Director, Admissions and Census Growth

Aspire of Illinois • Hillside, IL

11d • Hybrid

About The Position

Aspire is seeking a strategic, relationship-driven leader to serve as its Director, Admissions & Census Growth. This critical leadership role is responsible for expanding access to Aspire's services, strengthening community partnerships, and ensuring exceptional experiences for individuals and families from their first interaction through enrollment and beyond. The Director provides strategic and operational leadership for admissions, outreach, and census development efforts across multiple programs and locations, driving sustainable growth, optimizing admissions operations, cultivating referral partnerships, and ensuring a person-centered experience. This role works closely with executive leadership and program teams to develop and execute strategies that expand Aspire's reach while ensuring operational excellence and exceptional customer experiences. The position supports multiple locations including Academy North in Waukegan, Academy South in Hillside, the Shannon Center, and offsite programs.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in Human Services, Healthcare Administration, Social Work, Business, or a related field.
• Minimum of seven (7) years of progressive experience in healthcare admissions, behavioral health, long-term care, skilled nursing, social services, or related fields.
• Demonstrated success leading multi-site or multi-program admissions, outreach, or growth initiatives.
• Experience working with healthcare payers, including Medicaid, Medicare, and Managed Care organizations.
• Experience utilizing CRM systems, reporting tools, and data analytics to drive operational and strategic decisions.
• Valid driver's license, reliable transportation, and ability to travel regularly between Aspire locations and community partner sites.

Nice To Haves

• Master's degree preferred.
• Experience with Medicaid-funded services and regulatory requirements.
• Familiarity with intellectual/developmental disability services, post-acute care, community-based supports, or related sectors.

Responsibilities

• Drive Strategic Growth: Lead initiatives to achieve and exceed census and enrollment goals; analyze referral trends, occupancy data, conversion metrics, and market opportunities to identify growth strategies; develop and execute outreach and market development plans; advise executive leadership on growth opportunities, capacity planning, and emerging market dynamics.
• Lead Admissions Excellence: Oversee admissions operations and assessment workflows for responsive, efficient, compliant, and person-centered processes; design and implement admissions strategies for a seamless inquiry-to-enrollment experience; optimize CRM platforms, admissions systems, and technology solutions; support individuals and families through complex decision-making with empathy and clarity.
• Build Powerful Community Partnerships: Develop and maintain strategic relationships with schools, referral sources, healthcare providers, advocacy organizations, managed care organizations, and community stakeholders; represent Aspire at conferences, networking events, and community meetings; expand awareness of Aspire's services and strengthen referral pipelines; collaborate with organizational leaders to elevate Aspire's visibility.
• Leverage Data for Impact: Develop and monitor key admissions, outreach, and growth metrics; translate performance data into actionable recommendations; lead continuous improvement initiatives for admissions processes and reporting; support implementation and optimization of systems for forecasting, reporting, and strategic planning.
• Lead and Develop a High-Performing Team: Provide leadership, coaching, and performance management for Admissions Specialists and Outreach Specialist; foster a culture of accountability, innovation, collaboration, and exceptional service; build leadership capabilities within the team; partner with program and executive leaders to align admissions strategy with operational capacity.

Benefits

• Opportunities to learn, grow, belong, and thrive.
• Meaningful impact in the lives of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD).
• Competitive salary range of $70,000 - $75,000 annually.

What This Job Offers

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