Director of Nursing

Position Open Notice Director of Nursing Thatcher, Arizona

Eastern Arizona College’s District Offices are located in Thatcher, Arizona, a beautiful rural area with easy access to arid as well as mountainous recreation. The College is located approximately 125 miles northeast of Tucson and 165 miles southeast of Phoenix. EAC is a comprehensive community college offering five associate degrees across nearly 50 programs of study. Eastern Arizona College is the oldest member of the Arizona Community College system and is fully accredited by The Higher Learning Commission.

The Director of Nursing reports to the Dean of STEM and Health Sciences and serves as the academic and administrative leader of the Nursing Program at Eastern Arizona College. This role provides strategic and operational oversight to ensure program quality, compliance with Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) standards and Arizona State Board of Nursing (AZBN) requirements, continuous improvement, and effective clinical and instructional delivery, and prepares students for entry into the workforce as Registered Nurses.

• Master’s degree in Nursing from an accredited institution.
• Current Arizona Registered Nurse license in good standing or multistate privilege to practice in Arizona.
• Minimum of three (3) years of experience as a registered nurse providing direct patient care.
• Minimum of one (1) academic year of full‑time experience teaching in or administering a nursing education program leading to licensure.
• Experience leading the development, implementation, assessment, and continuous improvement of academic or clinical learning environments.
• Demonstrated administrative, personnel, and budget management experience.
• Strong organizational and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work independently, collaboratively, and with limited supervision.

• Doctoral degree in Nursing, Education, Leadership, or related field.
• Additional relevant nursing or leadership certifications.
• Minimum of five (5) years of nursing experience, including involvement in professional organizations, committee service, and development of community and clinical partnerships.
• Minimum of three (3) years of experience in a higher education setting, preferably at the community college level.
• Experience in academic nursing leadership (e.g., program director, assistant director, department chair, dean, or similar roles).
• Experience with ACEN accreditation, including self‑study, annual reporting, site visits, substantive change, and corrective action processes.
• Experience with Arizona State Board of Nursing (AZBN) program approval, reporting, and regulatory compliance.
• Experience leading initiatives related to NCLEX success, student retention, clinical education, simulation/lab operations, curriculum assessment, or program outcomes improvement.
• Experience supervising full‑time and adjunct faculty, including faculty development, onboarding, workload planning, and evaluation.
• Experience with grant‑funded initiatives, workforce partnerships, program expansion, or transfer and articulation pathways.

The Director of Nursing provides academic and administrative leadership for the Nursing Program in alignment with Eastern Arizona College policies, budget parameters, Arizona State Board of Nursing (AZBN) requirements, Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) standards, and applicable state and federal regulations. The Director supports the mission, vision, and values of the College and models expectations of being Hungry, Humble, and Smart.

• Lead planning, implementation, evaluation, and continuous improvement of the Nursing Program.
• Oversee program operations across classroom, lab, simulation, and clinical settings.
• Develop and implement short‑ and long‑range plans aligned with accreditation standards, workforce demand, enrollment, and student success.
• Make decisions aligned with College policy, budget, accreditation, and institutional priorities.

• Serve as the primary…