Pediatric Nurse Director Heart Center

Job Description: The Heart Center at Primary Children’s Hospital is a nationally recognized, high acuity, high volume program providing lifesaving care to children and young adults with the most complex congenital and acquired heart disease and serving as the only comprehensive congenital heart program across the Intermountain West. Ranked 12th nationally by U.S. News & World Report in 2025, the Heart Center delivers coordinated, family centered care across the full continuum, from fetal diagnosis to adult congenital and transplant care, supported by more than 60 University of Utah clinicians and over 600 Intermountain Health caregivers. With more than 20 subspecialty programs and among the highest pediatric cardiac volumes in the country, nursing leadership is central to achieving exceptional outcomes, advancing evidence based practice, and ensuring seamless care across inpatient, procedural, ambulatory, and outreach settings. The Nurse Director plays a pivotal role in unifying cardiac clinical operations across Primary Children’s Hospital and the University of Utah, aligning practice, culture, and strategy to deliver integrated, high quality care and improve the lives of children and families across the region. This position provides leadership and operational direction to a designated service line or group of departments at a facility. It involves working with the Chief Nursing Officer and other management to ensure optimal patient care, financial goals, and leadership development. The role has regional accountability or responsibility for multiple departments and typically reports to the Chief Nursing Officer. Job duties are distributed as follows: 20% Tactical (staffing, equipment, employee relations), 50% Operational (budget management, supply acquisition, process improvement, performance evaluations), and 30% Strategic (developing goals, holding employees accountable). Essential Functions Champions the use of available resources to ensure nursing care is efficient, effective, safe, and delivered with compassion, in line with current practice standards. Facilitates collaborative decision-making and upholds professional independence by contributing departmental perspectives to executive decisions and ensuring staff are updated on activities at the executive level. Assists with development, implementation and management of annual capital/operating and personnel (FTE) budget for unit. Provides resources effectively for department managers to meet financial goals of department. Models and fosters an environment of professionalism and employee engagement on the unit. Ensures competent and sufficient number of staff to meet patient care needs, which includes hiring, orientation, retention, and employee satisfaction. Accountable for the implementation of clinical program protocols, and that ongoing monitoring and process improvement occurs to assure goals are achieved. Collaborates with medical director and system colleagues in the development and implementation of clinical program goals. Evaluates staff competency through use of performance reviews and peer reviews. Coordinates performance and compliance with patient safety initiatives, federal, state and other regulatory bodies such as Joint Commission, OSHA, CMS, DOPL, and other unit specific accrediting and certifying bodies. Facilitates use of resources by nursing staff such as nurse practitioners, other expanded role RNs, and other specialty roles. Serves as an exemplary figure for employees within all facets of providing patient care. Monitors and improves patient satisfaction utilizing available service metrics and national benchmarks to develop and implement action plans to achieve desired outcomes. Partners with physicians at the unit level to achieve clinical, operational, and service goals. Supports staff participation in outside community organizations such as volunteer health clinics, health fairs and advisory boards for not-for-profit organizatio ... (truncated, view full listing at source)