Knight Cancer Group - Chief Nursing Executive at Oregon Health & Science University – Portland, Oregon

Knight Cancer Group - Chief Nursing Executive

US-OR-Portland

Requisition ID: 2026-38804
Position Category: Management/Supervisory
Job Type: Unclassified Administrative
Position Type: Regular Full-Time
Posting Department: Knight Cancer Group
Posting Salary Range: Commensurate with education and experience
Posting FTE: 1.00
Posting Schedule: Monday - Friday
Posting Hours: 8:00am - 5:00pm
HR Mission: Central Services
Drug Testable: Yes

Department Overview

The Knight Cancer Group (KCG) Chief Nursing Executive (CNE) is the nursing executive leader responsible for nursing strategy and professional practice for all areas of nursing within KCG. The CNE establishes an environment of professional nursing practice that empowers nurses to provide safe, effective, compassionate, and efficient care and serves as the moral and ethical compass for nursing,. The KCG CNE upholds excellence in the provision of nursing care through ensuring alignment with nursing’s foundational standards of practice including self, professional, and legal regulation.

Under the direction of the KCG CEO and the OHSU CNE, the KCG CNE is accountable for the implementation of a professional practice model which forms the basis for oncology nursing’s philosophy, vision, and strategic direction for the KCG programs. The KCG CNE is a Registered Nurse (RN) who is accountable for operational leadership, human resource management, financial control, and quality improvement for nursing within the entities. The KCG CNE champions initiatives that improve care and protects patients, including ensuring monitoring and reporting quality and safety data, and maintaining regulatory and accreditation standards. The KCG CNE maintains high-level communication and productive relationships with the inter-professional team and leadership across all of OHSU and it’s affiliates. The KCG CNE serves as a catalyst for change within the organization, and at the state and national level, elevating oncology nursing practice nationally and globally.

The KCG CNE’s decisions and actions are based on ethical principles as outlined by the American Nurses Association. The KCG CNE practices in adherence with the American Nurses Association’s (ANA) Nursing Administration: Scope and Standards of Practice for Nurse Administrators, the ANA’s Code of Ethics, the Oregon State Board of Nursing Practice Act, and within the context of the Nurse Executive Competencies developed by the American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE).

Function/Duties of Position

Strategic Planning:

• Formulates oncology nursing’s vision and strategic plan in alignment with the organizational strategic plan and nursing’s vision.
• Drives organizational strategic priorities to include nurse sensitive indicators, and alignment with nursing’s foundational standards of practice.
• Communicates, implements, and evaluates the strategic plan from outpatient, to therapeutic services, to critical care, inpatient care and ancillary services.
• Creates the environment for exemplary patient care by driving organizational and professional excellence to optimal levels.
• Leads the formulation of goals, objectives, and specific strategies related to organizational, nursing and division level priorities.
• Evaluates the stability and achievement of strategic goals, and provides guidance on the next priority strategic initiatives.
• Aligns effectively with nursing peers and leaders across OHSU to advance leading edge care for all served.

Operational Leadership:

• Practices servant leadership with a primary focus on the growth and well-being of KCG’s people and the community.
• Champions patient safety, nursing excellence, quality and professionalism.
• Creates an environment that compels patient/family advocacy and ensures the safety of patients.
• Facilitates the structures that innovate, optimize the systems, processes and resources that are necessary for the provision of patient care.
• Role models interdisciplinary communication and promotes the vision of nursing leadership as both a science and an art.
• Maintains visibility via meeting attendance, newsletters and KCG Town Halls.
• Actively participates as a thought leader and resource in the larger OHSU nursing community.
• Symbolizes professional nursing while representing KCG at the community, regional and national level.
• Inspires creativity and initiative in organizational decision-making.
• Ensures that organizational decisions are consistent with identified nursing principles and values, as well as, the alignment of nursing operations with KCG and health system operational goals and performance.
• Advances the philosophy and structures of shared governance and distributed leadership.
• Effectively influences executive stakeholders and represents nursing at the OHSU Professional Board and other executive committees and the OHSU Board.

Financial Management

• Responsible for the development of financial goals within the nurse strategic plan to support the clinical enterprise strategic plan.
• Sets the direction of the budgeting process for nursing, and articulates business models based on patient care needs, KCG economics broadly, and the financial performance of the KCG enterprise.
• Maintains executive oversight of the planning, acquisition, and allocation of resources.
• Set standards for internal financial controls in alignment with the KCG enterprise.
• Role model and mentor in the analysis of financial data and effective resource utilization.
• Ensures nursing’s achievement of financial performance and productivity targets.
• Develops systems to monitor and measure affordability outcomes.

Workforce Management

• Promotes a culture of collaboration and trust.
• Accomplishes objectives through quality interactions with an inter-dependent network of individuals and teams.
• Promotes evidence-based leadership practices that promote desired behaviors and outcomes.
• Manages performance through progressive development and actions to advance a culture that exemplifies a learning organization.
• Proactively prepares leaders for the next stage in their advancement.
• Develops systems and strategies for progressive leadership development and succession planning.

Performance Improvement

• Influences and implements an organizational quality plan that includes nursing’s vision and nurse sensitive metrics.
• Maintains oversight for developing communication strategies to connect system, hospital and nursing initiatives.
• Serves as a catalyst for change and sets the vision for developing organizational capacity for change.
• Develops leaders’ capacity in change, innovation, quality improvement and research.
• Drives organizational systems to encourage a culture of prompt reporting of real and potential risks.

Professionalism

• Serves as the moral and ethical compass for nursing.
• Communicates a strong vision and a well-articulated philosophy, and the professional practice model.
• Fosters the creation of the professional practice work environment where all staff members practice to their fullest ability and at the top of their license.
• Assures the systems and infrastructures that support others in meeting
  operational and professional responsibilities.
• Promotes programs that recognize or inspire nursing practice excellence.
• Appropriates leadership roles within professional nursing organizations, the community, and bodies that shape health care policies and practices.
• Advances skills and knowledge in areas of responsibility including the arts and science of nursing, change in healthcare systems, and application of emerging technologies.
• Advances excellence by communicating a clear and consistent message about the expectations for role and standards-based practice.
• Leads the utilization, conduct, and dissemination of research.
• Engages in informal and formal processes of giving and seeking feedback regarding role performance from individuals, professional colleagues, representatives, administrators, and others.

Required Qualifications

• Master’s Degree or higher degree in nursing.
• Eight years of progressive nursing leadership experience in complex healthcare organizations and 2 years’ experience as a CNO experience.
• Oncology Nursing leadership
• Excellent communication skills, teamwork (demonstrated ability to coordinate team and integrate existing teams), and experience in complex organizational environments.
• Demonstrated ability to accomplish goals and objectives.
• Demonstrated effective communication, interpersonal and conflict resolution skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in unionized environment while maintaining positive labor relations
• Demonstrated organizational skills.
• Demonstrated problem-solving skills.
• Demonstrated leadership skills.
• Demonstrated fiscal budgetary skills
• Proficiency in using word processing, computational spreadsheet (e.g., Excel), and presentation software.
• Professional certification in nursing leadership-Nurse Executive/Administrator within 2 years of assuming the role.
• Unencumbered Oregon RN license
• BLS for healthcare provider
• Ability to perform the job duties with or without accommodation.

Preferred Qualifications

• Doctorate degree in nursing or related field.
• Previous CNO experience in an academic medical center
• Previous experience in an NCI designated cancer center
• Professional certification in nursing leadership-Nurse Executive/Administrator

Additional Details

• Requires prioritization of multiple projects, activities, and assignments.
• Frequent interruptions in an environment of frequent change and fluctuations.
• May be exposed to excessive auditory and visual stimulation.
• Accepts 24/7 accountability and responsibility.
• Required to attend out of town conferences according to hospital travel and reimbursement policies.
• Subject to computer work for several hours, as needed.
• Exercises the ability to implement a flexible work schedule to meet operational needs and to create a work-life balance.