Associate Director, Strategic Partnerships

Compass Health Center•Chicago, IL

5d•$90,000 - $110,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Weekly outpatient therapy isn't always enough, and a trip to the ER isn't the only answer. Patients and their families rely on Compass Health Center when in crisis – every day, we help people overcome depression, anxiety, suicidality, obsessions/compulsions, trauma, chronic pain, and other obstacles in order for our patients to live freely. About This Role Compass Health Center is the leading provider of Partial Hospitalization Programs (PHP) and Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP) in Illinois, delivering immediate access to evidence-based mental health care for children, adolescents, young adults, and adults. With flagship operations in Chicago and expanding programs across Maryland, Wisconsin, Virginia, the District of Columbia, and Minnesota, Compass bridges the gap between outpatient and inpatient care—diverting patients from emergency departments and inpatient hospitalization while achieving measurable clinical outcomes. As our home and most mature market, Chicago represents a critical growth and innovation hub for Compass. We are continuing to evolve our business development function into a high-performing Strategic Partnerships engine—one that is accountable, data-driven, deeply integrated with admissions, and centered on both the patient and referrer experience. The Associate Director of Strategic Partnerships – Chicago is a clinically informed, relationship-driven business development professional responsible for driving referral growth, strengthening high-impact partnerships, and expanding Compass’s market leadership across the Chicago and greater Chicagoland area. This role blends clinical fluency, consultative sales, and sophisticated account management in one of the most competitive behavioral health markets in the country. This is not a traditional community outreach role—it is a performance-based partnership sales position with clear expectations tied to referral volume, admissions growth, partner satisfaction, and long-term referral behavior.

Requirements

Clinical license or license-eligible (LCSW, LCPC, LMFT, PsyD, PhD, or equivalent) preferred
2+ years of clinical experience in mental health; PHP/IOP or higher levels of care strongly preferred
Strong business development, account management, or healthcare partnership experience
Proven ability to build trust with senior clinical and executive stakeholders
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Data-literate and tech-savvy; experience with CRM and performance dashboards preferred
Entrepreneurial, accountable, and growth-oriented mindset

Responsibilities

Own and grow a portfolio of High-Value Target (HVT) accounts across Chicagoland, including: Major hospital systems and emergency departments
Academic medical centers and residency programs
Large outpatient and group practices
School districts, therapeutic day schools, and universities
Employer, EAP, and payer-aligned partners
Develop and execute Chicago-specific account plans, informed by: Neighborhood- and system-level referral trends
Capacity constraints and access gaps
Competitive dynamics unique to the Chicago market
Build trusted relationships with psychiatrists, therapists, case managers, discharge planners, school counselors, PCPs, and ER staff
Translate relationships into measurable qualified referrals, admissions, and pipeline growth
Partner closely with Admissions to ensure: Warm handoffs
Clear admission criteria alignment
Rapid resolution of referral friction and access barriers
Track referral behavior, volume, and feedback using HubSpot CRM and Sigmund Aura
Monitor Chicago-area competitive dynamics across: PHP/IOP providers
Hospital-affiliated programs
Virtual and hybrid care competitors
Identify trends, gaps, and referral opportunities and translate insights into actionable growth strategies
Serve as the primary market intelligence lead for Chicagoland, bringing real-time insights on: Patient acuity and demand
Payer-related access issues
Program and specialty needs
Maintain a strong working knowledge of: Compass treatment models (PHP, IOP, TMS, specialty programming, age-specific tracks)
Admission criteria and payer considerations
Clinical outcomes and differentiators
Confidently represent Compass’s value proposition to: Hospital leadership
Senior clinicians
Executive and operational stakeholders
Leverage clinical background to: Build credibility in a clinically sophisticated market
Align referring providers with Compass clinicians
Ensure referrals are appropriate, timely, and well-matched to programs
Execute Chicago-focused growth campaigns tied to: New program launches and capacity expansion
Seasonal surges (e.g., back-to-school, winter acuity, post-holiday demand)
Payer alignment and access initiatives
Collaborate with Marketing on: Co-branded campaigns and provider education
CE events, lunch-and-learns, and referral webinars
Multi-channel outreach across Chicagoland
Support strategic initiatives such as: Concierge referral pathways
Expedited admissions workflows
CompassForward discharge and step-down strategies
Represent Compass at key Chicago-area events, including: Behavioral health coalitions and professional associations
Hospital system forums and provider roundtables
School and university mental health networks
Connect Compass clinical leaders with opportunities for: Speaking engagements
Panel discussions
Educational presentations
Manage a strategic calendar of community, hospital, and partner engagements aligned with growth goals