Director, Wheeler Nurse Leadership Academy

The mission of The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center is to eliminate cancer in Texas, the nation, and the world through outstanding programs that integrate patient care, research and prevention, and through education for undergraduate and graduate students, trainees, professionals, employees and the public.

The Director of the Wheeler Nurse Leadership Academy (WNLA) will lead the development, implementation and scaling of high-impact leadership development programs, services and experiences for oncology nurses across the professional trajectory, as part of the Meyers Institute for Oncology Nursing. The role of the Director is to create the infrastructure for the academy along with overseeing the effective planning, implementation, and evaluation of WNLA and its various leadership development initiatives. This role requires an experienced professional with expertise in program design to create innovative leadership curricula that fosters skill development and supports the growth of nurse leaders at all stages of their careers in conjunction with MD Anderson’s renowned Leadership Institute, institutional strategic plans, as well as operational needs and objectives.  

JOB SPECIFIC COMPETENCIES

•    Serves on the Meyers Institute for Oncology Nursing leadership team and helps to drive Institute and Division of Nursing priorities
•    Oversees the design, development and implementation (including facilitation) of leadership curricula specifically tailored for nursing professionals, from post-residency to advanced leadership roles using the scaffolding of MD Anderson’s Leadership Institute of LEADing Self, LEADing Others, LEADing Teams, and Leading Leaders levels
•    Leads the development and implementation of the Wheeler Nurse Leader Scholar program, serving as the program director for a year-long cohort-based advanced leadership development journey designed to recognize and cultivate exceptional nurse leaders at MD Anderson. This program builds upon prior leadership experiences and prepares nurses to lead with purpose, vision, and impact, through mentorship, national professional involvement, and tailored career development activities.
•    Leads the development and bi-annual revision of learning objectives, participant materials, facilitator guides, curricular blueprints, interactive learning activities, and pre-post course assessment tools for all WNLA programs 
•    Integrates evidence-based practices, research, and contemporary leadership literature and mediums into the curricula
•    Consults with subject matter experts to design, pilot, and implement scenario and skills-based simulation experiences into the leadership program curricula
•    Ensures that the curricula are adaptable to various learning formats (in-person, online, hybrid)
•    Responsible for collaborating with division leaders ensuring alignment with WNLA programs, experiences and services with larger institutional strategic goals, gaining ongoing support from MD Anderson executives for a wholistic variety of initiatives that support institutional priorities
•    Consistently reviews and evaluates feedback of WNLA initiatives, using results to align program outcomes with institutional priorities 
•    Recruit, onboard and evaluate both internal and external reputable leadership training facilitators and partners with them to ensure effective delivery of content 
•    Serves as primary liaison to MD Anderson’s Leadership Institute executive leadership and other education-related programs across MD Anderson.
•    Provides strategic direction on the programming approach through designing and leading a significant growth strategy for WNLA programs for both internal and external audiences, ensuring smooth integration into existing MD Anderson structures and programs, and by allocating resources accordingly 
•    Audits and assures the effective delivery of WNLA programs, events and initiatives 
•    Ensure that emerging trends in nursing leadership and changes in healthcare leadership best practices are included across the curricula with references that demonstrate current contributions in the literature
•    Develop tools and strategies to measure and depict the effectiveness of WNLA initiatives, during programs and after, including participant feedback and through achievement of organizational key performance indicators over time
•    Pursues continuing education and appropriate professional skill development, assessing talent needs of future, to ensure ongoing professional development of departmental staff and strategic alignment with direction of the institution
•    Acts as primary expert on the overall functionality of nurse leadership development in conjunction with the Head of the Meyers Institute for Oncology Nursing, consulting with senior level leaders across the institution to ensure that current and future needs are met
•    Accountable for outcome metrics for WNLA program participation and effectiveness
•    Serves as the manager/ director for all assigned staff, faculty, instructors, and consultants to create a psychologically safe and trusting teaching and learning environment
•    Partners with Leadership Institute Career Development Center to ensure support for nursing career cohort aligned with WNLA goals and objectives
•    Other duties as assigned