Associate Director of Clinical Operations - $8000 sign on bonus

Jewish Family Service • Buffalo, NY

7h • $73,000 - $83,000

About The Position

The Associate Director of Clinical Services provides clinical and operational leadership for Jewish Family Services of Western New York’s Mental Health Outpatient Treatment and Rehabilitative Services (MHOTRS) clinic and Critical Time Intervention (CTI) program. Reporting to the Senior Director of Behavioral Health, the role ensures high-quality, trauma-informed, person-centered, culturally responsive, and recovery-oriented behavioral health services. The Associate Director supervises and develops program staff, supports daily operations, monitors clinical quality and regulatory compliance, and works with agency leadership to meet client and community needs.

The position oversees clinical practice, documentation standards, program performance, and coordination of care across behavioral health, medical, and community-based systems. It also supports CTI model fidelity, service access and continuity, workforce development, quality improvement, and program development. The role works in the office and in the community, including travel to sites for meetings and support services. Hours are flexible and may include days and some evenings and/or weekends.

Requirements

• Master’s degree in Social Work, Mental Health Counseling, Psychology, or another related behavioral health discipline.
• Current New York State professional licensure appropriate to the position.
• Demonstrated experience providing behavioral health services to people with complex mental health and psychosocial needs.
• Clinical supervision and/or behavioral health program leadership experience.
• Strong knowledge of clinical assessment, treatment planning, risk assessment, crisis intervention, care coordination, and clinical documentation.
• Ability to lead multidisciplinary teams and manage competing clinical and operational priorities.
• Strong written, verbal, organizational, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Ability to work effectively with people from diverse cultural, socioeconomic, and lived-experience backgrounds.
• Proficiency with electronic health records and ability to use data for program management and quality improvement.
• Commitment to and understanding of Jewish Family Service’s values.
• Reliable vehicle, valid clean driver’s license, and liability insurance of $100/$300k.
• Ability to travel outside the office to various sites for meetings and support services.

Nice To Haves

• LCSW or LCSW-R licensure in New York State.
• Experience in an OMH-licensed outpatient mental health program.
• Knowledge of New York State OMH regulations and Medicaid behavioral health requirements.
• Experience supervising licensed and/or license-eligible behavioral health professionals.
• Experience working with individuals with serious mental illness and complex social needs.
• Experience with Critical Time Intervention, care transitions, community-based behavioral health services, or intensive care coordination.
• Experience with quality improvement, regulatory audits, utilization management, and program development.

Responsibilities

• Provide clinical leadership and oversight for the MHOTRS clinic and CTI program.
• Supervise assigned clinical and program staff and maintain appropriate supervisory structures.
• Consult with staff on complex clinical situations, risk assessment, safety planning, crisis intervention, and care coordination.
• Promote evidence-based, trauma-informed, recovery-oriented, person-centered, and culturally responsive practices.
• Support staff development in assessment, treatment planning, documentation, and care coordination.
• Facilitate or participate in case consultations, team meetings, case conferences, and interdisciplinary meetings.
• Oversee day-to-day clinical operations of the MHOTRS clinic and ensure compliance with applicable regulations, Medicaid requirements, agency policies, and professional standards.
• Monitor caseloads, productivity, access to care, scheduling, utilization, and other operational indicators.
• Support intake, assessment, admission, treatment planning, ongoing treatment, and discharge processes.
• Monitor clinical documentation quality and timeliness and address concerns with staff.
• Coordinate psychotherapy, psychiatric services, care management, and other internal and external services.
• Identify barriers to access and continuity of care and work with leadership on solutions.
• Support implementation and optimization of the electronic medical record and clinical workflows.
• Provide clinical and programmatic oversight of CTI services and support adherence to the CTI model and program requirements.
• Support CTI services for individuals with complex behavioral health, medical, housing, and social needs during transitions.
• Consult on complex CTI cases and assist with engagement, risk management, care coordination, and connection to community services.
• Monitor CTI referrals, enrollment, caseloads, service delivery, phase transitions, outcomes, and program completion.
• Develop coordination and relationships with hospitals, behavioral health and housing providers, care management organizations, social service systems, and community partners.
• Support integration and utilization of peers and multidisciplinary team members in the CTI model.
• Ensure compliance with regulations, Medicaid requirements, contractual obligations, agency policies, and applicable quality standards.
• Participate in chart reviews, audits, quality assurance, corrective action planning, and continuous quality improvement.
• Collaborate with agency leadership, Quality Improvement, Compliance, and other departments to address clinical and operational risks.
• Assist with preparation for regulatory reviews, Medicaid audits, program monitoring, and funding reviews.
• Use program data to monitor performance and improve access, quality, outcomes, and efficiency.
• Ensure incidents, safety concerns, and reportable events are addressed, documented, and escalated as required.
• Participate in recruitment, interviewing, selection, onboarding, and retention of staff.
• Coach, provide feedback to, and manage the performance of assigned staff.
• Identify staff training and professional development needs and help strengthen clinical competencies.
• Support staff through high-acuity periods, organizational change, program growth, and operational challenges.
• Assist with staffing coverage during vacancies, leaves, and other transitions.
• Work with the Senior Director of Behavioral Health to establish program goals, priorities, workflows, and performance expectations.
• Monitor program capacity, utilization, staffing, referrals, and other operational indicators.
• Improve workflows, access, care coordination, and client experience; participate in implementing new initiatives, services, technology, workflows, and regulatory requirements.
• Assist in developing and implementing policies, procedures, clinical protocols, and program standards.
• Participate in leadership meetings, communicate relevant information to staff, and represent the programs at meetings as assigned.

Benefits

• Competitive salary of $73,000–$80,000 annually, commensurate with experience and qualifications.
• Health, dental, and vision insurance.
• Accrued paid time off of 4+ weeks.
• Paid agency-wide shutdown between Christmas and New Year’s Day.
• 401(k) retirement plan with a 4% agency contribution.
• 13+ observed holidays annually.
• Reduced full-time work week of 35 hours and early close on Fridays.
• $8,000 sign-on bonus.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director