Director of Nursing – Skilled Nursing

Call Overview

• Andrea Hunt from Compass (UK-based recruiting firm with US operations) conducted a client call with Ronald, who is approximately one month into a new role
• Primary purpose was to discuss recruiting a Director of Nursing for Lorber, a skilled nursing facility under 80 beds located in Union City, part of a 400-acre campus
• Ronald indicated the facility has struggled with nursing recruitment and is starting the search from scratch after previous candidates did not work out
• Overall sentiment was collaborative and positive, with Ronald expressing appreciation for Compass's vetting approach and commitment to connect with candidates soon
• Call concluded with agreement to move forward; Andrea will send DocuSign terms for Ronald to sign before candidate submissions begin

Discussion Topics

• Role details: Director of Nursing position for Lorber skilled nursing facility, budget range $179,000 to $220,000 with wiggle room, preference for RN but would consider compelling LVN candidate
• Facility context: 400-acre campus with multiple buildings, all under Union City designation; previous director of nursing departed, leaving a gap in leadership and culture
• Culture and leadership challenges: Current culture described as transactional and absent, with fallout among nurses, certified nursing assistants, and medication techs; need for leader who can establish collaborative, approachable culture without instilling fear
• Reporting structure and team: Director would report to SNF Administrator and oversee approximately 4 nurses; VP of Clinical currently standing in to manage operations
• Hard skills and technical requirements: Candidate must understand survey readiness, Medicare billing, be tech-forward and tech-savvy, manage PCC software, and lead clinical teams
• Soft skills emphasis: Chemistry fit is critical; candidate must be approachable to families, communicative, address situations head-on, and understand team culture
• Recruitment challenges and prior efforts: Previous relationships with other recruiters have not been fruitful; internal recruiting through website and LinkedIn sponsorship unsuccessful; HR feedback indicated prior recruiters were not vetting candidates and wasted time
• Interview process: Begins with talent acquisition recruiter manager Robert Coletta, then VP of Clinical Chris G, then Executive Director; informal introductory calls with Ronald and CEO to assess chemistry; tour occurs during Executive Director interview; no licensing issues identified
• Compass recruiting approach: UK-based firm with US operations for couple of years; Andrea has 4+ years recruiting experience in California, heavily Northern California; firm focuses on relationship-based recruiting rather than job board posting; conducts vetting and screening before candidates reach client inbox

Client Needs and Requirements

• Position: Director of Nursing for Lorber skilled nursing facility, RN required (or exceptionally compelling LVN)
• Compensation: Budget range $179,000 to $220,000 with flexibility above that range
• Team leadership: Will oversee approximately 4 nurses and report to SNF Administrator
• Primary pain point: Previous director departed, leaving culture gap; current culture is transactional and absent, with staff fallout among nurses, certified nursing assistants, and medication techs
• Leadership qualities needed: Must establish collaborative, approachable culture; rebuild trust with staff; enable open dialogue with team members; set good standards; avoid instilling fear
• Clinical and technical competencies: Must understand survey readiness, Medicare billing, manage PCC software, navigate technology fairly well, and lead clinical teams effectively
• Soft skills emphasis: Chemistry fit is critical; must be approachable to families, communicative, address situations head-on, understand team culture
• Support structure: VP of Clinical will serve as extension of support; CEO (located north while Ronald is south at Covina) is very present and wants to re-establish collaborative culture; VP of Clinical Quality will be established
• Vetting requirement: Ronald emphasized that candidates must be vetted before reaching his inbox; prior recruiters were not vetting adequately and wasted HR time
• Timeline: Ronald expressed this would be an absolute commitment to connect with somebody soon

Action Items and Next Steps

• Andrea to send DocuSign terms to Ronald for signature; Ronald agreed to sign and return promptly
• Once terms are signed, Compass will green light the search and begin submitting candidates to Ronald's inbox
• Andrea will lead the search with support from colleagues Christian, Karl, and Pete; Ronald is primary point of contact initially, with transition to Robert Coletta for future opportunities
• Compass will conduct full vetting and screening process before candidates reach Ronald; will send resume plus bullet points extracted from candidate conversations
• Ronald to provide feedback and direction on candidates within 24 hours when possible, given clinical role urgency
• For interview coordination: if first interview is virtual, Ronald to send Teams/Zoom/Google Meet link and Andrea will forward to candidate; if in-person, Compass will prep candidate and debrief afterward
• Process will continue through offer stage with coordination between Compass and client
• Compass fee structure: 25% placement fee with rebate period (80% rebate if candidate leaves within 1-2 weeks, 60% for 3-4 weeks, 40% for 5-6 weeks, 20% for 7-8 weeks)