Are you a hands-on nursing leader who's ready to step into a role that actually matters — where your decisions shape a community, your team knows your name, and your career has a clear path forward?
Reid & Associates is conducting a search for an Emergency Room Manager / ACNO on behalf of a financially stable Critical Access Hospital on California's Central Coast (Monterey County). This is not a routine management opening. It is a career-defining opportunity for the right clinical leader.
This community hospital — the only one within a 50-mile radius — is seeking a dynamic, clinically current leader to direct its Emergency Department through a significant physical expansion and grow into the Chief Nursing Officer role as part of a deliberate, multi-year succession plan.
The current CNO is executing a transparent, phased retirement over approximately three years. This role is intentionally structured to prepare the right individual for that promotion. If you're looking for a long-term leadership home with real upward trajectory, this is it.
• Lead day-to-day operations of the Emergency Department, Respiratory Therapy, and House Supervisors / Charge RNs
• Direct a major ER remodel and expansion — from 6 beds to 10 treatment spaces — including new workflows, staffing models, and protocols
• Develop specialized clinical programs (Acute Stroke Ready certification, Level IV Trauma designation, and more)
• Maintain personal clinical competency and step in for direct patient care when the team needs it
• Champion patient safety, quality improvement, and regulatory compliance
• Actively engage in CNO succession planning activities
• Active RN licensure (California or compact state eligible)
• BSN or higher (at least one degree must be in Nursing)
• Emergency nursing leadership or management experience, including multi-department oversight
• Experience in a rural or Critical Access Hospital — you understand the culture, the resource constraints, and the mission
• Clinically current and willing to work at the bedside when needed
• Low ego, high adaptability, "whatever it takes" mindset
• Master's degree (MSN, MHA, or MBA) — required prior to CNO transition
• Experience with Respiratory Therapy, house supervisor oversight, or multi-departmental scope
• Program development background (stroke, trauma, STEMI, or similar service line)
• Competitive salary — top of range available for candidates with significant multi-department management experience
• Sign-on bonus available, structured to offset relocation costs
• Comprehensive benefits package
• Compensation depth tied to breadth and quality of leadership experience
WHY CALIFORNIA'S CENTRAL COAST?
This role is based in Southern Monterey County — one of the most beautiful regions in California. You'll have:
• Monterey, Carmel & the coast 45–60 minutes away
• Paso Robles wine country 50 minutes south
• Pinnacles National Park 30 minutes away
• Big Sur about an hour down the coast
• San Francisco accessible in ~2.5 hours
• Year-round sunshine, mild climate, and an outdoor lifestyle that most people only vacation for
The cost of living is considerably more accessible than coastal California metros — your compensation goes further here.
This search is being conducted by Reid & Associates, a healthcare executive search firm with over 20 years of experience placing nursing and clinical leaders in hospitals across the United States.
The name of the hospital and specific location will be shared with qualified candidates during an initial conversation.
Contact Reid & Associates to start a conversation.