Nursing Director III

Job Description:

Step into nursing leadership at northern Minnesota's largest hospital. Essentia Health-St. Mary's Medical Center is a 344-bed Level I Adult and Level II Pediatric Trauma Center in downtown Duluth — and since 2023, home to a brand-new flagship facility overlooking Lake Superior. As a Nursing Director here, you'll oversee patient care and nursing professional practice across your assigned units, partnering with the Market Chief Nursing Officer to drive nursing growth, strengthen clinical practice, and help move our journey toward Magnet designation forward. This is a role for a nurse leader who wants real scope, a strong team, and a hospital that's investing in its future.

Education Qualifications:

Education Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Nursing and a Master’s degree in Nursing, Health Care Administration, Finance, or a related field.

What You Will Do

• Lead nursing operations and patient care delivery across the medical-surgical service group — general medicine (Unit 15), telemetry (Unit 17), and oncology (Unit 18), plus the IV team.
• Set the standard of nursing care for your patient population and keep patients moving smoothly across the care continuum.
• Own staffing, scheduling, resource allocation, and the nursing budget — developed in partnership with the Market Chief Nursing Officer — with accountability for quality, patient experience, safety, and employee engagement.
• Partner with medical staff, providers, and administration to align nursing with the hospital’s priorities and drive nursing growth.
• Build and develop your leaders and front-line staff — orientation, ongoing education, and real development that grows people.
• Drive process improvement and lead the team through change and new program development.
• Advance clinical excellence in support of St. Mary’s Magnet journey — tracking quality on the Magnet Nursing Scorecard and keeping your units survey-ready and compliant with Joint Commission and regulatory standards.

What You Will Need

• 5+ years of nursing experience, including at least 2 years as a Nurse Supervisor or Nurse Manager.
• Proven experience with organizational change, program development, and process improvement.
• Strong communication and the ability to build trust across nursing, medical, and operational leadership.

What Makes You a Strong Fit

• Experience in an acute care or tertiary hospital, ideally one on a Magnet or Pathway to Excellence journey.
• Background across medical-surgical, telemetry, or oncology nursing, or leading the units that feed them.
• A track record of building clarity and accountability into teams.
• Comfort partnering with physician leaders and senior nursing executives.
• Familiarity with Magnet standards, budgeting, and quality-metric management for nursing units.
• A visible, hands-on leadership style — the kind of director who’s on the floor, not just behind a desk.

Work Location

• On-site at Essentia Health-St. Mary’s Medical Center, 402 E 2nd St, Duluth, MN.
• Candidates must reside in, or be willing to relocate to, the Duluth area.

Licensure/Certification Qualifications:

Certification/Licensure Requirements:

• Nursing license in state of employment

Employee Benefits at Essentia Health: At Essentia Health, we’re committed to supporting your well-being, growth, and work-life balance. Our comprehensive benefits include medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance, along with supplemental options to fit your needs. We offer a 401(k) plan with employer contributions to help you plan for the future, and we invest in your professional development through training, tuition reimbursement, and educational programs. To help you thrive both at work and at home, we provide flexible scheduling, generous time off, and wellness resources focused on your physical, mental, and emotional health. Please note that benefit eligibility may vary. For full details, refer to your benefit summary or contact our HR Service Center at View phone number on click.appcast.io.

Job Location: Building B - St Marys Medical Center

Shift Rotation: Day Rotation (United States of America)

Hours Per Pay Period: 80

Compensation Range: $73.39 - $110.09 / hour

FTE: 1