Sr. Program Manager, Clinical Coordinator, School of Nursing and Health Sciences

The Senior Program Manager – Clinical Coordinator combines strategic program management with clinical coordination to support nursing students during their practicum experiences. This position acts as a central liaison among the university, Site Based Learning team, clinical sites, faculty, and students to ensure the successful planning, implementation, and evaluation of nursing practicums. The role is responsible for developing, managing, and maintaining clinical affiliation relationships and partnerships across multiple regions to facilitate scalable and high-quality practicum experiences for nursing students.
This high-visibility position involves regular interaction with internal and external executive leadership, supporting all undergraduate and graduate nursing programs. It ensures alignment with academic standards, regulatory requirements, and workforce needs while fostering collaborative relationships with healthcare organizations, preceptors, and internal stakeholders.
Thriving in a fast-paced environment, the Sr. Program Manager must possess strong communication and relationship-building skills, exercising cross-functional leadership to solve complex challenges. Their ability to drive strategic initiatives ensures that all projects align with organizational goals and promote excellence across the portfolio.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Strategic Planning & Innovation

• Partner with senior leadership to understand and meet regional/national clinical coverage strategies
• Contribute to program ideation and strategic planning for new nursing tracks or expansions.

Partnership Development & Stakeholder Engagement

• Identify and cultivate clinical partnerships with hospitals, outpatient centers, long-term care facilities, and community health organizations.
• Negotiate and manage affiliation agreements, ensuring legal and regulatory compliance across states.
• Collaborate with legal and accreditation teams to finalize agreements and meet board of nursing requirements.
• Maintain ongoing communication with site partners, faculty, and students to support collaboration and issue resolution.
• Participate in steering committees and advisory boards to expand practicum opportunities and strengthen partnerships.
• Represent the university in community forums and maintain awareness of local healthcare needs and trends to inform clinical education strategies.

Clinical Coordination

• Oversee scheduling and placement logistics for licensure track programs in the SoNHS.
• Ensure equitable access to clinical experiences and resolve site-related conflicts or capacity issues.
• Monitor site readiness and student satisfaction through feedback loops and evaluation tools.
• Facilitate student onboarding and orientation to practicum sites.
• Monitor student progress through CAP (Capella Academic Portal), documenting interactions, evaluations, and remediation plans as needed.
• Serve as a liaison between the university and clinical partners, resolving issues related to placement, student performance, or site logistics.
• Address site and student concerns and coordinate site changes when necessary to support program progression.

Data & Compliance Oversight

• Ensure compliance with state board of nursing requirements, including documentation of clinical hours, faculty qualifications, and site evaluations.
• Collaborate with site based learning teams, faculty and site partners to assess student performance and practicum quality.
• Analyze evaluation data to identify trends and areas for improvement in practicum experiences.

Job Skills:

• Strong negotiation and relationship-building abilities.
• Strong organizational and communication skills, serving
• Ability to manage multiple stakeholders and resolve complex issues.
• Proficiency in evaluating clinical competencies and supporting student remediation.
• Experience with project management tools and practicum tracking systems.
• Be proficient in Microsoft Office Suite programs
• Ability to work cross-functionally with academic, operations, legal, and clinical teams.

Work Experience:

• Familiarity with accreditation standards (e.g., CCNE, ACEN, CSWE) and state board regulations required.
• Proven experience in program development, change management, and stakeholder engagement required.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in clinical education, partnership development, or healthcare operations preferred.

Education:

• Doctorate degree preferred.
• Master’s degree in Nursing, Health Administration, or related field required.
• All degrees must be conferred from an institut