Job Description

Requisition No: 873029

Agency: Children and Families

Working Title: CHIEF OF NURSING SERVICES - F/C - 60037998

Pay Plan: SES

Position Number: 60037998

Salary: $3,846.33 Bi-Weekly

Posting Closing Date: 04/07/2026

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The Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) isthe state of Florida’s social services agency. The agency oversees services for child safety, fostering, adoption, domestic violence, adult protective services, refugees, homelessness, mental health, substance abuse, childcare providers, human trafficking and public assistance. The agency’s mission is to work in partnership with local communities to protect the vulnerable, promote strong and economically self-sufficient families, and advance personal and family recovery and resiliency.

Within DCF, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health (SAMH) Program office is recognized as the single state authority for substance abuse and mental health services. The Office of SAMH is statutorily responsible for the planning, evaluation, and implementation of a comprehensive statewide system of care for the prevention, treatment, and recovery of children and adults with serious mental illnesses or substance use disorders.

North Florida Evaluation and Treatment Center (NFETC) is a 216 bed, all male, forensic, mental health rehabilitation facility. The Center is located in northeast Gainesville, Florida on 639 picturesque acres with regular sightings of deer, turkey and other wildlife. NFETC employs a variety of entry level to leadership positions including food service, maintenance, direct care, nurses, counselors, rehab therapists, medical doctors, security, psychiatrists, and psychologists.

NORTH FLORIDA EVALUATION AND TREATMENT FACILITY IS A TOBACCO FREE FACILITY.

TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS POSITION RESPONSES TO THE QUALIFYING QUESTIONS ARE REQUIRED AND MUST BE VERIFIABLE BASED ON YOUR SUBMITTED APPLICATION.

This is a highly responsible and professional position serving as the Chief of Nursing Services - F/C within Nursing Services. The ideal candidate will be a collaborative team player who works seamlessly across all sections within the program office. This role requires the use of independent judgment, a proactive approach to responsibilities, and exceptional attention to detail. If you are driven, organized, and thrive in a fast-paced environment, we encourage you to apply.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities include:

• Will serve as Centers Director of Nurses. Provides direct supervision to unit nurse managers. Chairs the Centers Nursing Management Team and serves on standing and ad-hoc committees, performing related work as required.
• Implements and monitors nursing care standards and performs periodic quality care reviews and writes recommendations regarding nursing deficiencies.
• Participates in multiple ad-hoc projects and initiatives that require the expertise of a psychiatric nurse including legal issues, mortality reviews, high risk resident reviews, TQM projects and other responsibilities as assigned.
• Develops, reviews and revises nursing standards, nursing operating procedures and forms to assure quality nursing care and practice.
• Oversees and participates in nurse recruitment activities.
• Oversees small resident caseload as assigned
• Assures all nursing licenses are current as defined by Florida Statutes.
• Meets quarterly with Hospital Administrator and Executive Leadership Team to address Nursing Performance and issues.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

The Ideal Candidate Will Possess the Ability To:

• Engage cooperatively and professionally with both internal and external stakeholders.
• Manage multiple high-priority projects simultaneously with agility and precision.
• Demonstrate flexibility and the ability to succeed both independently and with minimal direction.
• Understand and align with the vision of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health (SAMH) Program, executing projects, assignments, and policy updates accurately and on time in a fast-paced environment.
• Collaborate effectively within a team while also excelling when working independently.
• Analyze challenges and propose thoughtful, practical solutions to complex problems.
• Conduct thorough research to identify and recommend the most strategic and effective course of action—the best “yes.”

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities required for the position:

• Knowledge of appropriate hospital standards, policies and procedures.
• Knowledge of psychiatric and medical nursing principles, practices and techniques.
• Knowledge of audit procedures and data analysis; knowledge of interviewing techniques.
• Knowledge of the treatment team approach in psychiatric nursing.
• Knowledge of Service Implementation Planning.
• Knowledge of State and Federal nursing standards.
• Knowledge of pharmacology, human anatomy, physiology, and nutrition.
• Knowledge of communicable diseases, immunizations and infection control techniques.
• Knowledge of emergency life saving techniques and principles; knowledge of the unit dose system of administering medication.
• Skill in interpersonal and written communication, including developing policies and procedures.
• Skill in the observation of patients, assessing psychiatric and medical needs, and intervention to meet those needs.
• Ability to function in a consultant and facilitator role.
• Ability to utilize problem solving techniques.
• Ability to understand and monitor compliance with applicable rules, regulations, standards, policies and procedures.
• Ability to provide nursing care to patients with a variety of psychiatric and medical problems.
• Ability to participate in treatment team planning, implementation and evaluation for each patient and therapeutic programs.
• Ability to provide crisis intervention and emergency nursing care.
• Ability to design, develop and evaluate mental health treatment programs.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Licensure as a Registered Professional Nurse in accordance with Florida Statute 464 or eligible to practice nursing in accordance with Florida Administrative Code 210-8.27 or multi-state license under the Enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact (eNLC) and five years of professional nursing supervisor experience.
• Master of Science degree in nursing.

Candidate Profile (application) Requirements:

Candidate Profile (application) must be complete in its entirety.

• Work History - entered with the most recent/current listed first:
• Any and all State of Florida jobs
• Any and all Florida University jobs
• All periods of employment
• Periods of unemployment
• Gaps 3 months or more*
• Education
• Volunteer Experience
• Include supervisor names and phone numbers including current place of employment.
• * Gaps 3 months or more must be addressed – you will need to account for and explain any gaps in employment including unemployment. You can either list these in your application under Period of Employment or attach a word document listing your gaps.
• Experience, education, training, knowledge, skills and/or abilities as well as responses to pre-qualifying questions must be verifiable to meet the minimum qualifications.
• If claiming Right to First Interview, candidate MUST attach a copy of your official layoff letter when applying. This only applies to employees laid off from Career Service positions.

If you experience problems applying online, please call the People First Service Center at (877) 562-7287.

Benefits of Working for the State of Florida:

• Working for the State of Florida is more than a paycheck. The State’s total compensation package for employees features a highly competitive set of employee benefits.
• For a more complete list of benefits, visit www.mybenefits.myflorida.com

DCF EMPLOYMENT DISCLOSURES

US CITIZEN REQUIREMENTOnly US citizens and lawfully authorized alien workers will be hired.

SELECTIVE SERVICE SYSTEM REGISTRATION All selected male candidates born on or after October 1, 1962, will not be eligible for hire or promotion into an authorized position unless they are registered with the Selective Service System (SSS). Verification of Selective Service registration will be conducted prior to hire For more information, please visit the SSS website: http://www.sss.gov

RETIREE NOTICE If you are a retiree of the Florida Retirement System (FRS), please check with the FRS on how your current benefits will be affected if you are re-employed with the State of Florida. Your current retirement benefits may be suspended or voided, and you required to repay all benefits received depending upon the date of your retirement.

BACKGROUND SCREENING It is the policy of the Florida Department of Children and Families that any applicant being considered for employment must successfully complete a State and National criminal history check as a condition of employment before beginning employment, and, if applicable, also be screened in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 435, F.S., and Chapter 408, F.S. No applicant may begin employment until the background screening results are received, reviewed for any disqualifying offenses, and approved by the Agency. Background screening shall include, but not be limited to, fingerprinting for State and Federal criminal records checks through the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and may include local criminal history checks through local law enforcement agencies.

Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center (1-866-663-4735). Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.

The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.