Nursing Senior Manager

About DESC

Recognized nationally as an innovator and leader in developing solutions to homelessness, DESC is a social services organization, supportive housing operator, and licensed behavioral health treatment provider focused on meeting the needs of people experiencing long‑term homelessness and living with complex behavioral health and other medical conditions. Approximately 3,000 people are actively receiving services from DESC at any given point in time. DESC operates five shelter/emergency housing programs, 19 permanent supportive housing facilities with over 1,750 units, several hundred additional scattered‑site apartments, and a range of behavioral health services including outpatient mental health and substance use disorder treatment, residential crisis stabilization, street outreach, mobile crisis response, and treatment for opioid use disorder.

About the Role

The Senior Nurse Manager (RN) will oversee nursing services within the ORCA POD Team (Patient Outreach Division) and the Opioid Recovery & Care Access (ORCA) Center. The role provides clinical and administrative direction to nursing supervisors and registered nurses, ensures compliance with state and federal regulations, and collaborates with multidisciplinary teams to deliver comprehensive behavioral health and medication‑assisted treatment services.

Responsibilities

• Direct medical aspects of client care within multidisciplinary teams of social workers, case managers, SUDPs, peer support specialists, psychiatric nurses, physicians, pharmacists, employment specialists, and housing staff.
• Oversee medical aspects of care, including monitoring and administration of medications to meet unique client needs.
• Provide clinical and administrative supervision of nursing staff; establish and maintain practice standards and protocols.
• Ensure compliance with licensing, DEA, Washington State Administrative Code, RCW, Department of Health, and contract requirements.
• Coordinate performance evaluations, maintain confidential supervisory and personnel files.
• Collaborate with ORCA Program Manager, Medical Lead, and nurse supervisors on recruitment, hiring, orientation, training, and supervision of a float pool of nurse practitioners and nurses.
• Establish high‑quality practice standards for all ORCA Center staff and oversee budgets, staffing, and contractual obligations of the ORCA POD team.
• Incorporate an equity framework across ORCA Center operations.
• Supervise crisis care, case management, and nursing services provided by RNs.
• Conduct orientation and training for new nurses; provide client education on treatment, medical and mental health conditions.
• Perform ongoing assessment of mental status, treatment impacts, and side effects.
• Supervise hiring and scheduling of nursing staff, including per diem hours.
• Provide specialized training and consultation to other staff on medical, mental health, and substance use issues.
• Participate in psychiatric consultation, supervision, program meetings, in‑service trainings, clinical reviews, and case conferences.
• Develop and implement psychiatric procedures to ensure consistent clinical care; recommend changes to client care activities.
• Conduct or direct quality assurance and quality improvement activities.
• Maintain compliance with clinical accountability policies, ensure complete clinical records, and participate in quality assurance reviews.
• Follow program research and evaluation procedures.
• Implement recovery‑based services and harm‑reduction principles.
• Maintain knowledge of DESC personnel policies, procedures, and collective bargaining agreement.
• Supervise client assessments for health care needs and coordinate linkage to urgent, primary, and specialty services.
• Advocate for client access to community resources, especially primary health care, and collaborate with community providers for continuity of care.
• Participate in planning and organizing group treatment services.
• Engage in verbal de‑escalation and physical interventions in emergent situations to maintain a safe environment.
• Provide in‑service education to ORCA staff at all levels.
• Work with quality assurance to verify compliance with administrative rules, including patient and records privacy.
• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Registered Nurse, licensed in Washington State and in good standing.
• Two or more years of experience in community‑based behavioral health services providing MOUD and psychiatric care.
• At least one year of leadership and supervision experience in clinical services.
• At least one year of experience developing or overseeing a project or program.
• Experience working with adults experiencing homelessness, mental illness, and/or substance use disorders.
• Interest or experience engaging difficult‑to‑engage clients.
• Ability to pass a Washington State criminal background check.
• Knowledge and endorsement of harm‑reduction strategies.
• Ability and interest in providing MOUD to vulnerable adults.
• Strong communication and coordination skills with diverse staff.