Trauma Program Manager, Registered Nurse

About the role

Homeland Talent Solutions has partnered with a leading healthcare organization in Knoxville, Tennessee, on a newly created Trauma Program Manager position supporting the development and launch of a Level II Trauma Program. This is a unique opportunity for a Trauma Program Manager to build and shape a new program from the ground up rather than step into an established operation. The selected leader will help develop the infrastructure, clinical standards, processes, multidisciplinary relationships, education, performance-improvement framework, and culture needed to establish a sustainable, high-performing trauma program. Working closely with the Chief Nursing Officer, Trauma Medical Director, physician leadership, and key clinical stakeholders, the Trauma Program Manager will play a critical role in preparing the organization for Level II trauma readiness, with a targeted go-live/readiness timeframe of Q1 2028. The initiative has strong executive and system-wide support, engaged physician leadership, and a clear commitment to providing the resources and infrastructure needed for long-term program success.

Responsibilities

• Build and lead the Level II Trauma Program, establishing the governance, infrastructure, policies, processes, standards, workflows, and accountability required for long-term success
• Partner with the Trauma Medical Director and hospital leadership to establish program priorities, evaluate outcomes, and drive continuous improvement in trauma care
• Foster strong multidisciplinary collaboration across Emergency Services, ICU, OR, nursing, trauma surgery, EMS, radiology, anesthesia, ancillary services, and physician and system stakeholders
• Develop and oversee the Trauma Performance Improvement (PI) and patient safety program, including key metrics, case reviews, dashboards, quality initiatives, and processes to identify and close performance gaps
• Lead trauma center designation, verification, regulatory readiness, and ongoing compliance efforts
• Oversee trauma registry operations, ensuring data integrity, accurate reporting, and effective use of trauma data to drive clinical and operational improvements
• Develop and implement trauma-related policies, protocols, clinical pathways, guidelines, and standardized workflows
• Establish education, competency, certification, simulation, and staff-development programs for teams involved in trauma care
• Facilitate trauma committees, multidisciplinary case reviews, and other program-related meetings to promote accountability and continuous improvement
• Strengthen partnerships with EMS and community organizations while supporting injury-prevention and community-outreach initiatives
• Drive organizational readiness for the targeted Q1 2028 launch, including gap assessments, remediation plans, workflow testing, mock surveys, and clinical and operational readiness activities

Requirements

• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) required
• Current, unrestricted Registered Nurse (RN) license in Tennessee, or the ability to obtain and maintain Tennessee licensure
• 3–5 years of relevant clinical nursing experience
• Previous adult trauma experience required
• Demonstrated experience in quality or performance improvement, clinical education, program coordination, and/or nursing leadership
• Working knowledge of trauma systems, American College of Surgeons (ACS) trauma program standards, trauma registry processes, and trauma performance improvement principles
• Master’s degree in Nursing, Healthcare Administration, or a related field, preferred
• Approximately 3–5 years of program management experience, preferred
• Experience developing, expanding, leading, or preparing a trauma program for designation or verification, preferred
• Strong Emergency Department RN leadership experience with significant trauma exposure, preferred
• Pediatric trauma experience, preferred
• Additional trauma-related certifications or specialized training, preferred

Pay

Competitive salary.

Benefits

• Comprehensive benefits package
• Relocation assistance
• Sign-on bonus

Schedule

Monday–Friday, typical management schedule with flexibility based on program