Mass General Brigham (MGB) seeks an inaugural system-level Chief Nurse Executive (CNE) to provide strategic leadership for nursing across one of the nation’s largest, most renowned academic health systems. This is a highly consequential enterprise role – responsible for guiding professional nursing practice for more than 15,000 nursing and Patient Care Services employees across MGB. The creation of this role reflects a clear and intentional commitment to ensuring that nursing leadership, expertise, and perspectives are central to shaping the system’s clinical priorities and strategic direction for the future.
As a not-for-profit academic health system, MGB is committed to advancing patient care, research, teaching, and community service. With twelve hospitals, including Harvard teaching hospitals Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH), Mass Eye and Ear, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, McLean Hospital, and seven community hospitals, MGB is a comprehensive, horizontally-integrated health system that also includes a health plan, a large physician network, community health centers, home care, and other health-related entities. MGB is the largest hospital-based research enterprise in the world, with over $2.7 billion in annual research funding.
As the senior-most nursing leader, reporting to the Chief Operating Officer (COO), the CNE will provide executive leadership to the system’s Chief Nursing Officers and unify quality performance, clinical practice, and professional standards for nursing across all MGB entities by partnering closely with the senior leaders, institute leaders, department chairs, and operations executives. As a member of MGB’s Senior Management Committee, the CNE will work side by side with system leaders, elevating the voice of the nursing community within the most senior leadership committee and establishing a clear pathway for nurses to influence decisions that advance their shared mission. The CNE will also work closely with the Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Chief Quality Officer, and Chief Patient Experience Officer to operationalize the high-reliability goals set by the Chief Medical Officer and approved by the President and Chief Executive Officer and the Board of Directors.
The successful CNE will be a seasoned leader with a track record of success at a large, well-respected, complex, high-performing health system and an influential voice in national nursing practice. The CNE will have deep knowledge and experience in nursing practice, care management systems, quality and safety, innovation, and the implementation of best practices. Familiarity with nursing and medical research and a deep understanding of nursing education and development are desirable. This leader will be a skilled, direct communicator and leader committed to driving change and cultivating an environment that promotes retention, professional development, employee satisfaction, and wellness. This highly visible role requires a relational, servant-leadership mindset grounded in mutual respect, transparency, humility, collaboration, and accountability. Ideal candidates will be performance-oriented, operationally adept, innovative leaders passionate about enhancing performance in highly matrixed health system environments.
The base salary range for this position is $750,000-$950,000, along with market-competitive incentive compensation. This compensation level is a good faith determination of anticipated compensation at the time of this job advertisement and may be modified in the future.
Please direct all inquiries, nominations, and applications to the WittKieffer consultants supporting this search: Steve Davis, Kimberly Smith, and Angela Raphael through the WittKieffer Candidate Portal by using the buttons below. For additional information, please contact Angela Raphael at [email protected].