Program Director for Nursing

Are you interested in building a career that makes a difference and creates a legacy? Parker University, the fourth-fastest growing college in Texas and the fastest-growing college in Dallas, is currently searching for a Program Director for Nursing to join our rapidly expanding team! We are seeking individuals who desire to use their unique skills to innovate and make an impact.

The Program Director of Nursing provides academic, administrative, and strategic leadership for Parker University’s Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) and RN-to-BSN programs. The Director is responsible for program quality, regulatory and accreditation readiness, curriculum oversight, faculty leadership, student success, clinical education, assessment, resource management, and continuous improvement. The position promotes a culture of academic excellence, integrity, student-centered service, collaboration, and accountability while ensuring that nursing education is responsive to workforce needs and professional standards. The Program Director will be responsible for providing leadership in the development of goals and quality instruction within the program and to direct the educational activities and to develop and manage the approved curriculum, learning resources, and design teaching schedule.

WHAT YOU WILL BE DOING:

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Leadership and Management:

• Develop all aspects of the programs including, but not limited to curriculum, budget, accreditation, compliance with local and federal laws/regulation, marketing strategies, admissions criteria, etc.
• Provide overall leadership and day-to-day administration for the ADN and RN-to-BSN programs, ensuring alignment with University mission, policies, strategic priorities, and academic standards.
• Develop and implement program goals, operating plans, policies, procedures, and improvement initiatives in collaboration with academic leadership and faculty.
• Prepare and manage program budgets; recommend staffing, equipment, technology, simulation, laboratory, library, and other instructional resources.
• Maintain accurate program records, reports, schedules, faculty assignments, committee documentation, and required regulatory/accreditation evidence.
• Participate in University governance, committees, planning activities, recruitment initiatives, and other institutional responsibilities as assigned.
• Manage and administer the program, including planning, evaluation, budgeting, selection of Faculty/Instructor and staff, maintenance of accreditation, and commitment to strategies for professional development.
• Supervise the activities of the department Faculty/Instructor and staff.
• Oversee Instructor performance to maintain teaching effectiveness.
• Recruiting and retaining students through graduation.

Curricular Management:

• Develop and maintain a functional curriculum according to approved design.  Evaluate course content and review new texts. Collaborate with administration in the design and implementation of the program.
• Coordinate the clinical and didactic education for the program. Ensure clinical education is effective and in collaboration with the coordinator, revise the clinical education plan as needed.
• Developing clinical/professional affiliations, monitoring students at clinic/professional sites, and directing clinical affiliations.

Assessment and Planning:

• Determine, establish, and implement department goals.
• Develop and manage the program budget and expenditures. 
• Review student success rates by class and implement plan to reduce student withdrawals. Assist with the development of strategies to ensure student success.

Accreditation and Compliance:

• Maintain program compliance with applicable Texas Board of Nursing requirements, Texas higher-education requirements, institutional accreditation expectations, and applicable nursing programmatic accreditation standards.
• Lead preparation of self-studies, substantive change materials, annual reports, surveys, site visits, responses, and other documents required by regulatory and accrediting bodies.
• Monitor changes in nursing education standards, laws, rules, and professional expectations; communicate changes and implement appropriate program revisions.
• Ensure clinical education, student records, faculty qualifications, curriculum, assessment, and program operations meet applicable regulatory and accreditation requirements.
• Assist in submission of required fees and supporting documentation, graduation reports, licensing and certification results, and placement statistics for the program.
• Maintain full compliance with accreditation criteria.  Ensure continuing accreditation through the appropriate authorities. Communicate results of annual and interim report.
• In coordination with relevant University offices and/or personnel, ensure that Parker adheres to industry standards in regulatory compliance in the following areas.        
  • Classroom and laboratory management.
  • Policies and procedures affecting students.
  • Policies and procedures affecting faculty/employees

Curriculum and Academic Quality

• Lead curriculum development, evaluation, revision, and sequencing for pre-licensure ADN and post-licensure RN-to-BSN education.
• Ensure course and program learning outcomes are current, measurable, appropriately leveled, and aligned with professional nursing competencies and institutional outcomes.
• Coordinate systematic program evaluation, including analysis of student learning, retention, completion, licensure performance, graduate outcomes, employer feedback, and other key performance indicators.
• Use assessment findings and benchmark data to develop, document, implement, and evaluate continuous quality improvement plans.
• Promote evidence-based teaching, clinical judgment, simulation, interprofessional education, informatics, quality and safety, and contemporary nursing practice across the curriculum.

Faculty Leadership and Development

• Recruit, orient, supervise, mentor, evaluate, and retain qualified full-time and adjunct nursing faculty in accordance with University and regulatory requirements.
• Develop faculty teaching and clinical assignments that support program needs, workload expectations, continuity, and student success.
• Provide ongoing faculty development related to pedagogy, simulation, clinical evaluation, assessment, technology, accreditation, and professional nursing education.
• Conduct regular faculty meetings and promote shared governance, collegial decision-making, professional accountability, and consistent implementation of program policies.

Student Success and Academic Operations

• Collaborate with Admissions, Registrar, Financial Aid, Student Affairs, advising, and other departments to support effective recruitment, admission, progression, graduation, and retention processes.
• Ensure nursing admission, progression, readmission, dismissal, grievance, and graduation requirements are clearly communicated and consistently applied.
• Monitor student academic and clinical performance and coordinate timely interventions, remediation, advising, and referrals when appropriate.
• Promote an inclusive, respectful learning environment and maintain appropriate professional and ethical boundaries with students.
• Ensure student concerns and complaints are addressed promptly, fairly, professionally, and in accordance with University policy.
• Clinical Education and Community Partnerships
• Provide oversight of clinical education for the ADN program, including clinical site development, affiliation needs, faculty/preceptor requirements, student placement, and evaluation processes.
• Establish and maintain productive relationships with hospitals, health systems, community agencies, and other healthcare partners throughout Dallas-Fort Worth and surrounding communities.
• Ensure clinical experiences provide appropriate breadth, quality, supervision, safety, and opportunities to achieve program outcomes.
• Collaborate with clinical partners and advisory groups to assess workforce needs and maintain curriculum relevance.

Licensure, Outcomes, and Program Effectiveness

• Monitor and evaluate ADN graduate readiness for the NCLEX-RN examination and implement evidence-based strategies to support first-time licensure success.
• Track and report required program outcomes, including licensure pass rates, completion, retention, employment, student achievement, and other regulatory or accreditation metrics.
• Develop corrective or improvement plans when outcomes fall below established benchmarks and monitor the effectiveness of implemented actions.

Teaching and Professional Service

• Teach nursing courses, laboratories, simulation, or clinical experiences as needed and appropriate to qualifications and administrative workload.
• Maintain professional competence and engagement through continuing education, scholarship, professional organizations, service, and/or nursing practice as appropriate.
• Represent Parker University professionally with students, employees, healthcare partners, regulatory bodies, accrediting organizations, and the broader community.
• Perform other duties consistent with the scope and responsibilities of the position as assigned.
• Fulfil faculty responsibilities for course management and student interaction, professionalism and scholarly activity.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

EDUCATION/EXPERTISE:

• Master’s degree or Doctorate (preferred) from an institution that is accredited by a regional or national accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) or bachelor’s degree and equivalent in training, ability, and/or experience.
• Must be certified/licensed in the State of Texas or the ability to become licensed in the State of Texas in respective discipline (programmatic requirements may vary).
• Must have five (5) years of experience administrative or supervisory experience.
• Experience leading both pre-licensure and RN-completion nursing programs.

• Experience with nursing program approval, accreditation, self-study development, site visits, and continuous quality improvement.
• Experience with simulation-based education, online/hybrid education, learning management systems, and contemporary educational technologies.
• Experience developing clinical partnerships and working with healthcare employers in the Dallas-Fort Worth region.

• Minimum one (1) year of experience in a full-time academic appointment with teaching responsibilities.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Ability to conduct normal classroom and lab courses. This may include lifting, pulling, bending and squatting.
• Visual acuity to use a keyboard and view a computer terminal.  Requires good hand-eye coordination, arm, hand and finger dexterity, including ability to grasp.
• May require ordinary ambulatory skills sufficient to visit other locations; or the ability to stand and walk.
• Ability to occasionally lift, carry and/or move light to medium weight up to twenty-five (25) pounds and/or exert up to twenty-five (25) pounds of force.

Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

JOB REQUIREMENTS/SKILLS/ETC:

• Ability to read, understand, interpret, and implement accreditation criteria and state agency regulations.
• Ability to resolve inquiries and complaints from employees, students, regulatory agencies, or members of the academic community.
• Ability to effectively present information to faculty, academic and campus leaders, corporate leaders, and public groups.
• Proficient with the use of standard office applications on personal computers.
• Other requirements specific to the discipline.

WHY PARKER?

Founded in 1982 by Dr. James William Parker, Parker University has more than 1,800 students and 34 academic programs. Parker University proudly offers its famed Doctor of Chiropractic degree and Business and Technology and Health Sciences programs.

Parker University has been recognized as a Great College to Work For and one of the 25 Fastest-Growing Colleges in the U.S.

Parker University offers competitive salaries, generous benefits, and the opportunity to engage with our unique campus community.