Assistant Nurse Manager – Postpartum (Mother-Baby Unit)

Location: Howard University Hospital – Washington, DC
Department: Women & Infant Services

Role Summary

The Assistant Nurse Manager (ANM) – Postpartum (Mother-Baby Unit) is a dedicated Night Shift Leadership role supporting clinical and operational oversight within the Women & Infant Services Department. This role partners with the Nurse Manager to ensure the safe and effective delivery of patient-centered maternal and newborn care during overnight operations.

As the primary nursing leadership presence during night shift, the ANM supports postpartum recovery care, promotes safe newborn transitions, and ensures family-centered, evidence-based care practices. This role ensures staffing optimization, regulatory compliance, and operational stability in a dynamic maternal-newborn environment.

In the absence of the Nurse Manager, the ANM serves in a leadership capacity to ensure continuity of care, staff accountability, and execution of safe and effective patient-centered care.

What You’ll Do

• Provide onsite night shift leadership and oversight for Postpartum (Mother-Baby) operations.
• Align staffing and assignments to patient acuity, census fluctuations, and delivery volume.
• Supervise, coach, and mentor nursing staff; assist with performance evaluations and improvement plans.
• Support recruitment, interviewing, and onboarding of postpartum nursing staff.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory standards and maternal-newborn care guidelines.
• Promote evidence-based maternal-newborn nursing practice.
• Support quality initiatives related to maternal safety, patient experience, breastfeeding support, safe sleep practices, and newborn screening.
• Collaborate with OB providers, pediatric providers, lactation consultants, anesthesia, and ancillary teams.
• Address operational or clinical issues that may impact safe delivery of postpartum and newborn care in real time.
• Report and escalate significant events, near misses, and patient/family concerns in a timely manner.

Required Qualifications

• Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing preferred; must obtain BSN within three (3) years of assuming ANM position if not already obtained.
• Current, active Registered Nurse (RN) license in the District of Columbia.
• Minimum two (2) years clinical experience in Postpartum, Mother-Baby, or related perinatal specialty preferred.
• Minimum one (1) year supervisory or leadership experience required.
• Current BLS certification required.
• Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) certification required.
• National specialty certification (e.g., RNC-MNN or equivalent maternal-newborn certification) within one (1) year of hire.
• Strong knowledge of postpartum recovery, maternal safety protocols, breastfeeding support, and newborn care standards.
• Demonstrated leadership, emotional intelligence, and conflict resolution skills.

About Howard University Hospital

With over 150 years of caring for our community in Washington, DC, Howard University Hospital is a nationally recognized academic medical center committed to advancing maternal and infant health outcomes. The Women & Infant Services Department provides comprehensive obstetric, postpartum, and newborn care focused on safety, equity, and family-centered practices.

As the nation’s only teaching hospital located on the campus of a Historically Black University, we are committed to clinical excellence, health equity, and training the next generation of healthcare leaders.

What We Offer

• Competitive compensation
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Retirement savings plan
• Paid time off and holiday pay
• Tuition reimbursement and professional development support
• Supportive leadership culture rooted in Just Culture principles

Pay + Schedule

Pay Range: $84,680 – $135,488 annually
FLSA Status: Exempt
Schedule: Night Shift – 7:00 PM to 5:30 AM; 10-hour shifts, Monday through Friday. One weekend per month required.

Compliance Statements

Howard University Hospital promotes a Just Culture environment focused on accountability, learning, and patient safety. This culture supports the identification of human error, at-risk behavior, and reckless behavior, with the goal of maintaining safe systems and well-managed behavioral choices.

As a nursing leader, this role is expected to model and uphold Just Culture principles while ensuring adherence to professional standards, regulatory requirements, and organizational policies.

Howard University Hospital is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.

All employment offers are contingent upon successful completion of pre-employment screening, background investigation, and verification of credentials.