Director of Nursing (DON / RN) - Post-Acute & Skilled Nursing Rehabilitation
About the Opportunity
Engaged Headhunters has been retained to recruit an experienced Director of Nursing (DON / RN) for a well-capitalized, high-acuity skilled nursing and short-term post-acute rehabilitation facility in the Richmond, Virginia metro area.
Partnering with a tenured Licensed Nursing Home Administrator (LNHA) and supported by a fully staffed clinical middle-management bench (full-time ADON, MDS Coordinator, and RN Infection Preventionist already in place), you will lead nursing quality, survey readiness, and permanent RN/LPN/CNA retention without being pulled onto the floor to cover routine staffing shifts.
Compensation & Benefits
- Base Compensation: $130,000 to $158,000 annualized base salary
- Performance Bonus: Up to 20% annual bonus paid quarterly on achievable clinical quality, survey, and permanent staffing retention milestones
- Benefits: Comprehensive executive medical, dental, vision, 401(k) match, generous PTO, and AAPACN (DNS-CT) continuing education reimbursement
Core Clinical Leadership Responsibilities
- Clinical Operations & Quality Governance: Direct 24/7 nursing standards across short-term Medicare Part A rehabilitation and long-term care units, leading monthly QAPI committees and clinical root-cause reviews.
- State Survey & CMS Five-Star Stewardship: Maintain continuous survey readiness, lead annual VDH/CMS inspections, and drive Five-Star Quality Measure performance (fall reduction, wound care, and hospital readmission prevention).
- Permanent Nursing Team Retention: Mentor unit managers, charge RNs, LPNs, and CNAs to maintain zero nursing agency dependency and low clinical turnover.
- PDPM & Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Partner daily with the LNHA, MDS Coordinator, and Director of Rehab to align clinical documentation and patient care plans.
Required Qualifications
- Licensure: Active, unencumbered Registered Nurse (RN) license in Virginia or multi-state Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) privilege (BSN preferred; DNS-CT a plus).
- Leadership Experience: 3+ years of proven leadership experience as a Director of Nursing (DON) or 5+ years as an Assistant Director of Nursing (ADON) in a licensed skilled nursing facility (SNF).
- Survey Track Record: Verifiable history of positive state health inspection outcomes and strong CMS Care Compare clinical quality metrics.
Confidential Inquiries
All inquiries are handled confidentially by Engaged Headhunters. Your current employer is never contacted without your explicit permission.
What Happens Next
- Submit your confidential application in under 2 minutes with no account required.
- A recruiter review of your background by Engaged Headhunters happens within 1 to 2 business days.
- We walk through scope, compensation, and the client team before introducing you directly to the hiring organization.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the base compensation for this Director of Nursing role?
Base compensation is $130,000 to $158,000 per year, as stated in the compensation section above.
Is my application confidential?
Yes. All inquiries are handled confidentially by Engaged Headhunters, and your current employer is never contacted without your explicit permission.