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Kaiser Permanente

Integrated healthcare provider and payer platform

Nurse Director – Hospital - Adult Services

Full-TimePosted on 10/17/2026
No salary listed
Expert
Bachelor's
Downey, CA, USA
In Person
Medical, Clinical & Veterinary

About the job

Requirements
  • Minimum seven years of experience in patient care delivery.
  • A Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and a minimum of seven years of experience in business operations, clinical health care, or a directly related field.
  • Minimum two years of experience managing operational or project budgets.
  • Minimum two years of experience in a leadership role with direct reports.
  • Basic Life Support certification is required at hire.
  • A California Registered Nurse license is required at hire.
Responsibilities
  • Establish best-practice models; perform strategic planning; and design patient-care delivery systems and practice standards across several locations.
  • Lead investigations of patient, family, or member concerns regarding patient care and services.
  • Partner with physicians, outside health care providers, and other health care team members to achieve optimal and safe patient care across the continuum.
  • Manage clinical-area resource needs to ensure appropriate assignment and utilization; evaluate the use and maintenance of equipment, supplies, and medications; and assume accountability for patient and employee safety.
  • Maintain clinical expertise and provide the clinical supervision, competency, and licensing necessary to fulfill job responsibilities and direct unit care; delegate tasks aligned with scope of practice; and perform clinical duties as required.
  • Collaborate with Nursing Clinical Practice to ensure assistants and staff provide high-quality care and comply with the Nursing Practice Act, The Joint Commission, and applicable federal, state, and local requirements.
  • Prepare individuals for growth and advancement; build collaborative networks; solicit and act on performance feedback; set goals; provide coaching; oversee recruitment, selection, and talent development; and ensure performance-management guidelines and expectations support business needs.
  • Maintain awareness of organizational best practices, processes, benchmarks, and industry trends, and share best practices across teams.
  • Motivate and empower teams, maintain a skilled and engaged workforce by aligning resource plans with business objectives, guide difficult decisions, and create opportunities for expanded decision-making and impact.
  • Oversee multiple departmental units by identifying member and operational needs, managing work assignment completion, translating business strategy into actionable requirements, and ensuring products and services meet member expectations and organizational strategies.
  • Gain cross-functional support for business plans and priorities; make decisions; set standards; measure progress; resolve escalated issues; communicate goals and objectives; analyze resources, costs, and forecasts; prioritize and distribute resources; remove performance obstacles; guide performance; develop contingency plans; and ensure teams achieve business objectives.
  • Direct hospital administrative functions supporting patient care by approving timelines, developing strategies with stakeholders to identify business-value factors, and developing and reviewing ad hoc reports and workflows.
  • Direct department responses and take accountability for performance targets; champion operational initiatives; and direct program, service, and systems development.
  • Align cross-functional programs covering workplace and patient safety, human resources, labor relations, training and development, and quality and risk management with organizational mission and values.
  • Direct continuous survey-readiness activities, including mock rounds and remediation; review audit documentation, information, and reports; oversee budget development for assigned areas; and ensure financial performance meets expectations.
  • Manage 24/7 care-delivery operations and programs by partnering with physicians and clinical leaders, overseeing workstreams, and developing and implementing long-term plans, policies, and data-gathering and analysis processes aligned with guidelines and regulations.
  • Drive cross-functional patient-management solutions; align hospital resources for appropriate assignment and utilization; direct multidisciplinary hospital teams and hold them accountable for performance.
  • Oversee emergency-preparedness program design; adjust departmental emergency-preparedness and recovery plans; and ensure managers and staff are trained and understand expectations during and after emergencies.
  • Provide strategic direction to project teams, ensuring implementation, equitable resource distribution, and delivery of objectives; oversee teams delivering nursing services and patient care in alignment with cost, quality, clinical, and utilization standards.
  • Direct operational and technology-process improvements through strategic projects addressing issue remediation, quality, service, affordability, and operating efficiency.
  • Define clinical-team standards for identifying root causes of escalations, recommending and implementing solutions, improving operational systems, and addressing quality and safety issues.
  • Drive strategic plans for integrated services across the continuum of care in alignment with enterprise-wide goals; consult senior and executive management on performance metrics for strategic improvement projects.
  • Develop and implement strategies for continuous improvement in the quality and safety of clinical practices, services, and operations for patients and staff.
  • Hold managers accountable for legal and regulatory compliance, including the Nursing Practice Act, The Joint Commission, and applicable federal, state, and local requirements.
  • Establish and monitor outcome objectives, including overseeing systems, processes, and methods to evaluate and improve patient care within the assigned department and across the continuum of care.
Desired Qualifications
  • Certified in Executive Nursing Practice (CENP) from the American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL.
  • Nurse Executive Certification (NE-BC) or Nurse Executive Advanced Certification (NEA-BC) from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).

About the company

Kaiser Permanente runs an integrated healthcare platform that lets members manage and pay medical, premium, and pharmacy bills online. It serves Medicare Advantage, Individual and Family, and non-employer plans, offering options to pay as a guest or set up payment plans. The platform works by presenting a centralized online portal where users can view bills, choose how to pay, and handle multiple types of charges in one place. Revenue comes from premiums and medical services fees, while the service aims to reduce administrative work for both providers and patients and encourage on-time payments. What sets Kaiser Permanente apart is its combination of healthcare services with a single billing experience across multiple plan types, focusing on a user-friendly, centralized payment process rather than handling billing through separate systems. Its goal is to provide a straightforward, reliable way for members to manage and pay their bills, improving convenience and payment timeliness.

Company Size

10,001+

Company Stage

Grant

Total Funding

$7.5M

Headquarters

Oakland, California

Founded

1945

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Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Kaiser opens Everett urgent care in 2027, extending access after its 2025 expansion.
  • West Los Angeles College launched an LVN program backed by Kaiser grants in 2023 and 2025.
  • Kaiser added five Everett primary care doctors in 2026, strengthening local member retention.

What critics are saying

  • On September 21, 2026, Kaiser filed 147 California layoffs, effective November 20.
  • Colorado union local sued on September 30, 2026 over admissions jobs moving to Georgia.
  • Northern California mental health clinicians still lack a new contract after 34 bargaining sessions.

What makes Kaiser Permanente unique

  • Kaiser Permanente combines insurance, hospitals, and physician groups inside one delivery system.
  • Its integrated model anchors billing, care coordination, and pharmacy payment across one member experience.
  • Massive California footprint and 180,000 workers give Kaiser unmatched local provider density.

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Benefits

  • Professional Development Budget

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

2%

1 year growth

3%

2 year growth

3%
DistilInfo
Oct 16th, 2026
Kaiser tops U.S. News' best Medicare Advantage list.

Kaiser tops U.S. News' best Medicare Advantage list. Kaiser Permanente leads the 2027 list of best Medicare Advantage companies from U.S. News & World Report, with an overall rating of 4.4 out of 5. UnitedHealthcare, Humana, Aetna and Devoted Health round out the top tier, each rated 3.8, according to the ratings published Oct. 14. The ratings matter because they arrive at the start of Medicare's annual open enrollment, which runs Oct. 15 through Dec. 7, when beneficiaries compare plans. They also offer a second, independently weighted view of insurer quality alongside CMS's Star Ratings released earlier in October. The best Medicare Advantage companies for 2027. U.S. News named five companies as best overall for Medicare Advantage: * Kaiser Permanente: 4.4 * UnitedHealthcare: 3.8 * Humana: 3.8 * Aetna: 3.8 * Devoted Health: 3.8 Three of the five, Aetna, Devoted Health and UnitedHealth Group, were also named best Medicare Advantage companies in the 2026 edition, according to U.S. News' 2026 announcement. Kaiser Permanente and Humana are new to the top list for 2027. U.S. News also recognized top companies in three consumer-focused categories: highest satisfaction, screening and prevention, and care continuity. How U.S. News rated insurers. U.S. News rates Medicare Advantage contracts on a five-point scale, assigning its own weights to more than 30 quality measures published by CMS. Those weights do not necessarily match the ones CMS uses for Star Ratings. U.S. News then calculates an enrollment-adjusted average rating for each company. To be named among the best, a company needed an overall rating of at least 3.8 after rounding and had to serve at least 1,000 beneficiaries as of December 2025 in each of 10 or more states or territories where it still offers coverage for 2027. The ratings covered both standalone Medicare Advantage contracts and those that include Part D drug coverage. Part D leaders unchanged. For standalone prescription drug coverage, the same two companies earned best overall recognition in both 2026 and 2027. Humana scored 3.8 and Centene scored 3.5 for 2027, according to U.S. News. To qualify as a top Part D company, an insurer needed at least 1,000 Part D beneficiaries in each of at least 10 jurisdictions where it still offers 2027 coverage, and an enrollment-weighted average rating of at least 3.5 after rounding. How the ratings compare with CMS stars. The U.S. News results broadly track this year's CMS Star Ratings, which showed Humana rebounding sharply, with 95 percent of its Medicare Advantage members in plans rated 4 stars or higher, up from about 20 percent. Aetna and UnitedHealthcare saw their share of members in 4-star-or-better plans decline, though both still met U.S. News' threshold. Because U.S. News applies its own weighting and requires a presence in at least 10 states, its list highlights larger multistate carriers. Strong regional plans may appear instead in U.S. News' state-by-state rankings. Those state-level ratings recognize a wider field. In the 2026 edition, fewer than one-third of Medicare Advantage insurers nationwide earned a best insurance company designation in at least one state, according to Geisinger Health Plan, which was named a best company in Pennsylvania that year. Regional and provider-owned plans such as Geisinger's often compete closely with national carriers in their home markets even when they fall short of the 10-state requirement for the national list, giving beneficiaries more top-rated options to compare locally. What it means for beneficiaries and plans. For beneficiaries, the ratings are one input among several. Plan networks, drug formularies, premiums and out-of-pocket costs vary widely by county, and a highly rated company may not offer the best plan in a given area. For insurers, appearing among the best Medicare Advantage companies can be a marketing advantage during open enrollment. Unlike CMS Star Ratings, the U.S. News ratings do not affect federal quality bonus payments, but they shape how consumers and brokers view plan quality as enrollment decisions are made.

DistilInfo
Oct 8th, 2026
Texas launches UnitedHealth Group investigation over denials.

Texas launches UnitedHealth Group investigation over denials. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has opened a UnitedHealth Group investigation into allegations that the company used deceptive and unlawful practices that denied Texans medically necessary care, according to his office's Oct. 5 announcement. The office said it has issued Civil Investigative Demands to the company. The probe adds state-level legal exposure for the country's largest health insurer at a time when it is replacing several senior executives. For providers, the inquiry centers on issues they deal with directly: coverage decisions, authorization practices and the role of insurers in care decisions. [TABLE OF CONTENTS] What the UnitedHealth Group investigation covers. Paxton's office said the demands seek evidence of potential violations of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act and other state laws. The investigation follows reports about how the company administers health benefits and makes coverage decisions, according to the announcement. Among the allegations the office cited are reports that the company gave nursing homes financial incentives to avoid or delay transferring patients to hospitals. The office is also examining whether the company's practices could amount to the unlawful corporate practice of medicine, KLBJ-AM in Austin reported. "Alarming reports keep piling up about how United treats Texas consumers," Paxton said in a statement. Paxton is also a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate. The allegations have not been proven, and the investigation does not establish that the company violated the law. UnitedHealth told Austin television station KXAN it did not have a response to share. Related Texas probe and pending litigation. The inquiry is the second Paxton has announced against a major insurer in recent weeks. His office earlier opened an investigation into Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas and its parent, Health Care Service Corp., over procedures for denying and delaying urgent and medically necessary care and over prior authorization requirements, according to the attorney general's news releases. UnitedHealthcare also faces new private litigation. A proposed class action filed Sept. 30 in U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut alleges the insurer's copay accumulator policy unlawfully stopped crediting drug manufacturer assistance toward a member's deductible and out-of-pocket limit, according to the complaint. Leadership changes at the insurer. The investigation arrives after a series of executive moves at the company in September, most of them announced by the executives on LinkedIn: * Bobby Hunter, previously CEO of government programs at UnitedHealthcare, became president of UnitedHealthcare, he said Sept. 28. * Dan Kueter, who led UnitedHealthcare's commercial business, became chief commercial officer of UnitedHealth Group. * Brandon Cuevas returned from Kaiser Permanente after three years to become CEO of UnitedHealthcare's commercial business, he said Sept. 22. * Jodee Kozlak was named the company's first chief administrative officer, effective Sept. 28, according to published reports. Hunter wrote that he will focus on accelerating the insurer's "modernization agenda" to make health care more connected and easier to navigate. Tim Noel remains CEO of UnitedHealthcare, the company told Reuters, according to Healthcare Brew. The appointments draw largely on company veterans. Hunter joined UnitedHealth Group in 2011 and held a series of Medicare roles before leading government programs, according to published reports. Cuevas spent 14 years at UnitedHealthcare before leaving for Kaiser Permanente, where he was executive vice president for its national health plan. Kueter wrote on LinkedIn that his new role involves working across UnitedHealthcare and Optum to coordinate product development and innovation. What comes next. Civil Investigative Demands are an evidence-gathering step, and the attorney general's office has not announced a lawsuit or a timeline. The company's response to the demands, and any findings from the parallel inquiry into Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas, will indicate how far the state intends to take its review of insurer coverage practices. The outcome of the UnitedHealth Group investigation will fall to a leadership team that has been in place for only a few weeks.

PR Newswire
Sep 30th, 2026
Dr Taejoon Ahn named CEO of Washington Permanente Medical Group, overseeing 1,200 clinicians

Washington Permanente Medical Group has appointed Taejoon Ahn, MD, MPH, as its new CEO and executive medical director, effective 30 September. Dr Ahn will lead the multispeciality medical group, which comprises over 1,200 clinicians caring for more than 550,000 Kaiser Permanente members across Washington state. Dr Ahn brings over 15 years of physician executive experience. He most recently served for 12 years as president of John Muir Medical Group. He succeeds Dorian Reid, MD, who served in an interim capacity since September 2025. WPMG is the independent, physician-owned medical group that provides care exclusively for Kaiser Permanente members in Washington. Dr Ahn will partner with regional president Cynthia Dold to continue delivering integrated care across the state.

Yahoo Finance
Sep 29th, 2026
Kaiser cuts 147 admin jobs across California offices

Kaiser Permanente is laying off 147 business and administrative employees across California in November. The cuts affect 16 locations in Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, Riverside and Alameda counties, with the largest reductions being 72 positions in San Diego and 20 in Pasadena. The Oakland-based non-profit said the layoffs do not include direct patient care staff and will not affect care quality. Kaiser stated it continually evaluates how it organises work to ensure high-quality care remains affordable and accessible. Affected employees will receive support to explore other opportunities within Kaiser, and where appropriate, severance packages and outplacement services. Kaiser employs approximately 180,000 people in California.

HR Trends
Sep 29th, 2026
Major players in the health, wellness and luxury spaces bring on new HR talent in September.

Major players in the health, wellness and luxury spaces bring on new HR talent in September. Healthcare and related industries remain a core driver for hiring this year, and company news releases show that extends to HR as well. Kaiser Permanente. Healthcare provider Kaiser Permanente named Shaun Smith executive vice president and chief people officer on Sept. 9, according to a news release. Smith will lead the organization's HR strategy and operations as well as lead a multiyear effort to strengthen its culture. He joins Kaiser Permanente from NewYork-Presbyterian, where he was a group senior vice president and chief people and culture officer. He will begin in the role on Oct. 12. Lyra Health. Mental healthcare benefits provider Lyra Health named Leslie Riggs CPO effective Sept. 14, the company announced Sept. 2. Riggs is especially well-suited to the role due to "her experience scaling global HR operations, her deep understanding of the connection between organizational performance and workforce wellbeing, and her commitment to our mission," Jennifer Schulz, CEO of Lyra Health, said in a news release. Riggs joined the company from Sketchers, where she led global HR. Halff. Leigh Hollis has been promoted to CPO, infrastructure consulting firm Halff announced Sept. 2. She will support the HR function in her new role while leading Halff's continued focus on project delivery and quality. She joined the firm at the Fort Worth, Texas, office in 2005 and most recently served as senior VP and an operational leader for Halff's Dallas, Frisco and Richardson offices in Texas. Ascensus. Financial services company Ascensus brought Edward Greene on board as chief human resources officer effective Sept. 14, the company announced. He will serve on the executive leadership team and lead the company's human capital strategy, talent development, organizational effectiveness and culture initiatives, Ascensus said. He previously held roles as advisor to the CEO and CHRO at Iron Mountain. He has also held past roles at Surfside Capital Advisors, Voya Financial and Fidelity Investments. Pride Industries. Pride Industries - a nonprofit organization that partners with businesses to provide employment opportunities for people with disabilities - has appointed Kim Mayes senior VP and CPO, the organization announced Sept. 16. She joins from Intel Corp., where she was most recently VP of HR. Mayes brings "a deep commitment to building engaged workplaces," Craig Levra, CEO of Pride, said in a news release. She will focus on driving growth, employee engagement and organizational performance. Exemplar Luxury Group. Gretchen Koback Pursel is CPO for Exemplar Luxury Group - a luxury collective that includes the brands Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and Bergdorf Goodman - effective Monday, according to a news release from the group. She brings a background in the luxury retail, beauty and wellness industries, previously holding CPO roles at Tiffany & Co., The Wella Co. and, most recently, Equinox. Koback Pursel will develop and lead a people strategy that "fosters a culture of performance," according to Exemplar.