Chief Nursing Officer

The Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) provides strategic, clinical, and operational leadership for all nursing services within the hospital. The role is responsible for ensuring high-quality patient-centered care, professional & compassionate nursing practice, regulatory compliance, workforce excellence, and alignment with the hospital’s strategic objectives. The CNO is a key member of the Senior Leadership Management Team, contributing to organizational planning, patient safety, quality improvement, and service delivery excellence.\n\n### Key Responsibilities\n\n#### Leadership & Governance\n- Provide visible, confident leadership to the nursing department and ensure clear lines of authority.\n- Establish and maintain discipline, accountability, and professional conduct among nursing staff.\n- Prevent parallel decision-making structures and ensure adherence to reporting hierarchy.\n- Ensure evidence-based practice, adherence to clinical protocols, infection prevention standards, and patient safety guidelines.\n- Foster a culture of professionalism, respect, and patient-centered care.\n\n#### Workforce Planning & Development\n- Ensure appropriate staffing levels and optimal skill mix based on patient acuity and workload.\n- Oversee duty rosters and deployment to maintain seamless service delivery.\n- Ensure performance management, appraisal, and accountability systems are implemented consistently.\n- Identify training needs and coordinate continuous professional development, leadership growth, and succession planning.\n- Promote staff engagement, wellbeing, and retention in collaboration with Human Resources.\n- Mentor nursing staff to build confidence, competence, and leadership depth.\n- Promote psychological safety while maintaining professional boundaries.\n\n#### Policy & Clinical Standards\n- Develop, implement, review, and enforce clinical policies, SOPs, and patient safety protocols.\n- Ensure full compliance with hospital standards and regulatory requirements.\n- Champion adherence to nursing best practices across departments.\n\n#### Quality & Patient Experience\n- Lead continuous quality improvement initiatives and risk management within the nursing department.\n- Monitor patient satisfaction, complaints, and service recovery actions related to nursing services.\n- Safeguard the hospital’s value proposition of personalized nursing care.\n\n#### Operational, Financial & Resource Management\n- Oversee efficient utilization of nursing resources, including staffing, consumables, and equipment.\n- Monitor resource allocation, wastage reduction, and productivity across departments.\n- Coordinate with other departments (medical, pharmacy, laboratory, radiology, theatre, and support services) to ensure seamless service delivery.\n- Support implementation and monitoring of the hospital risk register and mitigation actions related to clinical services.\n- Supervise daily ward operations ensuring efficiency, cleanliness, and patient comfort.\n\n### Qualifications & Experience\n- Bachelor’s Degree of Science in Nursing (BSN).\n- Master’s degree in nursing, Healthcare Management, Public Health, or related field (added advantage).\n- Valid Nursing Council of Kenya (NCK) license.\n- Minimum 7–10 years progressive nursing experience, with at least 5 years in senior leadership/management within a hospital setting.\n- Updated BLS and ACLS certification.\n\n### Personal Attributes\n- Strong clinical governance and patient safety expertise.\n- Structured, organized, and systems-driven.\n- Demonstrated strategic leadership and decision-making capability.\n- Excellent financial, operational, and resource management skills.\n- High level communication, stakeholder engagement, and interpersonal competence.\n- Proven ability in team leadership, mentorship, and change management.\n- Sound knowledge of healthcare regulations, accreditation standards, and quality improvement frameworks.\n- Ability to manage crisis, lead under pressure, and drive organisational performance.\n- High integrity, professionalism, and accountability.\n\n### How to Apply\nInterested and qualified candidates should forward their CV, copies of academic certificates, and valid licenses to: using the position as subject of email. Residency requirement - must reside in Nakuru or within reasonable proximity.