Chief Compliance and Contracting Officer

Northwest Ambulance•Everett, WA

1d•$165,000 - $195,000•Onsite

About The Position

Northwest Ambulance is seeking its first Chief Compliance & Contracting Officer, a new executive role reporting directly to the CEO and Owner. This is a build role focused on establishing the compliance program and managing the organization's contract portfolio, functions currently fragmented across Operations, Billing, and HR. The role involves auditing these departments and will operate independently of them. The Chief Compliance & Contracting Officer will be responsible for developing a comprehensive, organization-wide compliance program, including written policies, standards of conduct, and an annual risk-based work plan and audit calendar. Key areas of focus include ambulance billing and reimbursement compliance (Medicare, Medicaid/Apple Health, commercial payers), medical necessity, level of service, mileage, PCS forms, ePCR documentation quality, fraud, waste, and abuse controls, HIPAA privacy (including the Privacy Officer function), and regulatory obligations to various government agencies (DOH, HCA, CMS, HHS-OIG, DEA, L&I, county EMS). Additionally, the role will manage the full lifecycle of all organizational agreements (facility, payer, vendor, service), including intake, repository maintenance, renewal calendar management, negotiation support, and financial modeling of proposed rates. A critical aspect of the contracting function is reviewing all arrangements for Anti-Kickback, Stark, and False Claims Act exposure, with no agreement executed without this review. This position offers direct access to the CEO and Owner, with the authority to initiate audits and investigations independently and to require all contracts, amendments, or rate changes to be routed for review before signature. The role requires the ability to recommend against agreements posing significant regulatory or financial risk, with the final signature authority resting with the CEO. The ideal candidate is comfortable formally communicating 'no' to senior leadership with a well-supported rationale.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in healthcare administration, business, compliance, finance, legal studies, or a related field (substantial equivalent healthcare compliance experience considered in lieu of a degree).
5+ years of progressively responsible experience in healthcare compliance, reimbursement, auditing, or billing.
Working knowledge of the Anti-Kickback Statute, Stark Law, False Claims Act, and HIPAA.
Demonstrated experience with Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement requirements.
Hands-on experience reviewing, negotiating, and administering healthcare contracts, including rate and reimbursement terms.
Track record conducting audits, investigations, and corrective-action processes through to closure.
Ability to communicate risk clearly to executives and to appropriately challenge senior decisions.
Valid driver's license and acceptable driving record.

Nice To Haves

Ambulance, EMS, medical transportation, or hospital operations background.
Direct experience with ambulance billing rules, medical necessity, and PCS requirements.
Experience overseeing third-party billing vendors.
Experience negotiating hospital, SNF, health system, or payer transport agreements.
Experience building a centralized contract repository and renewal calendar.
CHC, CHC-F, CHPC, CHC-O, CHRC, or comparable certification.
Experience with government auditors, regulators, and healthcare counsel.
JD, MBA, MHA, or related master's degree.

Responsibilities

Develop and implement a documented, organization-wide compliance program.
Establish written policies, standards of conduct, and an annual risk-based work plan and audit calendar.
Ensure compliance with ambulance billing and reimbursement regulations across Medicare, Medicaid/Apple Health, and commercial payers.
Oversee medical necessity, level of service, mileage, PCS forms, and ePCR documentation quality.
Implement and manage fraud, waste, and abuse controls.
Fulfill HIPAA privacy obligations, including the Privacy Officer function.
Ensure compliance with regulatory obligations to DOH, HCA, CMS, HHS-OIG, DEA, L&I, and county EMS.
Manage the full lifecycle of all organizational agreements, including facility, payer, vendor, and service contracts.
Oversee the contract intake process, maintain the contract repository, and manage the renewal calendar.
Lead or support negotiations for agreements with hospitals, SNFs, dialysis centers, and health systems.
Model the margin impact of proposed rates in collaboration with the Controller.
Review all agreements for Anti-Kickback, Stark, and False Claims Act exposure.
Audit Operations, Billing, and HR departments.
Communicate risk clearly to executives.
Challenge senior decisions appropriately.