Nurse Manager and Clinical Manager Recruitment in Canada
Nurse manager search, built around your unit and your team. Good managers hold a unit together. We help hospitals, care homes and community providers find nurse leaders, and we help nurse leaders explore new roles in confidence.
- Free for candidates. Always.
- Licences verified with the regulator
- Every province and territory except Quebec
Titles vary. The responsibility is the same
You may see Nurse Manager, Unit Manager, Patient Care Manager, Clinical Manager, Manager of Clinical Operations or Program Manager. Charge nurses and team leads usually sit below the manager level.
People
Hiring, scheduling, coaching, performance, and day to day staffing, including how and when agency or relief staff are used.
Care quality
Standards of practice, incident follow up, infection prevention and control, patient and family experience, and accreditation readiness.
Resources
Operating budget, overtime and sick time, supplies, and working with collective agreements where the team is unionized.
Where we place nurse managers
Manager titles and scope are defined by each employer, not set in provincial law. We match the search to the setting.
Hospitals
Medical, surgical, emergency, critical care, perioperative and maternal units.
Hospital staffingLong-term care
Neighbourhood or unit managers.
Long-term care staffingHome and community care
Clinical managers and program managers.
Home and community care staffingAmbulatory clinics and diagnostics
Clinic and program leadership.
Ambulatory clinic staffingHow a nurse manager search works
Four steps, from the first briefing to the offer.
- Role briefingUnit profile, team size, reporting line, union status, scope and what success looks like in the first year.
- Outreach and screeningWe approach leaders directly and review experience against the role, including specialty and leadership scope.
- VerificationWe confirm registration with the provincial nursing regulator and check references with the candidate's consent.
- Shortlist and offer supportYou decide. We support the offer and the transition.
What we verify for every nurse manager candidate. Current registration with the provincial or territorial regulator (for example the College of Nurses of Ontario, the British Columbia College of Nurses and Midwives, or the College of Registered Nurses of Alberta); most manager roles require an RN. Leadership experience that matches the unit size and complexity. Specialty certification where the unit expects it. Degree or leadership education where the employer requires it, such as a BScN, a master's degree or leadership coursework. The Canadian College of Health Leaders offers the Certified Health Executive (CHE) designation and promotes the LEADS in a Caring Environment capabilities framework. Requirements are set by each employer. We verify. We do not guarantee outcomes.
Ways to engage
Match the engagement to the vacancy.
Contingent search
A fee on hire. Suited to standard manager vacancies.
Retained search
A dedicated, exclusive search for sensitive or hard to fill seats, such as a manager replacing someone still in role.
Interim manager cover
Short-term unit leadership during a leave or while you search. See contract and relief staffing.
Fee structure and terms are discussed directly. You can also consider direct hire for permanent roles. Learn more about how our executive search works.
Ready for a management seat, or a better one?
Tell us the size of unit, the type of employer, and the region you want. We keep your search private and talk through each opportunity before anything is shared. If you are a charge nurse or clinician ready for your first management role, we can tell you honestly what employers look for.
- Your name goes to an employer only with your permission.
- We explain the role and the employer first.
- We tell you honestly if we do not have a fit.
What you can expect from us
- We are a new firm. You will deal with the people doing the work.
- We verify registration and experience. We do not promise outcomes.
- We keep client and candidate information private, in line with applicable privacy law.
Free for candidates. Always.
Related pages
Directors of Care
Senior nursing leadership in long-term care.
Director of Care recruitmentVP Care and CNO
Nursing executive search.
Chief nursing officer searchExecutive search
Retained and confidential seats.
Executive searchHospital
Hospital staffing.
Hospital staffingLong-term care
Care home staffing.
Long-term care staffingAll expertise
Browse every role and setting.
Back to ExpertiseFrequently asked questions
Does a nurse manager need to be a Registered Nurse?
Most manager roles require an RN registered with the provincial regulator. Some programs allow other regulated health professionals. The employer sets the requirement for each role, and we confirm it with you in the briefing so that every candidate we present meets it.
Do you recruit managers for unionized units?
Yes. Manager roles are often out of scope of the bargaining unit, but it varies by employer and province. We confirm the terms of each role with the employer at the start, including union status and any collective agreement considerations, so candidates know what they are considering.
Can you fill a manager seat while the current manager is still in it?
Yes, discreetly. We approach candidates directly and do not advertise the role, and a retained search is available if you prefer a dedicated, exclusive approach. We agree with you at the briefing who inside the organization is told, and when.
Can you supply interim unit leadership?
We can discuss it through our contract and relief staffing service. Availability depends on the region and the unit, so we talk through what is realistic before you decide whether interim cover should run alongside a manager search or during a leave.
Lead with the right people
Questions first? Contact us.
I am a nurse leader
Tell us the unit, employer and region you want. We keep it private.
Have a confidential conversation