BH Director of Nursing

About the role

We are hiring for: BH Director of Nursing

Type: Regular

If you are a positive and personable individual looking for a satisfying and fun opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of people with intellectual, developmental disabilities, and people facing mental health, and substance use challenges, join our team at RHA Health Services!

The Behavioral Health Director of Nursing provides strategic and operational leadership for all nursing services across Behavioral Health programs, including Facility-Based Crisis (FBC), Behavioral Health Urgent Care (BHUC), Assertive Community Treatment (ACT), outpatient services, and other community-based behavioral health programs.

This role ensures delivery of high-quality, safe, evidence-based nursing care in compliance with federal, state, and local regulations, accreditation standards, and best practice guidelines. The Director establishes nursing practice standards, oversees clinical quality and risk management, supports workforce development, and partners with Behavioral Health operations leadership to advance clinical excellence and person-centered care.

The Behavioral Health Director of Nursing promotes integrated care models addressing mental health and substance use treatment needs and ensures nursing services support stabilization, recovery, safety, and continuity of care.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Direct the overall operation of Behavioral Health nursing services in accordance with current federal, state, and local standards, accreditation requirements, and organizational policies.
• Develop and implement nursing policies, procedures, and clinical protocols specific to Behavioral Health services.
• Ensure safe medication administration practices, controlled substance oversight, and medication reconciliation processes.
• Partner with medical providers, psychiatrists, therapists, and program leadership to support integrated, team-based care.
• Oversee nursing involvement in crisis stabilization, de-escalation, withdrawal management support, and psychiatric symptom monitoring.
• Monitor clinical quality indicators, infection control practices, and incident trends.
• Support implementation of evidence-based Behavioral Health nursing practices.
• Participate in program development and expansion planning.
• Serve as nursing representative in regulatory surveys, audits, and accreditation reviews.
• Ensure documentation standards meet regulatory and payer requirements.
• Support risk mitigation strategies and patient safety initiatives.
• Develop nursing leadership succession planning within Behavioral Health services.
• Establishing nursing standards of practice across Behavioral Health programs
• Providing clinical oversight, mentorship, and leadership development
• Reviewing staffing models to ensure safe and appropriate nurse-to-client ratios
• Oversight of medication management practices and protocols
• Ensuring compliance with Behavioral Health licensing and regulatory requirements
• Supporting recruitment, onboarding, training, and performance management
• Conducting performance evaluations and corrective action when necessary
• Promoting a culture of safety, accountability, and continuous improvement
• Leading quality improvement initiatives and participating in sentinel event reviews

Supervisory Responsibilities

The Behavioral Health Director of Nursing provides direct and indirect oversight of all nursing staff within Behavioral Health services, including but not limited to:

• Registered Nurses (RNs) assigned to:
• Facility-Based Crisis (FBC)
• Behavioral Health Urgent Care (BHUC)
• Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) Teams
• Outpatient and Community-Based Behavioral Health Programs
• Office-Based RNs
• Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs)
• Nurse Supervisors and Nurse Managers (where applicable)

Minimum Qualifications

• Master’s degree (M.S. or MSN) in Nursing from an accredited university preferred.
• Active, unencumbered Registered Nurse (RN) license in North Carolina.
• Minimum of 5–7 years progressive nursing leadership experience.
• Experience in Behavioral Health settings strongly preferred (mental health, substance use treatment, crisis services, community-based psychiatric care).
• Experience with multi-site or multi-program leadership preferred.
• Strong understanding of psychiatric nursing, crisis stabilization, substance use treatment principles, and trauma-informed care.
• Knowledge of Behavioral Health regulatory requirements and licensing standards.
• Ability to effectively communicate with multidisciplinary teams, government officials, accrediting bodies, and executive leadership.
• Ability to present information clearly in group settings and respond to complex clinical questions.
• Ability to interpret clinical data, quality metrics, and financial statements.
• Strong reasoning and decision-making skills in high-risk clinical environments.
• Experience developing policies, procedures, and standardized clinical workflows.
• Ability to balance compliance requirements with person-centered, recovery-oriented care.

Physical Demands and Work Environment

• Regularly required to lift 30 lbs.
• Must be able to lift a minimum of 40 lbs.
• Must be able to pull a minimum of 25 lbs.
• Must be able to squat, kneel, crawl, crouch, climb, and stoop.
• Must be able to regularly use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls.
• Required to regularly stand and walk.
• Must be able to demonstrate proficiency in CPR from the floor level requiring to work on hands, knees, bending, standing, and lifting.
• Vision requirements include close vision, distance vision, and peripheral vision.

Pre-employment screening

• Complete criminal background
• Name checked in the registries. (OIG exclusions database, Child Abuse Registry, and Offenders Against Individuals with Developmental Disabilities)
• Drug testing
• Education verification and other credentialing based on position requirements.
• Proof of employment history or references (if required)
• Positions that require driving Proof of driver's license, driver's insurance, and vehicle, IF required for providing transportation for individuals.

We offer the following benefits to employees

• Payactiv: early access to the money you’ve earned from hours you’ve already worked, before payday!
• Employee perks and discount program: to help you save money!
• Paid Time Off (full-time employees only)
• Health/Insurance (full-time employees only)
• 401(k) retirement savings program
• Wellbeing Programs: Physical, Emotional and Financial
• Chronic Disease management programs for hypertension and diabetes (for qualifying employees)
• Training: Free CPR, first aid, and job-specific training opportunities

*contract/contingent workers and interns do not qualify for any of the above benefits