Chief Nursing Officer; CNO Behavioral Health

Position Overview

Tap Healthcare Solutions is seeking an experienced and visionary Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) – Behavioral Health to lead nursing operations for a behavioral health organization in Knoxville, Tennessee
. This executive leadership role is responsible for overseeing all nursing services, ensuring high standards of patient care, regulatory compliance, staff development, and operational excellence within an inpatient behavioral health environment.

This opportunity is ideal for a nursing leader with strong inpatient psychiatric experience and the ability to support a growing behavioral health program. The CNO will collaborate closely with executive leadership, physicians, and multidisciplinary teams to build a strong clinical culture, improve patient outcomes, and support organizational growth initiatives. This position offers competitive compensation ranging from approximately $130,000 to $160,000 annually based on experience and the opportunity to play a key role in a startup behavioral health environment.

• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) required;
  Master's degree in Nursing or Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing strongly preferred
  .
• Minimum of six (6) years of Registered Nurse (RN) experience required
  ; 10+ years preferred
  .
• Minimum of two (2) years of behavioral health nursing experience in an inpatient psychiatric setting required.
• Minimum of three (3) years of progressive nursing leadership or administrative nursing experience required.
• Previous experience as a Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) or Director of Nursing (DON) strongly preferred.
• Nursing leadership experience within a freestanding psychiatric hospital strongly preferred.
• Ability to oversee recruitment, hiring, onboarding, and development of nursing personnel.
• Willingness and ability to provide direct patient care support when needed.

The ideal candidate is a hands-on behavioral health nursing leader with extensive inpatient psychiatric experience and a strong operational leadership background. Experience supporting a startup or newly developed behavioral health program is highly desirable.

Successful candidates will demonstrate the ability to lead through growth and change while building strong clinical teams, fostering staff engagement, and maintaining high standards of patient care and safety within a behavioral health environment.

We are seeking a strategic and collaborative executive leader who can:

• Build and lead high-performing behavioral health nursing teams.
• Support organizational growth and operational development within a startup environment.
• Maintain compliance with behavioral health regulatory and accreditation standards.
• Foster a culture focused on patient safety, clinical quality, and compassionate care.
• Develop strong relationships with physicians, staff, and executive leadership.

Tap Healthcare Solutions partners with healthcare organizations to connect experienced nursing executives with opportunities that support leadership growth and exceptional patient care.

This role provides the opportunity to shape nursing operations within a behavioral health organization while making a meaningful impact on patient outcomes and organizational success.