General Statement of Duties
The Executive Director is the senior operating leader of the assigned community and is accountable for resident well-being, regulatory compliance, workforce performance, financial stewardship, service quality, and sustainable operations. Working with Home Office Leadership and the community leadership team, the Executive Director translates organizational strategy into reliable daily practice and advances a mission-driven culture of excellence across licensed care and campus services. The Executive Director also serves as the community’s licensed HFA and maintains the credentials required for the role.
Essential Job Functions
- Ensure services are resident-centered, safe, respectful, and responsive to individual needs, preferences, rights, and quality-of-life goals across licensed care and campus programs.
- Maintain visible relationships with residents and families, establish reliable systems for listening and service recovery, and ensure complaints and concerns are investigated, addressed, documented, and trended.
- Partner with nursing, medical, therapy, social services, dining, life enrichment, pastoral care, and other leaders to monitor outcomes, coordinate services, evaluate admissions and transitions, and resolve barriers to high-quality care.
- Operate the community in compliance with the applicable federal, state, and local requirements, professional standards, governing-body direction, organizational policies, licensure conditions, and resident-rights protections.
- Ensure timely identification, protection, escalation, investigation, documentation, and reporting of allegations, incidents, injuries, complaints, suspected crimes, emergencies, and other reportable events; coordinate with clinical, Human Resources, compliance, legal, and regulatory partners as appropriate.
- Maintain continuous survey readiness; lead inspection response and plans of correction; monitor corrective actions for effectiveness and sustainability; and communicate material compliance risks promptly to the VP of Operations and other appropriate Home Office leaders.
- Translate organizational strategy into clear community priorities, annual goals, operating plans, measurable outcomes, and accountable execution across all departments and service lines.
- Lead the community leadership team through structured communication, collaborative decision-making, disciplined follow-through, cross-functional problem solving, and transparent escalation of risks, barriers, and resource needs.
- Oversee buildings, grounds, equipment, information systems, records, contracts, supplies, life safety, security, and other operational resources to support continuity, efficiency, compliance, and a safe environment.
- Build and retain an effective leadership team and workforce through staff strategy, selection, onboarding, development, succession planning, recognition, coaching, performance management, and consistent accountability in partnership with Human Resources.
- Ensure staffing levels, schedules, competencies, training, supervision, and delegated authority are appropriate for resident needs, services provided, regulatory requirements, the community assessment, and budgeted resources.
- Create an environment of psychological safety, teamwork, direct and respectful communication, inclusion, ethical conduct, and shared ownership in which employees understand expectations and feel responsible for outcomes.
- Accountable for the community’s financial performance by monitoring and managing operations within the operating and capital budgets established by Home Office Finance and the CFO.
- Track revenue, census, labor, agency use, overtime, purchasing, accounts receivable, expenses, and budget variances in partnership with Finance, and implement timely corrective action as needed to maintain financial and operational performance.
- Balance resident needs, workforce stability, quality, risk, and financial sustainability when allocating resources; ensure accurate reporting, internal controls, contract oversight, and responsible use of organizational assets.
- Partner with sales, admissions, finance, clinical, and operations leaders to strengthen occupancy, payer mix, service integration, and responsible growth with ensuring the community can safely and competently meet resident needs.
- Lead or actively support the community’s data-driven QAPI, compliance and ethics, infection prevention, and facility-assessment processes; use audits, trends, root-cause analysis, and performance improvement work to achieve sustained results.
- Maintain an all-hazards emergency preparedness program with current plans, communication systems, training, exercises, continuity arrangements, delegations of authority, and after-action improvement in coordination with internal and external partners.
- Represent the community professionally with residents, families, employees, volunteers, governing representatives, regulators, healthcare partners, referral sources, vendors, community agencies, and civic stakeholders; perform other related duties as assigned.
Values and Leadership Expectations
- Grace – Leads with humility, patience, courage, and accountability; listens before responding; handles conflict constructively; and treats mistakes and setbacks as opportunities for learning and improvement.
- Compassion – Keeps resident well-being at the center of decisions, recognizes the needs of employees and families, and responds with empathy, urgency, fairness, and appropriate support.
- Respect – Protects dignity, confidentiality, resident rights, and professional boundaries; values diverse perspectives; communicates directly and professionally; and creates an environment where people feel safe to speak up.
- Leadership – Models ethical judgment, ownership, collaboration, consistency, and evidence-based decision-making; makes timely decisions; develops others; addresses performance and risk promptly; and aligns the community with organizational goals.
Job Qualifications
- Current, unencumbered HFA license in the state of operation; license must remain active and in good standing throughout employment.
- Bachelor’s degree in healthcare leadership, business, public health, gerontology, nursing, or a related field preferred; an equivalent combination of relevant education and executive-level experience may be considered when permitted by law.
- At least three (3) years of progressive leadership experience in skilled nursing, long-term care, senior-living, post-acute care, or a comparable regulated healthcare environment; prior responsibility for multi-department operations and financial performance strongly preferred.
- Demonstrated knowledge of long-term care regulations, resident rights, survey and enforcement processes QAPI, emergency preparedness, workforce leadership, budgeting, reimbursement, risk management, and campus operations.
- Proficiency with financial and operational reporting, electronic health and business systems, Microsoft Office, data analysis, and written and verbal executive communication
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- Ability to interpret laws, regulations, survey guidance, financial statements, contracts, clinical, and operational reports, and organizational policies and translate them into reliable daily practice.
- Ability to define problems, evaluate evidence, assess risk, make timely and sound decisions, lead through ambiguity, and verify whether corrective actions are effective.
- Strong strategic planning, financial management, organization, delegation negotiation, conflict-resolution, presentation, change-management, and relationship-building skills.
- Ability to establish credibility with residents and families, frontline employees, community leaders, medical professionals, regulators, governing representatives, and executive leadership.
Work Schedule and Availability
This executive role requires flexibility to support a 24-hour operation, including occasional evenings, nights, weekends, holidays, travel, and work beyond the regular schedule. The Executive Director must be available for consultation and response during urgent, emergency, survey, or business-continuity situations and may be required to report to the community.
Physical Requirements
The physical requirements described below represent those typically required to perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions, unless doing so would create an undue hardship or direct threat under applicable law.
- Frequently communicates, observes, reads, writes, uses a computer and business systems, and moves throughout the community; regularly alternates among sitting, standing, and walking.
- Occasionally bends, stoops, reaches, climbs stairs, pushes or pulls light equipment, and lifts or carries up to 25 pounds; may assist during an emergency within training and safe-work practices
- Works in office, resident-care, dining, maintenance, and public settings with interruptions, noise, odors, temperature variation, and potential exposure to infectious agents, bodily fluids, chemicals, construction or mechanical hazards, and other healthcare risks; required protective practices and equipment must be used.
- Regular local travel and occasional travel between communities or to meetings, training, and professional events may be required.
Expectations of All Employees
- Support the organization’s mission, vision, values, policies, and commitment resident-centered service.
- Maintain confidentiality and comply with HIPAA and other privacy requirements applicable to the position.
- Complete required education, meetings, and professional development activities.
- Follow infection prevention, safety, emergency preparedness, and other applicable policies and procedures.
- Demonstrate professional conduct, reliable communication, collaboration, and respect in interactions with residents, families, employees, visitors, and partners.
- Perform other duties as assigned consistent with the position’s scope and organizational needs.
Acknowledgement
This job description summarizes the primary duties and expectations of the position. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every responsibility, skill, effort, or working condition associated with the role. Duties may be assigned, modified, or removed based on resident needs, operational requirements, and applicable law. Nothing in this job description alters the at-will employment relationship or creates a contract of employment. I acknowledge that I have reviewed this job description and understand that I am responsible for performing the essential functions of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation, and for complying with organizational policies, professional standards, and applicable laws and regulations.