Assistant Director of Nursing

Lead With Purpose. Help Heroes Heal.

Fire fighters and emergency medical professionals spend their lives responding to trauma, crisis, and emergencies for others. At the IAFF Center of Excellence, we exist to care for them.

We are seeking a compassionate, experienced, and mission-driven Assistant Director of Nursing (RN) to help lead our nursing team at one of the nation’s premier behavioral health treatment centers dedicated exclusively to professional fire service members.

This is more than a nursing leadership position — it’s an opportunity to make a lasting impact on the lives of first responders struggling with PTSD, substance use, depression, anxiety, and other behavioral health challenges.

Why Nurses Choose the IAFF Center of Excellence

At the IAFF Center of Excellence, you’ll work alongside a multidisciplinary team that understands the unique culture, trauma, and resilience of the fire service community. Every day, you’ll help create a safe, healing environment where recovery truly happens.

Our 15-acre campus near Washington, D.C. was thoughtfully designed to promote wellness and recovery, offering a serene setting, state-of-the-art facilities, and a collaborative clinical culture focused on compassionate, evidence-based care.

As part of Advanced Recovery Systems — a nationally recognized, physician-led behavioral healthcare organization — we combine clinical excellence with heart-centered care to help patients reclaim their lives.

About the Role

As the Assistant Director of Nursing (ADON), you’ll play a key leadership role in supporting daily nursing operations while ensuring exceptional patient care, regulatory compliance, and staff support.

You’ll partner closely with the Director of Nursing to lead a high-performing nursing team, mentor staff, coordinate patient care operations, and help maintain the highest standards of safety and clinical quality.

This role is ideal for a nurse leader who thrives in a fast-paced behavioral health environment and values teamwork, accountability, compassion, and service.

What You’ll Do

Clinical & Operational Leadership

• Support day-to-day nursing operations and staffing coordination
• Assist with admissions, discharges, transfers, and continuity of care
• Help ensure safe staffing coverage and operational readiness
• Serve as nursing leadership support during emergencies or critical situations
• Step into the Director of Nursing role when needed

Quality & Compliance

• Conduct infection control and nursing compliance audits
• Monitor medication management processes and regulatory compliance
• Support quality assurance initiatives and nursing procedure reviews
• Ensure timely and accurate documentation within AVATAR systems
• Track labs, outside consultations, and medical transfers

Team Support & Collaboration

• Mentor and support nursing and behavioral health staff
• Partner with interdisciplinary teams to coordinate patient care
• Foster a culture of professionalism, accountability, and compassion
• Build trusting relationships with patients, families, and colleagues

Patient-Centered Care

• Interact directly with patients to ensure high-quality care experiences
• Help create a therapeutic, respectful, and healing environment
• Support specialized recovery programming, including the Vivitrol program

What We’re Looking For

We’re looking for a strong nursing leader who brings:

• Experience in behavioral health, substance use treatment, detox, or psychiatric nursing
• Excellent clinical judgment and organizational skills
• A calm, solution-focused approach under pressure
• Strong communication and leadership abilities
• Compassion for individuals navigating recovery and mental health challenges
• A collaborative mindset and commitment to team success

Why This Work Matters

Our patients are fire fighters, paramedics, and first responders who have spent their careers helping others through unimaginable circumstances. Here, you’ll have the opportunity to help them heal, recover, and return to their lives with hope.

As one alumnus shared:

“The foundation I got from the COE taught me that helping myself first allows me to genuinely help others. It’s about turning our pain into a source of strength.”

If you’re ready to lead with compassion and make a meaningful difference in behavioral healthcare, we’d love to meet you.