distribution.

• Manages Office Operations effectively.
• Directs the multiple teams of the assigned location, if applicable.
• Plans and organizes tasks and resources to achieve strategic goals and objectives.
• Consistently demonstrates the ability to recognize, establish and deal with priorities.
• Measures progress towards set goals; takes corrective action on projects, as appropriate. Considers the impact of department/location decisions on the overall functioning of the provider, the company and its hospice affiliates.
• Reviews and analyzes facts of a situation when developing a plan of action; considers all relevant information to make the most informed decision possible.
• Achieves predetermined objectives and goals.
• Participates in selecting outside sources for needed services in collaboration with the Administrator.
• Ensures contract management is maintained for services from outside vendors/providers in collaboration with the Administrator
• Assesses and improves branch/department performance as well as individual team's performance.
• Ensures documentation of services is accurate and timely
• Monitors and supervises quality of patients' care of assigned location(s). Processes emergency calls and requests for assistance.
• Assists with problem solving for patients in all settings
  Prepares, monitors, and reviews monthly bills, supply costs, expense requests, mileage reimbursement, payroll and other expenses.
• Makes recommendations for service area regarding market opportunities for new programs or service.
• Ensures accuracy of marketing materials, public information materials and activities in collaboration with the Administrator
• May be asked to perform routine visits to patient homes or institutional setting and/or participate in on-call schedule (only if a Registered Nurse)
• Provides a safe environment for patients, visitors, customers and employees.
• Investigates and completes detailed reports of any incidents/accidents, grievances, complaints, medication errors and other problems within the time frames established by policy, and implements corrective and/or preventive action immediately in collaboration with the Administrator.
• Works with physicians, patients, families, staff and others regarding problems, needs and concerns.
• Responsible for supervision and evaluation of family satisfaction surveys in collaboration with the Administrator.
• Incorporates safety topics into staff meetings.
• Regularly reviews safety policies and procedures (to include the Emergency Preparedness Plan); ensures that all employees are oriented to and understand their role in safety policies and procedures.

• Manages Financial Resources prudently and effectively.
• Completes financial reviews in collaboration with the Administrator on recommended schedule.
• Budget worksheets are completed and submitted by scheduled deadlines.
• Annual expenditures are within annual budget except where variances are volume driven and have been approved.
• Resource needs are anticipated and budgets are planned to meet those needs within known parameters.
• Budget variances are justified on a regularly scheduled basis. Continually seeks ways to reduce costs without affecting quality.
• Controls use of overtime and temporary personnel, in collaboration with the Administrator, except when justified by increased volume or decreased staffing levels.
• Recommends space and other resources for needed services.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. (Refer to State Specific Addendum for more information)

• Education:
• Registered Nurse with minimum of associate’s degree in nursing required
• Bachelor’s degree in Nursing (BSN) from an accredited school of nursing preferred.
• Master’s degree in business, nursing or related field preferred
• Experience:
• Minimum one year management/supervisory experience required.
• Two or more years’ experience in hospice/home care required (if also functioning as the Clinical Nursing Supervisor for the office location).
• Meets all state-specific requirements for the Administrator role (if functioning as the Alternate or Interim Administrator).
• Three years’ experience in direct patient care in a clinical setting preferred.
• Three to five years healthcare sales/ management experience preferred.
• Licenses, Certifications and/or Registration:
• Current license to practice nursing in the state of requested employment, if applicable
• CPR Certification
• Current automobile insurance and valid driver’s license
• Equipment/Tools/Work-Aids: Must be able to effectively operate computer, facsimile equipment, copier and cell phone. Must have and maintain transportation to be used for work.
• Personal Traits, Qualities and Aptitudes: Sensitivity to feelings of the terminally ill and their families before and after patient’s death. Must be able to demonstrate flexibility by performing a variety of tasks, often changing from one to another of a different nature without loss of efficiency or composure. Communicate effectively with people of all socioeconomic backgrounds. Influence people in their opinions, attitudes or judgments about ideas or things. Make generalizations, evaluations or decisions based on sensory or judgmental criteria. Display evidence of patient advocacy. Responsible functioning in the work place, maturity, cooperation, flexibility, tact in dealing with co-workers and all members of the hospice team.
• Specialized Knowledge and Skills: Organizational and leadership abilities; knowledge of terminally ill patients and their families along with understanding of hospice concept; knowledge of roles of all disciplines providing hospice services; excellent patient assessment skills; good oral and written communication; thorough knowledge of managed care principles, regulatory guidelines (i.e., Medicare, Medicaid, ACHC, and human resource), management principles.

Working Conditions: Office environment. Occasional travel to patient’s homes and/or institutional setting. Potential exposure to infections, communicable diseases, odors, blood, excreta and hazardous materials.

Benefits for All Associates (Full-Time, Part-Time & Per Diem):

• Competitive Pay
• 401(k) with Company Match
• Career Advancement Opportunities
• National & Local Recognition Programs
• Teammate Assistance Fund

Additional Full-Time Benefits:

• Medical, Dental, Vision Insurance
• Mileage Reimbursement or Fleet Vehicle Program
• Generous Paid Time Off + 7 Paid Holidays
• Wellness Programs (Telemedicine, Diabetes Management, Joint & Spine Concierge Care)
• Education Support & Tuition Assistance (ASN to BSN, BSN to MSN)
• Free Continuing Education Units (CEUs)
• Company-paid Life & Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Voluntary Benefits (Pet, Critical Illness, Accident, LTC)

Apply Now:

If you’re an experienced Hospice RN leader looking for your next challenge, we want to hear from you. Join a team that values compassion, leadership, and meaningful work—when life matters most.

• This is a safety-sensitive position
• Employee must meet minimum requirements to be eligible for benefits
• Where applicable, employee must meet state specific requirements
• We are proud to be an EEO employer
• We maintain a drug-free workplace

At Heartland Hospice, part of Gentiva, it is our privilege to offer compassionate care in the comfort of wherever our patients call home. We are a national leader in hospice care, palliative care, home health care, and advanced illness management, with nearly 600 locations and thousands of dedicated clinicians across 38 states.

Our place is by the side of those who need us – from helping people recover from illness, injury, or surgery in the comfort of their homes to guiding patients and their families through the physical, emotional, and spiritual effects of a serious illness or terminal diagnosis.

Our nationwide reach is powered by a family of trusted brands that include:

• Hospice care: Gentiva Hospice, Emerald Coast Hospice Care, Heartland Hospice, Hospice Plus, New Century Hospice, Regency SouthernCare, SouthernCare Hospice Services, SouthernCare New Beacon
• Palliative care: Empatia Palliative Care, Emerald Coast Palliative Care
• Home health care: Heartland Home Health
• Advanced illness management: Illumia Health

With corporate headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, and providers delivering care across the U.S., we are proud to offer rewarding careers in a collaborative environment where inspiring achievements are recognized – and kindness is celebrated.