Chief Nursing Officer
Waterbury Hospital
UConn Health
Waterbury, CT
The Opportunity
UConn Health Waterbury Hospital seeks a highly accomplished Vice President / Chief Nursing Officer to lead nursing during defining period of growth, integration, and organizational transformation.
This is a highly visible opportunity for an experienced nurse executive to strengthen nursing practice, build leadership capacity, advance quality and safety, and establish a modern nursing model at Waterbury that may inform future growth across the UConn Health Community Network.
The Organization
Effective March 1, 2026, Waterbury Hospital transitioned to UConn Health Waterbury Hospital, becoming the first hospital in the UConn Health Community Network. This transition marks a significant new chapter for the hospital, bringing the support of Connecticuts only public academic health system together with Waterburys longstanding community hospital mission.
UConn Health Waterbury Hospital is a community teaching hospital serving the Greater Waterbury region. With approximately 350 beds, a strong medical staff, and more than 1,000 employees, the hospital is investing in clinical infrastructure, capital improvements, technology modernization, and integration with UConn Healths academic, faculty, and nursing resources.
The hospital includes a Level II Trauma Center and serves a broad regional population through emergency, inpatient, outpatient, surgical, and specialty services. Its transition into the UConn Health Community Network creates an important opportunity to strengthen care delivery, expand clinical capability, and build a more integrated model of academic-community care.
The Position
The Vice President / Chief Nursing Officer provides executive leadership for the planning, delivery, and advancement of nursing care across UConn Health Waterbury Hospital. As a visible member of the senior leadership team, the CNO will play a central role in aligning nursing practice with the hospitals mission, operating priorities, and integration with UConn Health.
This executive will establish standards for nursing practice and maintain accountability for nursing services across the hospital, with matrixed responsibility for off-site nursing functions. The CNO is responsible for advancing clinical, operational, workforce, and professional practice performance while aligning nursing with UConn Health standards.
The role requires a leader who can operate strategically and practically. The next CNO must create structure and discipline in daily operations, build the professional practice foundation required for long-term success, and serve as a visible, trusted presence for frontline staff. Equally important, this leader must partner effectively with physicians, administrators, labor leaders, and system leadership to drive measurable progress.
The Region
Waterbury is the fifth largest city in Connecticut and is the home of an estimated 110,360 citizens of diverse ethnic, cultural, and religious backgrounds. Located along the I-84 corridor, our surrounding communities such as Southbury, Woodbury, Middlebury, Watertown, Cheshire, Wolcott, Southington, Prospect, and Naugatuck to name a few, offer wonderful lifestyle options and amenities in thriving family-based communities that provide easy access to New York and Boston, Connecticut's Gold Coast, and the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts.
Compensation
UConn Waterbury is offering a competitive executive package including an anticipated base salary between $250-300k.
Procedure for Candidacy
Interested candidates should submit a curriculum vitae and a letter of interest outlining relevant leadership experience. All inquiries, nominations, and candidate conversations will be handled with the highest level of confidentiality. Please share with Beth Ross of AMN Healthcare using the email address below. To apply, provide recommendations, or request additional information on this opportunity, please contact: beth.ross@amnhealthcare.com.
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