Chief Nursing Officer - Exempt

The Position

The Board of Supervisors have authorized the following future salary increases:

5% on July 1, 2025

CHIEF NURSING OFFICER (VWD2-2025A)

Contra Costa County recognizes that our employees are our strongest and greatest assets.

Contra Costa Health is seeking a dynamic and experienced Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) for Contra Costa Regional Medical Center (CCRMC), a critical leadership role at a time of growth and transformation. The CNO will serve as the executive leader for nursing, responsible for ensuring the highest standards of patient care, clinical quality, and regulatory compliance throughout the hospital and health centers. This is a full-time, executive leadership position based in Martinez, California.

Why Join Contra Costa Health?

Contra Costa Health is the largest county department in Contra Costa County with over 5,100 employees. Our mission is to care for and improve the health of all people in Contra Costa with special attention to those who are most vulnerable to health problems. We provide services through nine operational areas: Behavioral Health, Contra Costa Health Plan, Emergency Medical Services, Environmental Health, Hazardous Materials, Health, Housing & Homeless Services, Public Health, Contra Costa Regional Medical Center & Health Centers and Detention Health

We are looking for someone who is:

• Clinically Experienced who sets a clear direction for nursing services that prioritizes quality, safety, and equitable patient care.
• Skilled in managing operations across hospital and ambulatory care settings with a strong understanding of regulatory requirements, staffing models, union environments, and clinical standards.
• A strategic leader who can drive performance improvement, support evidence-based practice, and align nursing goals with broader hospital objectives.
• Collaborative and people-focused who is skilled in building trust and fostering strong relationships with staff, physicians, hospital leadership, and the community.
• Adaptable and solution-oriented, comfortable leading through change and finding creative approaches to address evolving patient needs and system challenges.

A few reasons why you might love this job:

• Systemwide Impact : Shape the quality of care across Contra Costa Health Services.
• Strategic Leadership: Influence key decisions and drive improvements.
• Support Nursing Excellence : Lead, mentor, and advocate for a strong nursing team.
• Mission-Driven Work: Serve diverse, underserved communities.
• Lead Change: Help modernize systems and improve access during a time of transformation.

A few challenges you might face in this job:

• Staffing Shortages: Recruiting and retaining staff in a competitive market.
• Regulatory Compliance: Adapting to evolving healthcare standards and mandates.
• County Structure & Labor Environment: Navigating a complex county system and working collaboratively within a highly unionized workforce.
• Leading Through Transformation: Providing stability and direction amid systemwide change.

To read the complete job description, please click here .

Typical Tasks

MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Monitors current compliance of Division with Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations (JCAHO) requirements and other applicable laws and regulations, and makes appropriate suggestions for changes in policies and procedures needed to maintain compliance
• Provides, to the CEO or the Director of Health Services or designee and the administrative team, ongoing professional assessment of multiple factors that affect the quality and efficiency of nursing care services in the Division. These factors include, but are not limited to, such realities as skill mix, availability of appropriately skilled nursing staff, staffing plans, patient acuity, recruitment, retention, communication and coordination amongst members of the care giving team, patient care processes, information processing, personnel issues, physical plant issues, documentation, training, utilization of services, management and administrative systems, financing, and changes in medical care standards
• Implements nursing related projects including supervision, management, and direction of subordinates as directed by the Chief Executive Officer of the Hospital and Health Centers or the Director of Health Services or designee.
• In collaboration with the Office of Informatics, implements information management and communication technologies to generate, manage, process, and disseminate nursing data in order to identified quality improvement opportunities.
• Identifies, assigns and supports management staff with external/internal funding opportunities.

Minimum Qualifications

License Required: Possession of a valid license as a Registered Nurse in the state of California.

Applicants are required to attach a copy of their license to their application.

Education: Possession of a Masters Degree from an accredited college or university, with a major in Nursing Administration, Business Administration, or a closely related field.

Experience: Four years of full-time experience in an administrative capacity, with at least two (2) years in an acute care hospital.

All applicants must include official or unofficial college or university transcripts, or a copy of their degree. Applicants who have attended a foreign or non-U.S. accredited university or college must provide proof of education evaluation completed by a service affiliated with the National Association of Credentials Evaluation Services (NACES) with transcripts. All supporting documents must be scanned and attached to the application at the time of submission.

Selection Process

Application Filing: Interested individuals should submit an online application and provide all required documentation to be considered.

Those candidates deemed most qualified will be invited to interview.

This recruitment will remain open, and applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis until the position is filled.

This position is exempted from the merit system and will not follow regular County recruitment and selection procedures. Not all applicants will be invited to participate in the evaluation and interview process.

CONVICTION HISTORY

After you receive a conditional job offer, you will be fingerprinted, and your fingerprints will be sent to the California Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The resulting report of your conviction history (if any) will be used to determine whether the nature of your conviction conflicts with the specific duties and responsibilities of the job for which you have received a conditional job offer. If a conflict exists, you will be asked to present any evidence of rehabilitation that may mitigate the conflict, except when federal or state regulations bar employment in specific circumstances. Having a conviction history does not automatically preclude you from a job with Contra Costa County. If you accept a conditional job offer, the Human Resources department will contact you to schedule a fingerprinting appointment.

DISASTER SERVICE WORKER

All Contra Costa County employees are designated Disaster Service Workers through state and local law. Employment with the County requires the affirmation of a loyalty oath to this effect. Employees are required to complete all Disaster Service Worker-related training as assigned, and to return to work as ordered in the event of an emergency.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

It is the policy of Contra Costa County to consider all applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, ancestry, medical condition, genetic information, military or veteran status, or other protected category under the law.

To find more information on Benefits offered by Contra Costa County, please go to https://www.contracosta.ca.gov/1343/Employee-Benefits

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• Contra Costa County Human Resources Department

• 925-655-2100

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