SCVH - Nursing Director - Custody Health Services Department

Under general direction, manages and directs nursing and/or administrative functions, activities, services, and nursing staff for Santa Clara Valley Healthcare (SCVH). The SCVH-Nursing Director, in conjunction with nurse managers, ensures the highest quality of patient care and satisfaction and ensures that all healthcare services meet accreditation and regulatory requirements. The SCVH-Nursing Director provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for 24/7 nursing units, ensuring the delivery of high-quality, patient-centered care. The SCVH-Nursing Director reports to the SCVH-Nursing Executive.

About Custody Health Services Department

Custody Health Services (CHS) is a division of Santa Clara Valley Healthcare, which is California's second-largest public healthcare system. This division consists of a multidisciplinary team of professionals dedicated to providing compassionate, dignified, and appropriate care to the incarcerated population of the county.

The County of Santa Clara Health System serves as a local healthcare safety net, offering comprehensive care, services, and programs to its residents. This health system includes the Behavioral Health Services Department, the Public Health Department, and the network of Santa Clara Valley Healthcare's hospitals and clinics. This network consists of Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, O'Connor Hospital, St. Louise Regional Hospital, Regional Medical Center, the Emergency Medical Services Agency, the Custody Health Services Department, and Valley Health Plan. We are committed to the health and well-being of all communities in Santa Clara County.

CHS provides a comprehensive and integrated system of medical, psychiatric, and substance abuse care to inmates and patients within the County of Santa Clara Jail system. CHS is a department within the County’s extended healthcare system. The Nursing Director position provides strategic direction, executive leadership, general management, and other designated care functions and services for the Custody Health Services Department. This role carries 24/7 responsibility and accountability for ensuring high-quality, safe, and appropriate nursing care, the competency of clinical staff, and effective resource management related to patient care. The position will require travel to each correctional facility throughout Santa Clara County.

Specifically, the Nursing Director will be responsible for overseeing the daily operations of nursing services to ensure that care is safe, timely, effective, efficient, equitable, culturally competent, and patient-centered. This care is designed to integrate well with other clinical disciplines. Additionally, the Nursing Director will implement process improvement initiatives to create efficiencies and standards in service lines, ensuring safe, therapeutic, trauma-informed, and effective patient care in compliance with consent decree requirements.

The SCVH Nursing Director for the Custody Health Services Department will oversee the department's fiscal year 2026 budget of $26 million and manage a nursing staff of over 150 Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) through direct reporting from five Nurse Managers.

Note: Pending final Board approval, and effective March 17, 2025, the annual salary range will adjust to: Min: $256,679.29 - Max: $329,372.75

Filing Period and Application Procedure: 

Final Filing Date: Continuous - Open until filled. The recruitment may be extended or closed as early as 10 days after the issue date. You are encouraged to apply as soon as possible and to monitor this site for updated closing information.

This recruitment requires the submission of an online application. No paper applications will be accepted. Applicants must apply online at www.sccjobs.org.

Questions regarding this Executive recruitment may be directed to Patricia Carrillo, Executive Services at 408.299.5897 or  Patricia.Carrillo@esa.sccgov.org . 

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• Plans, organizes, directs, manages, and evaluates programs, staff, and functions in an acute care nursing setting; 
• May have oversight of multiple individual nursing units and service lines as directed by the Nurse Executive and may have direct subordinate reports that include nurse    managers, healthcare service line directors, and/or other supervisory functions and positions;
• Collaborates with the Nursing Executive, formulates policies and procedures consistent with recognized standards of professional practice and reflecting the intent of   regulatory standards, and maintains authority, accountability, and responsibility for nursing services;
• Ensures continuous performance improvement initiatives are designed to measure and improve the quality of care delivered and are consistent with the organization’s priorities;
• Collaborates with other patient care and support departments, fostering a climate of open communication and mutual problem-solving activities; 
• Directs, initiates, and participates in joint performance improvement activities;
• Directs efforts to manage costs by seeking data that will identify opportunities, and takes appropriate action to eliminate non-value costs; 
• Assumes primary responsibility for assigned projects or task groups, keeping colleagues informed of the progress toward desired outcomes;
• Participates with others in planning activities associated with design or implementation of renovation or new construction of patient care areas;
• Collaborates with nursing educators to ensure that identified learning needs of the nursing staff are promptly addressed and that orienteers receive the proper preparation to become independent practitioners;
• Develops and maintains close working relationships with nursing, ancillary, and physician colleagues and other healthcare providers in assigned areas. Collaborates with these individuals to set goals for standardization, and develops action plans for patient care or system improvements;
• May serve as designee in the absence of the Nursing Executive and/or assume responsibility for Administrator On Call (AOC) duties;
• May assume Disaster Service Worker (DSW) duties, as assigned; and
• Performs other related duties, as assigned.

Considerable training, education, and experience which would demonstrate the ability to perform the above tasks and the possession of the following knowledge and abilities.

Training and Experience Note: The required knowledge and abilities would typically be acquired through education and experience equivalent to a bachelor’s degree in nursing, nursing administration, public or business administration, healthcare administration or a closely related field, possession of a current, unrestricted Registered Nurse License issued by the California Board of Registered Nursing, and a minimum of five (5) years of clinical nursing experience in a large health and hospital system, including three (3) years of experience in an administrative/supervisory role in a patient health care service environment. A master’s degree in nursing is desirable. 

Special Requirements: Ability to travel to alternate locations in the course of work. If driving, possession of a valid California driver’s license before appointment and the ability to qualify for and maintain a County driver authorization.  

*As a condition of employment, pursuant to California Government Code Sections 3100-3109 and Local Ordinance, all County of Santa Clara employees are designated Disaster Service Workers (DSWs), including extra help.  A DSW is required to complete all assigned DSW-related training, and in the event of an emergency, return to work as ordered.

Knowledge of: 

• Principles and practices of organization, administration, program development, and budget preparation;
• Principles and practices of personnel management and supervision, performance evaluation, training, and labor relations;
• Basic principles of health care and hospital system organization and administration, including management, planning, and delivery of acute care services;
• Current standards and trends related to healthcare and nursing services, as well as systems for safe, efficient, and quality care;
• Regulations and laws common to the operation of hospitals and healthcare organizations in California; and
• Standards of The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organization (TJC) and requirements of California Code of Regulations Title XXII; and 

Specifically for this role, knowledge of the Standards of the National Commission on Correctional Health Care, Correctional Treatment Center regulations, Title XV, Title XXII, Title IX, and applicable sections of the Welfare and Institutions Code and Penal Code, California Code of Regulations.

Ability to:

• Effectively plan, organize, staff, and direct the acute care nursing functions, activities, and services in a large health and hospital system;
• Identify problems and formulate constructive policies and procedures;
• Learn and apply relevant policies, regulations, and administrative procedures in the context of budget and administrative functions;
• Work effectively with diverse client and community populations in planning and overseeing the delivery of acute care services;
• Keep informed of current trends in acute care services and administration;
• Work effectively as a member of a management team in a large health and hospital system;
• Communicate effectively orally and in writing; 
• Ensure optimal utilization and management of clinical practice;
• Coordinate activities between departments to reduce duplication, increase efficiency, and achieve higher levels of service;
• Develop and implement quality and utilization standards to ensure coordinated plans of treatment;
• Optimize nursing resource management systems, including patient acuity and staffing applications; and
• Demonstrate executive-level leadership and analytical and problem-solving skills.

Salary : $248,077 - $302,457