Open Rank Clinical Professor and Director of Graduate Clinical Placements - School of Nursing

About the Opportunity

Position Summary

The Director of Graduate Clinical Placements and open rank clinical professor is a 52 week position which provides strategic leadership and operational oversight of clinical education across all graduate nursing programs. This role ensures high-quality clinical learning experiences, compliance with accreditation and regulatory standards, and strong partnerships with clinical agencies. The Director collaborates closely with program directors, faculty, clinical partners, and students to support excellence in clinical education and student outcomes.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Clinical Operations Leadership

• Provide strategic oversight and operational management of clinical education across all graduate nursing programs
• Develop, implement, and evaluate clinical education policies, procedures, and workflows
• Ensure alignment of clinical experiences with program outcomes, competencies, and accreditation standards
• Identify opportunities to improve clinical placement models, efficiency, and student experience
• Assist and oversee specialty-specific clinical tracking systems ('Trackers') for each graduate program area

Preceptor and Clinical Partnership Development

• Secure and maintain an adequate pool of qualified graduate preceptors across all Nurse Practitioner programs
• Cultivate and maintain positive relationships with clinical agencies and preceptors
• Develop strategic partnerships to expand clinical placement capacity
• Implement preceptor recruitment, onboarding, and retention initiatives

Team Collaboration and Supervision

• Maintain collaborative relationships with the clinical placement team, including the operations manager and clinical coordinators
• Support the operations manager and clinical coordinators in their roles related to student onboarding and required documentation
• Work alongside program directors to address student challenges and inquiries
• Collaborate with the Assistant Dean of Clinical Affairs and Assistant Dean of Graduate Programs to support program directors, faculty, students, clinical coordinators, and the Clinical Placement Office (CPO)
• Attend meetings pertinent to the director role in collaboration with the Assistant Dean of Clinical Affairs and broader leadership

Student Support and Issue Resolution

• Provide guidance and support to students regarding clinical placement processes and expectations
• Manage escalation of complex clinical issues involving students, preceptors, or clinical sites
• Address and resolve clinical placement issues in collaboration with faculty and clinical sites

Quality Assurance and Continuous Improvement

• Monitor and ensure compliance with accreditation and regulatory standards (CCNE, ACEN) for clinical education
• Stay current on trends in graduate nursing education and clinical practice
• Evaluate effectiveness of clinical education models and implement evidence-based improvements

Required Qualifications

Education

• Master's degree in nursing required; Doctoral degree (DNP or PhD) strongly preferred
• Current, unrestricted RN license

Experience

• Minimum 5 years of clinical practice experience in advanced practice nursing
• Minimum 3 years of experience in nursing education or clinical education coordination
• Demonstrated experience managing clinical partnerships and preceptor relationships

Skills and Competencies

• Strong leadership, communication, and relationship-building skills
• Ability to manage complex systems and competing priorities
• Collaborative, solutions-focused approach
• Excellent organizational and project management abilities
• Proficiency with clinical placement management systems and technologies
• Knowledge of accreditation standards (CCNE, ACEN) and regulatory requirements

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in multi-campus or large-scale nursing program clinical operations
• Background in nurse practitioner education or advanced practice clinical training
• Experience with clinical education policy development
• Track record of successful preceptor recruitment and retention initiatives

Position Type

Academic

Additional Information

Northeastern University considers factors such as candidate work experience, education and skills when extending an offer.

Northeastern has a comprehensive benefits package for benefit eligible employees. This includes medical, vision, dental, paid time off, tuition assistance, wellness & life, retirement- as well as commuting & transportation. Visit https://hr.northeastern.edu/benefits/ for more information.

All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.