Chief Compliance and Contracting Officer

Northwest Ambulance•Everett, WA

17h•$165,000 - $195,000

About The Position

Northwest Ambulance is hiring its first Chief Compliance and Contracting Officer, a standalone executive role reporting directly to the CEO and Owner. The role will build and lead the organization-wide compliance program and take ownership of the contract portfolio, functions currently distributed across Operations, Billing, and HR. The officer will audit those areas independently and will not report through them. The position owns compliance program development and execution, including written policies, standards of conduct, an annual risk-based work plan, and an audit calendar. It covers ambulance billing and reimbursement compliance for Medicare, Medicaid/Apple Health, and commercial payers, including medical necessity, level of service, mileage, PCS forms, and ePCR documentation quality. Responsibilities also encompass fraud, waste, and abuse controls; HIPAA privacy and the Privacy Officer function; and regulatory obligations to DOH, HCA, CMS, HHS-OIG, DEA, L&I, and county EMS. The officer manages the full lifecycle of facility, payer, vendor, and service agreements. This includes contract intake, maintaining the repository and renewal calendar, leading or supporting negotiations with hospitals, SNFs, dialysis centers, and health systems, and modeling proposed rate impacts on margins alongside the Controller. The officer reviews arrangements for Anti-Kickback, Stark, and False Claims exposure. All agreements must receive the officer’s review before execution. The role has direct access to the CEO and Owner and authority to initiate audits or investigations without prior permission. The officer can require contracts, amendments, and rate changes to be routed for review before signature and can withhold a recommendation when an agreement presents excessive regulatory or financial risk. Signature authority remains with the CEO. The organization seeks someone able to challenge senior leadership and document a defensible rationale. The estimated annual compensation is $165,000–$195,000. The company offers medical, dental, and vision insurance, a 401(k) with an employer match of up to 5%, paid time off, and uniforms. Northwest Ambulance is an Equal Opportunity Employer and provides reasonable accommodations upon request for candidates with disabilities participating in the application or interview process.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration, business, compliance, finance, legal studies, or a related field; substantial equivalent healthcare compliance experience may be considered instead of a degree.
At least 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 of conducting audits, investigations, and corrective-action processes through to closure.
Ability to communicate risk clearly to executives and 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

Build and lead a documented, organization-wide compliance program, including written policies and standards of conduct.
Develop and execute an annual risk-based compliance work plan and audit calendar.
Audit Operations, Billing, and HR independently.
Oversee ambulance billing and reimbursement compliance for Medicare, Medicaid/Apple Health, and commercial payers, including medical necessity, level of service, mileage, PCS forms, and ePCR documentation quality.
Establish fraud, waste, and abuse controls.
Oversee HIPAA privacy and perform the Privacy Officer function.
Manage regulatory obligations to DOH, HCA, CMS, HHS-OIG, DEA, L&I, and county EMS.
Manage the full lifecycle of facility, payer, vendor, and service agreements.
Run contract intake and maintain the contract repository and renewal calendar.
Lead or support negotiations with hospitals, SNFs, dialysis centers, and health systems.
Model the margin impact of proposed rates alongside the Controller before commitments are made.
Review arrangements for Anti-Kickback, Stark, and False Claims exposure.
Review agreements before execution and route contracts, amendments, and rate changes through the review process before signature.
Initiate audits and investigations without prior permission and carry out audits, investigations, and corrective-action processes through to closure.
Withhold recommendations on agreements that carry excessive regulatory or financial risk and communicate defensible rationales to senior leadership.