Job Description

Nursing Project Manager – Crisis Solutions Center (CDF & CDIS)

Schedule: Mon-Fri, 9am - 5pm with some variable/on-call hours required

Insurance Benefits: Medical (no premiums/payroll deductions for employee coverage), Dental, Life, Long-term Disability

Other Benefits: Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Flexible Spending Account (FSA), ORCA card subsidy, Paid Time Off (34 days per year), Retirement Plan

Please note: This position is being recruited in advance, with the selected candidate expected to begin employment in approximately September 2026.

About DESC:

Recognized nationally as an innovator and leader in developing solutions to homelessness, DESC is a social services organization, supportive housing operator, and licensed behavioral health treatment provider focused on meeting the needs of people experiencing long-term homelessness and living with complex behavioral health and other medical conditions. Approximately 3,000 people are actively receiving services from DESC at any given point in time. Our vision is a community where all people are shown compassion, treated with dignity, and everyone has a safe, stable, and affordable place to call home.

DESC operates five shelter/emergency housing programs,19 permanent supportive housing facilities with over 1,750 units, several hundred additional scattered site apartments, and a range of behavioral health services including outpatient mental health and substance use disorder treatment, residential crisis stabilization, street outreach, mobile crisis response, and treatment for opioid use disorder.

Job Definition:
The Nursing Project Manager provides leadership and operational oversight for all program functions at DESC’s Crisis Diversion Facility (CDF) and Crisis Diversion Interim Services (CDIS), with a focus on integrating medical, nursing, and case management services into cohesive and effective daily operations. Together with the Clinical Project Manager, this role forms a unified leadership team responsible for the overall functioning of the Crisis Solutions Center (CSC). The two Project Managers share accountability for program outcomes, staff coordination, and the delivery of consistent, recovery-oriented, trauma-informed, and harm-reduction–based care.

The Nursing Project Manager ensures that medical and nursing practices are embedded within the larger operational framework of the program and that clinical and case management workflows are fully aligned. In addition to clinical leadership, this position carries shared responsibility for floor operations, staffing, facility coordination, and maintaining a safe and therapeutic environment. The Nursing Project Manager supervises the Nurse Supervisor, may also supervise Clinical Supervisors, and provides coverage supervision for Registered Nurses.

This position reports directly to the Senior Program Manager (SPM) while also receiving supplemental supervision from DESC’s Director of Nursing and collaborating closely with the CSC Senior Medical Lead. The role participates in Nursing Department trainings, retreats, and professional development activities to ensure alignment with agency-wide nursing practice standards. With a broader scope of responsibility than the Clinical Project Manager, this position carries expanded authority over medical and operational systems within the CSC, while serving as an equal partner in shared decision-making and strategic direction for the program’s overall success.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

Program Operations & Supervision

• Provide direct clinical and administrative supervision of the Nurse Supervisor, and as assigned, Registered Nurses and Clinical Supervisors as needed.
• Share oversight of case management services in collaboration with the Clinical Project Manager to ensure that client support plans are fully integrated with nursing and medical services.
• Maintain strong presence on program floors to monitor daily operations, client flow, and staff performance, intervening as needed to support safe and effective service delivery.
• Oversee scheduling, staffing ratios, and coverage to ensure continuous nursing, medical, and integrated case management support across both units.
• Provide on-call support as part of a rotating leadership schedule to ensure continuous after-hours coverage for emergent operational and clinical issues.
• Conduct performance evaluations and maintain supporting documentation in confidential personnel files.
• Train, coach, and mentor nursing and case management staff in crisis intervention, engagement, and integrated care practices.
• Ensure DESC and CSC program values are fully incorporated into all aspects of floor operations, including harm reduction, trauma-informed care, and recovery-oriented practices.

Clinical Accountability & Service Delivery

• Oversee medication management systems, including monitoring and administration of psychiatric medications in a manner consistent with client needs and safety.
• Coordinate interdisciplinary care planning with the Clinical Project Manager to align case management and medical interventions.
• Conduct regular assessments of client medical and psychiatric needs, ensuring appropriate linkage to primary and specialty care.
• Provide client education on medical and psychiatric conditions, treatment options, and recovery strategies.
• Ensure compliance with licensing, DEA, and DOH regulations relevant to medication management and clinical care.
• Participate in clinical reviews, psychiatric consultations, and multidisciplinary case conferences.

Quality Assurance & Compliance

• Monitor adherence to all contract, regulatory, and licensing requirements (HCA, WAC, DOH, King County).
• Lead quality assurance and quality improvement initiatives related to nursing and medical services.
• Coordinate data collection and reporting requirements with DESC’s Information Systems team and funders.
• Implement best practices in integrated behavioral health and medical care.
• Participate in agency-wide Nursing Department trainings, retreats, and initiatives to ensure program alignment with DESC nursing standards.

External Collaboration & Community Relations

• Serve as point person for coordination with external healthcare providers, hospitals, urgent care, and specialty care.
• Represent DESC in community healthcare collaborations, advocating for integrated medical/behavioral health care for CSC clients.
• Maintain collaborative relationships with referral sources, detox facilities, shelters, and emergency medical providers.
• Promote positive relationships with the surrounding neighborhood.

Safety & Crisis Response

• Participate in verbal de-escalation and physical interventions during client crises, modeling calm and confident leadership.
• Ensure nursing and medical staff are trained and competent in crisis response.
• Provide building security as needed and support staff in maintaining a safe and therapeutic environment.
• Respond to medical emergencies as needed, including performing CPR or administering basic first aid until additional medical assistance arrives.

Administrative Responsibilities

• Participate in staff recruitment, hiring, training, and retention efforts.
• Ensure nursing protocols, policies, and workflows are updated and consistently applied.
• Manage operational needs including supply chain, vendor coordination, and medical equipment.
• Maintain compliance with DESC policies, procedures, and collective bargaining agreements.
• Perform other duties as assigned to support the effective operation of CSC.

Requirements

Minimum Qualifications

• RN, ARNP, or other licensed healthcare professional in Washington State, in good standing.
• 2 years of progressive nursing/medical leadership in behavioral health, crisis, or residential care settings.
• Strong knowledge of psychiatric medications, stabilization practices, and crisis intervention.
• Experience supervising nursing staff and managing multidisciplinary teams.
• Knowledge of Recovery Principles, Harm Reduction strategies, and Trauma-Informed Care.
• Experience working with adults experiencing homelessness, severe mental illness, substance use disorders, and co-occurring conditions.
• Ability to work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends, as program needs dictate.
• Ability to pass Washington State Criminal background check.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Nursing or advanced healthcare field.
• Familiarity with WAC and RCW requirements for Residential Treatment Facilities and crisis stabilization programs.
• Bilingual in Spanish/English.
• Bi-cultural background/experience.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee will be required to:

• Sit for extended periods while completing documentation and administrative tasks.
• Walk frequently between program units and complete rounds several times per shift.
• Travel up and down stairs repeatedly throughout the day, as the facility spans two floors without elevators.
• Move quickly during crisis interventions and de-escalations.
• Communicate effectively with staff, clients, and community partners.
• Lift and carry items weighing up to 25 pounds (such as medical supplies, client belongings, and equipment).
• Clean and manage exposure to bodily fluids and other unsanitary conditions as necessary to maintain a safe and sanitary program environment.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER:

DESC is committed to diversity in the workplace and promotes equal employment opportunities for all staff members and applicants. The Agency will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of race, creed, color, sex, gender, sexual orientation, age, national origin, caste, marital status, or the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability in any employment practice, unless based on a bona fide occupational qualification. Minorities and veterans are encouraged to apply.