Assistant Chief Nursing Officer (ACNO)

Assistant Chief Nursing Officer (ACNO)

Manchester, NH

Employment Type, Schedule, Compensation

• Employment Type: Full-Time, Permanent

• Schedule: Days | No Weekends

• Compensation: Up to $165,000 base salary

• Annual Incentive: Up to 17.5% performance-based bonus

• Reports To: Chief Nursing Officer

Overview

We are seeking an experienced Assistant Chief Nursing Officer (ACNO) to provide executive-level nursing leadership within a large, complex acute care hospital environment.

This role partners closely with the Chief Nursing Officer to advance clinical quality, operational excellence, workforce engagement, and strategic growth initiatives. The ACNO maintains direct operational oversight of multiple inpatient service lines and plays a critical role in succession planning, regulatory readiness, and performance improvement.

This position is ideal for a proven nursing leader with inpatient acute care and Med-Surg leadership experience who is preparing for future Chief Nursing Officer responsibilities.

Responsibilities

Clinical Quality & Safety

• Support enterprise-wide nursing quality, safety, and patient experience initiatives

• Ensure compliance with regulatory, accreditation, and professional practice standards

• Lead performance improvement activities tied to quality metrics, patient outcomes, and risk reduction

• Conduct executive-level rounding with patients, staff, and physicians

Operations & Service Excellence

• Provide operational oversight for assigned inpatient departments and strategic initiatives

• Partner with nursing and interdisciplinary leaders to drive patient-centered care delivery

• Support service recovery efforts and patient experience improvement strategies

• Foster a professional practice environment that supports recruitment, retention, and engagement

People Leadership & Development

• Mentor and develop nursing leaders, promoting autonomy, accountability, and critical thinking

• Collaborate with nursing education teams to assess competency, onboarding, and development needs

• Support leadership succession planning and high-potential talent development

• Maintain strong collaborative relationships with physician and operational leaders

Strategic Growth & Innovation

• Participate in planning and implementation of new clinical services and growth initiatives

• Contribute to capital planning, renovations, and new construction projects as assigned

• Lead or sponsor system-level projects and interdisciplinary workgroups

Required

• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)

• Master’s Degree in Nursing or Nursing Leadership

• Active RN license (compact or eligible for New Hampshire licensure)

• 5+ years of progressive nursing leadership experience in an acute care hospital

• Direct inpatient leadership experience, including Med-Surg or comparable service lines

Preferred

• Experience supporting multi-unit or service-line operations

• Prior Director-level nursing leadership experience

• Demonstrated readiness for executive nursing leadership progression

Compensation & Benefits

• Competitive executive-level base salary

• Annual performance-based incentive opportunity

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision coverage

• Generous paid time off and paid family leave programs

• Robust retirement plan with employer match

• Tuition assistance and advanced education support

• Leadership development and executive growth pathways

Ideal For

• Director-level nursing leaders ready to advance into executive leadership

• ACNOs seeking a stable, high-impact role within a complex acute care environment

• Nursing leaders with strong operational, quality, and people leadership foundations

Keywords 

Assistant Chief Nursing Officer, ACNO, Nursing Executive, Hospital Nursing Leadership, Acute Care Leadership, Med Surg Director, RN Executive Jobs, Nursing Administration

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