Senior Director, Nursing Quality & Magnet Program

The Senior Director of Nursing Quality and Magnet Program Director (MPD) is an Institute-wide functional leader accountable for the strategic vision, system-wide integration, and sustained performance of nursing quality and the ANCC Magnet Recognition Program across Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI). This role co-develops and leads the multi-year roadmap in partnership with the Nurse Executive Committee (NEC) for professional nursing practice excellence, aligning with DFCI’s Mission, Vision, Core Values, and the Institute’s Quality and Safety strategy.

The Senior Director drives evidence-based practice, professional governance, workforce development, and exemplary professional practice to deliver top-quartile nurse-sensitive outcomes and an unmatched patient and family experience in oncology.

Partnering closely with the Chief Nursing Officer (CNO), Nursing Executive Council (NEC), Institute Quality and Safety leadership, and interprofessional executives, the Senior Director ensures the integration of Magnet standards, the DFCI Professional Practice Model, and oncology specialty standards across all sites and care settings. This leader advances nursing research and innovation, builds robust analytics and reporting capabilities, and represents DFCI nationally to enhance reputation and influence.

The Senior Director serves as the primary liaison to the ANCC Magnet Program, accountable for initial designations, re-designations, and ongoing readiness, and for embedding an organizational culture of high reliability, safety, equity, and continuous improvement.

Strategic Leadership and Governance

• Set the vision and multi-year strategy for nursing quality, Magnet performance, and professional practice excellence; align goals with the Institute’s strategic plan and the nursing strategic plan.

• Lead system-wide professional governance, optimizing structures, chartering councils, and ensuring strong bidirectional communication and decision-making across nursing and interprofessional teams.

• Partner with the CNO, NEC, and Institute Quality and Safety leadership to develop and execute the annual Nursing Quality and Magnet Advancement Plan, including risk mitigation and readiness strategies.

• Identifies operational risks and key performance indicators; maintains dashboards and drives accountability across functions.

• Provides direction and is accountable across multiple functions with broad organizational impact.

Magnet Program Leadership

• Serve as the organization’s senior executive for the ANCC Magnet Program; oversee gap analyses, documentation, sources of evidence, empirical outcomes, site visit preparation, and post-visit sustainment.

• Ensure integration of Magnet domains (Transformational Leadership; Structural Empowerment; Exemplary Professional Practice; New Knowledge, Innovations, and Improvements) into policies, education, and daily practice.

• Act as the primary liaison to ANCC, leading communications, submissions, and compliance, and representing DFCI at national forums.

Quality, Safety, and Outcomes

• Lead the enterprise Nursing Quality Plan in alignment with Institute priorities; establish targets, dashboards, and accountability mechanisms for nurse-sensitive indicators and oncology-specific outcomes.

• Embed high reliability principles, Just Culture, and evidence-based safety practices (e.g., CLABSI, falls, pressure injuries, chemotherapy safety) to reduce harm and variation.

• Oversee design, deployment, and continuous improvement of real-time analytics, dashboards, and data governance in collaboration with Institute Quality and Safety, Informatics, and Finance.

Evidence-Based Practice, Research, and Innovation

• Build and sustain an infrastructure for nursing EBP, research, and innovation; mentor scholars; support IRB processes; and disseminate outcomes through publications and national presentations.

• Sponsor pilots and system-scale improvements, leveraging human-centered design and Lean methods; evaluate ROI and clinical impact.

Operations, Finance, and Risk

• Assists in budgeting and resource planning for nursing quality and Magnet programs; manage vendors, contracts, and consultative…