Chief Nursing Officer

Initial Posting Date:

09/26/2025

Application Deadline:

02/01/2026

Agency:

Oregon Health Authority

Salary Range:

$12,522 - $19,403

Position Type:

Employee

Position Title:

Chief Nursing Officer

Job Description:

Chief Nursing Officer-Oregon State Hospital (OSH)

We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced, dynamic Chief Nursing Officer to join our leadership team. This is a critically important position for our 750 bed facility that will impact the field of behavioral health for all Oregonian's. If you're an experienced Nursing Administrator and have questions about this role, we invite you to schedule time to discuss the details, application timeline, and selection process with our Recruiter, Barry Lein at [email protected]

Oregon State Hospital, a Joint Commission and CMS certified public psychiatric hospital, provides psychiatric evaluation, diagnosis and treatment for mentally and emotionally ill adult and geriatric populations committed by the Oregon courts as part of the state mental health system. The Oregon State Hospital is the largest division of Oregon Health Authority with approximately 3,000 positions across the hospital, 1,300 of which are in Nursing across two campuses, one in Salem and the other in Junction City. 

The Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) embeds the OSH mission, vision, and values of the organization into their work decisions and models productive and professional behaviors.

OSH Vision: We are a psychiatric hospital that inspires hope, promotes safety, and supports recovery for all.

OSH Mission: to provide therapeutic, evidence-based, patient-centered treatment focusing on recovery and community reintegration, all in a safe environment.

OSH Values

• Humanity
• Equity
• Wellness
• Partnership
• Transparency
• Performance Excellence

Position Overview

The Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) provides executive direction, and leadership in the development of strategies to provide direct patient care and continuously improve care quality.  As a member of the senior leadership team, the CNO is a key participant in strategic planning, program development and evaluation, regulatory compliance activities, and establishment of policies/procedures to guide workplace practices. The CNO is directly accountable for the 24/7/365 delivery of Nursing Services  across both campuses of Oregon State Hospital.

The CNO will engage with inter-disciplinary teams to understand the systems and processes that support patient flow from admission through discharge, with intentional focus on safety, recovery, and compliance. 

Leadership

• Maintain responsibility, accountability and authority for ensuring adherence to professional standards of practice and care in areas of responsibility, establishing policies and procedures to guide practice, measuring and evaluating outcomes and working in collaboration with other disciplines to plan, implement and ensure the delivery of cost effective, therapeutic services.
• Ensure necessary regulatory agency compliance, quality accreditations and adherence to applicable state and federal laws, administrative guidelines and professional standards of practice including, but not limited to, OSBN Nurse Practice Act, American Nursing Association, ANCC certifications, Accrediting/Licensing agencies (CMS, the Joint Commission) ANA Psychiatric Nursing Standards.
• Provide both nursing executive leadership and organizational administration oversight of nursing department operations to ensure the delivery of high-quality care and services to patients in a safe and secure environment. 
• In coordination with OSH Training and Education, provide direction for hospital-based and/or contracted staff, education, development and training programs, including those which qualify students for licensure or certification as a qualified healthcare provider.
• Participate as an active member of the hospital's governing body, quality, nurse and clinical executive councils, as well as patient safety, care of patients and ethics committees.

Fiscal Management

• Develop, review and present budgetary reports relative to areas of responsibility. 
• Monitors expenditures from the current biennium approved budget and consults with the hospital CFO regarding expenditure needs outside the budget. 
• Oversee nursing resource allocation and capacity management through staffing plans and coordination with the OSH Nurse staffing committee.
• Create protocols for the delivery of safe and efficient use of staff to provide direct care. 

Personnel Administration

• Actively participate in recruiting, interviewing, selecting and orienting personnel for key nursing and clinical support department management positions.
• Provide ongoing, consistent performance feedback with direct reports, completing goal setting, performance and position description reviews.

Cultural Responsiveness

• Demonstrate recognition of the value of individual and cultural difference; create a work environment that is respectful and accepting of diversity where talents, abilities and experiences are valued and leveraged.
• Assures that service delivery is provided in a culturally and linguistically responsive manner.
• Pursue personal and professional growth through education and training and participation in relevant professional organizations; pursue education and training related to the impact of systemic racism, elimination of health inequities, and development of diverse and inclusive work environments.

Work Environment

This position’s daily work is performed within a psychiatric hospital environment in the presence of people experiencing or living with mental illness whose behavior may be unpredictable and may act out verbally or physically. The nature of this work will require that you be able to flex hours s when necessary to complete time sensitive projects or ensure the safe and efficient operation of our 24/7/365 operation, traveling from Salem to Junction City on a weekly/bi-weekly basis.

Oregon State Hospital-Who We Are

For a full review of the position description, Chief Nursing Officer

If this opportunity aligns with your strengths, background, and commitment to fostering inclusivity, we encourage you to apply! At the Oregon Health Authority (OHA), we value diversity and encourage applicants from all backgrounds and experiences to help us build a stronger, more equitable future for all. 

Minimum Qualifications

Seven years of management experience; OR four years of management experience and a bachelor's degree in a related field (Nursing, Public Health)

Licensure in Oregon as a Registered Nurse is mandatory for the Chief Nursing Officer role.

*Oregon state government recognizes special assignments, skills, qualifications, or credentials that add value to the state’s workforce. The Chief Nursing Officer position qualifies for:

(l) Education Differential

This differential applies to employees in positions of Supervising Registered Nurse, Nurse Manager (X6241) and Nurse Administrator (as determined by the agency). The differential is not more than 4.75 percent of base pay for a relevant baccalaureate degree, and not more than 9.5 percent of base pay for a relevant master’s degree.

Desired Attributes

• Master’s degree in nursing or related field (MPH, MHA, MBA, etc.) is requested for this role.
• Thorough and complete understanding of regulatory and accreditation requirements such as those from Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), The Joint Commission (TJC), and  licensing boards.
• Knowledge of the principles of organizational development and change management.
• Knowledge of healthcare quality essentials.
• Demonstrated ability to articulate expectations and set care delivery goals in coordination with system initiatives.
• Demonstrated ability to set standards for clinical resource management to meet safety, service and quality goals to assure consistent application across the hospital/organization.
• Highly developed communication skills used for effective consumption of information across a large organization, removal of barriers to creating efficiencies, cross functional alignment, clarity and expectations around shared goals.

How to Apply:

At the time of application, ensure the work history in your applicant profile is up to date, and attach a current copy of your resume and cover letter. Please include in your application (1) a cover letter (2 pages maximum) addressing how you meet the minimum qualifications and desired attributes as appropriate and (2) a resume detailing your lived, learned and professional experience.  

*Failure to provide a resume or cover letter will disqualify you from consideration.

• External Candidates: Visit the State of Oregon job opportunities webpage to submit your application. Be sure to follow all application submission requirements. 
• Internal Candidates: Current State of Oregon employees must apply through the employee Workday login. Be sure to follow all application submission requirements. 
• If you require reasonable accommodation to complete a job application, pre-employment testing, or a job interview or to otherwise participate in the hiring process, please contact: Barry Lein at [email protected]

 After You Apply:  

• Before the job announcement closes, log in to your Workday account to check for pending tasks under “My Applications” and complete them. 
• Remember to check your email (including your junk folder) and Workday inbox for updates on your application. 
• We value our veterans! To ensure the security of your information, kindly follow the instructions for how to submit your Veteran documents for preference found here. Please do not attach your Veterans’ preference documentation in the Resume/CV field of your application.  

Reminders:  

• Your candidate profile and application materials are great opportunities to showcase your interest in the position and highlight your skills and experience. Submissions will be screened for consistency and communication skills, including attention to detail, spelling, and grammar. For more tips and guidance, check out What you need to know to get the job! 
• This announcement is for one, full-time permanent, Chief Nursing Officer- Nursing Administrator 2 classification SR44.
• This is an on-site role. Please check SECTION 4. WORKING CONDITIONS, of the position description linked above to review more details regarding the details surrounding the working conditions.  
• Please download and save a copy of this job announcement and linked position description, as it is not available after the application deadline.
• This is an open competitive opportunity, so anyone interested is welcome to apply. We encourage you to review and follow the instructions for applying carefully.  
• If you require reasonable accommodation to complete a job application, pre-employment testing, or a job interview or to otherwise participate in the hiring process, please contact Barry Lein at [email protected]

Benefits of Joining Our Team 

We offer a workplace that balances productivity with enjoyment; promotes an atmosphere of respect, dedication, and purpose. You will collaborate with a team of smart, experienced and dedicated people with whom you will work and learn. If you are motivated to do something meaningful that changes lives, the Oregon Health Authority is the place for you. We also offer a competitive benefits package including: 

• Excellent medical, vision, and dental benefits package for the employee and qualified family members with a very low monthly out-of-pocket cost. 
• Optional life insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability, deferred compensation savings program, and flexible spending accounts for health care and childcare expenses. 
• Employee benefits include 11 paid holidays, 3 personal business days,  hours of monthly sick leave, and vacation accrual starting at  hours per month. 
• Possible eligibility for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. 
• Membership in the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS)/Oregon Public Service Retirement Plan (OPSRP). 
• Training opportunities that will help grow your career with the State of Oregon. 

Additional Details 

• Employment is contingent upon passing a background check including a criminal records check and a driving records check if applicable that meets OHA criteria at the time of hire and throughout employment. 
• The information in your application will be used to complete an Equal Pay Analysis to determine salary placement upon hire. Visit the Department of Administrative Services Equal Pay Analysis Webpage for more information.  
• The salary listed is the non-PERS qualifying salary range. If the successful candidate is PERS qualifying, the salary range will reflect the additional 6.95%. Review the Classification and Compensation page for more details on the classification. 
• Agency does not offer visa sponsorship. Within three days of hire, applicants will be required to complete I-9 documentation and confirm authorization to work in the United States. OHA will use E-Verify to confirm that you are authorized to work in the United States. If your employment authorization and documentation is contingent on sponsorship now or in the future, you will not meet Agency employment eligibility standards. 

Helpful Links & Resources 

How to Set Job Alerts | Workday Applicant FAQ | Oregon Health Authority | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Veterans Resources  

The Oregon Health Authority is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer, committed to fair employment practices and pay equity for all employees. We do not discriminate based on any protected class—including race, sex, veteran status, disability, age, color, religion, national origin, marital status, or sexual orientation—and we do not screen applicants based on current or past compensation. Salary is determined through a fair review of your education, experience, and training as it relates to the position.  

OHA strives to be an anti-racist organization working to eliminate health inequities in Oregon by 2030.