AVP of Nursing - Cancer Services

Position Title:

Department:

Job Description:

The Associate Vice President (AVP) of Nursing overseeing Cancer services is a senior nursing and operations leader responsible for supporting and advancing clinical operations across the health system. This role provides strategic leadership, operational oversight, and professional nursing direction across multiple campuses and sites of care, ensuring high-quality, patient-centered, and evidence-based care delivery.  

They model the OU Health Way, as evident in their work output and interactions with employees, through living OU Health’s core values of putting Patients First, pursuing Relentless Excellence, showing Integrity, seeking Inclusion for all staff and patients, always Learning, and valuing Teamwork.

Essential Responsibilities

Responsibilities listed in this section are core to the position. Inability to perform these responsibilities with or without an accommodation may result in disqualification from the position.

• Provide senior leadership oversight for nursing and clinical services within the cancer service line across the healthcare system.

• Collaborate across leadership teams to ensure alignment of operational priorities with the cancer program’s strategic plan and the health system’s mission.

• Drive integration of nursing and clinical support services across campuses, reducing variation and promoting standardization of workflows, pathways, and best practices.

• Lead operational readiness and expansion initiatives to support growth, innovation, and clinical research integration across sites.

• Advance nursing professional practice, shared governance, and evidence-based models of care tailored to cancer patients and their families.

• Champion workforce development, succession planning, and leadership pipeline strategies to sustain a highly engaged nursing and clinical team.

• Ensure compliance with regulatory standards, accreditation requirements, and Nursing Excellence principles.

• Serve as a visible leader and role model, fostering a culture of safety, accountability, and excellence in clinical care delivery.

• Lead initiatives to elevate the patient and family experience, embedding patient-centered principles into all aspects of cancer care.

• Partner with quality and safety leaders to monitor and improve clinical outcomes, patient safety metrics, and key quality indicators across the cancer service line.

• Utilize data, benchmarking, and performance dashboards (e.g., NDNQI, Press Ganey, Vizient) to guide decision-making and continuous improvement.

• Collaborate with the College of Nursing, School of Medicine, and research leadership to support the pipeline of oncology nurses, advanced practice providers, and nurse scientists.

• Support clinical trial operations by aligning nursing and operational resources to enhance access, enrollment, and integration of research into patient care.

• Strengthen community relationships and partnerships to advance equitable cancer care across the region.

General Responsibilities

• Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

Education Requirements

• Master’s degree in nursing, healthcare administration, or related field required.

Experience Requirements

• 5 or more years of progressive nursing and operations leadership experience in an academic health system or cancer center, with demonstrated success leading across multiple campuses/sites.

License/Certification/Registration Requirements

• Current Registered Nurse License (RN License issued by the Oklahoma State Board of Nursing), or a current multistate compact Registered Nurse (eNLC) with established residency within 6 months.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities Required

• Expert knowledge of oncology care delivery, clinical research integration, and regulatory/accreditation standards.

• Proven ability to build strong physician, academic, and administrative partnerships.

• Demonstrated success in driving operational efficiency, patient experience, workforce engagement, and clinical outcomes.

• Strategic thinker with ability to execute complex initiatives in a multi-site environment.

• Executive presence with excellent communication, influence, and relationship-building skills.

• Collaborative leader who fosters trust, transparency, and accountability.

• Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and culturally responsive care.

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OU Health is an equal opportunity employer. We offer a comprehensive benefits package, including PTO, 401(k), medical and dental plans, and many more. We know that a total benefits and compensation package, designed to meet your specific needs both inside and outside of the work environment, create peace of mind for you and your family.