Part-Time Practical Nursing Program Director

Job Type: Part-Time, approximately 15–20 hours per week
Reports To: School Dean
Location: Grand Rapids, Michigan
Start Date: Immediate
Compensation: $50–$55 per hour, commensurate with experience

Position Overview

PES School of Nursing Education is seeking a dynamic, experienced, and confident Practical Nursing (LPN) Program Director to lead and oversee the day-to-day operations of our Practical Nursing program.

The Program Director provides leadership for program operations, faculty oversight, student support and accountability, regulatory compliance, program evaluation, and instructional activities. The ideal candidate will bring strong leadership skills, academic and clinical expertise, sound professional judgment, and a commitment to preparing the next generation of practical nurses.

The Program Director serves as the primary administrative point of contact for Practical Nursing students and faculty and is responsible for routine student, faculty, academic, and program operational matters.

This is a hands-on leadership position. The Program Director will also participate in didactic, laboratory, simulation, and/or clinical instruction within the Practical Nursing program based upon program needs and the Director's qualifications.

The position is initially expected to average approximately 15–20 hours per week, with the potential for increased hours as enrollment and program needs grow.

Key Responsibilities

The Program Director will:

• Oversee the day-to-day operations of the Practical Nursing program and ensure compliance with applicable Michigan Board of Nursing requirements, school policies, and other regulatory standards.
• Serve as the primary administrative contact for routine PN student concerns, academic matters, attendance issues, professionalism concerns, and program-related questions.
• Implement and consistently enforce established school and program policies.
• Participate in student advising, academic counseling, disciplinary processes, and student-performance interventions as appropriate.
• Conduct and appropriately document student counseling and disciplinary meetings.
• Collaborate with the School Dean to develop, evaluate, and update curriculum to meet current nursing education standards, regulatory requirements, program outcomes, and workforce needs.
• Recruit, supervise, mentor, support, and evaluate nursing faculty and instructional staff.
• Provide faculty leadership and promote consistent implementation of program policies, academic standards, and instructional expectations.
• Ensure academic excellence and evaluate program outcomes through ongoing assessment and continuous quality-improvement activities.
• Monitor student academic progression and identify students requiring intervention or additional support.
• Prepare and assist with reports and documentation required for program approval, regulatory compliance, audits, surveys, and other reviews.
• Monitor and maintain appropriate records related to student progression, faculty credentials, instructional activities, and program performance.
• Collaborate with clinical partners to maintain and expand appropriate clinical learning opportunities.
• Coordinate faculty assignments and assist with instructional coverage as needed.
• Participate in faculty meetings and program evaluation activities.
• Represent the Practical Nursing program at appropriate internal and external meetings, advisory meetings, conferences, and regulatory reviews.
• Escalate matters requiring Dean, ownership, legal, regulatory, or executive-level review when appropriate.

Teaching Responsibilities

The Program Director is an active member of the nursing education team and is expected to participate in instruction within the Practical Nursing program.

Teaching responsibilities may include:

• Didactic nursing instruction.
• Nursing skills laboratory instruction.
• Simulation activities.
• Skills demonstrations and competency checkoffs.
• Clinical instruction and supervision.
• Academic remediation and student support.
• Evaluation and grading of student performance.
• Maintaining required instructional, laboratory, simulation, and clinical documentation.

Teaching assignments will be based upon program needs, the Program Director's education and clinical expertise, and applicable regulatory and clinical-site requirements.

Student Management and Chain of Command

The Program Director serves as the primary administrative authority for routine Practical Nursing student matters.

Students are expected to follow the school's established chain of command when addressing questions, concerns, complaints, academic matters, attendance matters, professionalism concerns, or requests for assistance.

The Program Director is expected to independently manage routine student concerns and implement established school policies consistently and professionally.

Routine disagreements with established policies or Program Director decisions are not automatically escalated to the School Dean or ownership.

Matters requiring formal appeal, ownership authority, legal review, regulatory reporting, or significant health or safety intervention will be escalated in accordance with school policy.

Faculty Leadership

The Program Director will:

• Provide leadership and direction to Practical Nursing faculty.
• Promote consistent implementation of curriculum and academic policies.
• Assist faculty with student performance, attendance, professionalism, and conduct concerns.
• Review appropriate instructional and student-performance documentation.
• Facilitate effective communication among faculty members.
• Participate in faculty orientation and professional development.
• Identify faculty staffing and instructional needs and communicate those needs to administration.

Regulatory and Quality Responsibilities

In collaboration with the School Dean, the Program Director will:

• Support continued compliance with Michigan Board of Nursing requirements and other applicable standards.
• Participate in ongoing evaluation of program effectiveness.
• Review student outcomes and other indicators of program performance.
• Participate in curriculum review and evaluation.
• Assist with preparation for regulatory reviews, audits, surveys, and site visits.
• Maintain familiarity with current nursing education standards and applicable regulatory requirements.
• Participate in continuous quality-improvement activities.

Minimum Qualifications

Candidates must:

• Hold a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from an accredited institution.
• Hold a current, unrestricted/unencumbered Registered Nurse license in the State of Michigan.
• Have a minimum of two years of clinical nursing experience, including at least one year in long-term care or an adult medical-surgical setting.
• Possess strong leadership, communication, organizational, documentation, and analytical skills.
• Demonstrate knowledge of standards and regulations applicable to practical nursing education.
• Be comfortable making independent day-to-day program decisions within established school policies.
• Be able to maintain appropriate professional boundaries and address difficult student or faculty situations professionally and consistently.

Preferred Qualifications

• At least one year of teaching experience in a nursing education program.
• Previous experience as a nursing program coordinator, director, nursing faculty member, clinical educator, DON/ADON, staff-development nurse, or other nursing leadership role.
• Experience with curriculum development, regulatory or accreditation processes, and student-performance metrics.
• Familiarity with hybrid or virtual nursing education.
• Experience with simulation-based instruction.
• Proficiency with learning management systems (LMS) and academic technology.
• Experience teaching or supervising practical nursing students.
• Availability to begin immediately or following a brief transition period.

Schedule

This position is initially expected to average approximately 15–20 hours per week.

Hours will vary according to program needs and may include a combination of administrative responsibilities, teaching, laboratory instruction, simulation, student meetings, and clinical instruction.

Some administrative responsibilities may be performed remotely when appropriate; however, regular on-site availability is required.

Hours may increase as enrollment and program needs grow.

Leadership Expectations

The successful candidate will be a confident, professional nursing leader who can balance student support with consistent academic and professional standards.

The Program Director must be comfortable:

• Making independent decisions within established policies and procedures.
• Enforcing policies consistently even when a student disagrees with the outcome.
• Conducting difficult but respectful conversations.
• Addressing student and faculty concerns objectively.
• Maintaining appropriate professional boundaries.
• Documenting academic, conduct, and personnel matters appropriately.
• Supporting student success without compromising program standards.
• Recognizing which matters can be resolved at the Program Director level and which require escalation.

Compensation

$50–$55 per hour, commensurate with education and experience.

This position is initially approximately 15–20 hours per week, with the potential for additional hours as program enrollment and operational needs increase.

Immediate Start

PES School of Nursing Education is seeking a qualified candidate who can assume this position promptly. Immediate availability is strongly preferred.

Applications will be reviewed as received, and the position will remain open until filled.

Pay: From $50.00 per hour

Expected hours: 20.0 per week

Benefits:

• Flexible schedule

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Grand Rapids, MI 49544